UniFa
UniFa develops and operates Lukumi, a Japanese SaaS and IoT platform for nursery schools, kindergartens and combined childcare centers that automates administration, parent communication, nap-time safety monitoring, and AI-generated child development reports, deployed across 13,000+ facilities and 60+ municipalities.
- Company typePrivate
- Founded2013
- HeadquartersTokyo, Japan
- Headcount101–250
- GTM typeB2B
- OfferingSoftware
What UniFa does
UniFa Inc. (ユニファ株式会社) is a Tokyo-headquartered, privately held Childcare-Tech company founded in May 2013 by Toki Yasuyuki. It develops and operates Lukumi (ルクミー), a comprehensive ICT platform for nursery schools (hoikuen), kindergartens (yochien), and combined childcare-education centers (kodomoen) in Japan, addressing administrative burden, parent communication, and infant safety in licensed facilities serving children aged 0–6.
The Lukumi platform comprises 15+ modules spanning three pillars: Healthcare (IoT-based Lukumi Nap Check sensor monitoring for SIDS prevention, Lukumi Thermometer), Photo and Documentation (Lukumi Photo with face authentication, Lukumi Documentation, Lukumi Child Memory), and ICT Administration (Class Board, Communication Notebook, Notifications, Check-in/out, Shift Management, Billing, Document Management, IP Allowlist). Underpinning these are proprietary AI capabilities — patented Childcare AI 'Sukusuku Report' for automated developmental narratives, a Sensitive Photo Check moderation feature, computer-vision-based photo identification, and anomaly detection on nap sensor data — alongside consumer-facing extensions (Lukumi for FAMILY, Lukumi Lab, Lukumi Experience Park) and the Data Safety Pack cyber-insurance add-on co-developed with Tokio Marine. The company reports deployment across 60+ Japanese municipalities and 13,000+ cumulative childcare facilities, with over 167,000 children monitored via Lukumi Nap Check.
UniFa monetizes through recurring per-facility SaaS subscriptions, transaction fees from parent photo purchases, and subscription add-ons (Data Safety Pack at ¥5,000/month). Distribution combines direct enterprise field sales, municipal government procurement under the national Digital Nursery City subsidy scheme, and a sales agent/distributor channel. The company has raised approximately ¥9.3 billion in cumulative equity across multiple rounds through Series E (August 2024), with strategic investors including MIXI, Salesforce Ventures, Dai-ichi Life, Mitsubishi UFJ Capital, SMBC Venture Capital, and others, and operates offices in Tokyo (headquarters) and Nagoya.
UniFa firmographics
Firmographics- Name
- UniFa
- Legal name
- ユニファ株式会社
- Website
- https://unifa-e.com
- Company type
- Private
- Founded year
- 2013
- Operating status
- Operating
- Headcount range
- 101–250 employees
- Short description
- UniFa develops and operates Lukumi, a Japanese SaaS and IoT platform for nursery schools, kindergartens and combined childcare centers that automates administration, parent communication, nap-time safety monitoring, and AI-generated child development reports, deployed across 13,000+ facilities and 60+ municipalities.
- Ownership category
- akta.pro rank
UniFa industry classification
Industry- Product category
- Childcare Management Software
- NAICS
- Educational Support Services (611710), Educational Support Services (61171)
- SIC
- Services-Computer Integrated Systems Design (7373), Services-Educational Services (8200)
- akta.pro primary industry
- Assistive Technology (AT) & Accessible Learning Tools (EDALAGAB)
- akta.pro secondary industry
- Special Education & Accessibility-Optimized Media (UDL, AAC, Captioning) (EDAGALAH)
Keywords
Where UniFa is headquartered
LocationHeadquarters
- HQ city
- Tokyo
- HQ country
- Japan
- HQ region
- Asia
Offices2 records
Markets served
UniFa business model
Business model- GTM type
- B2B
- Offering type
- Software
- Cost components
- Personnel, Technology or R&D, Marketing or Sales, Infrastructure, Operations
Revenue model
- Luxmee ICT Subscription Services: Monthly subscription services for childcare facilities covering ICT management tools, photo services, shift management, attendance tracking, and parent communication. Priced on a per-facility or tiered subscription model. Revenue is recurring (SaaS-like).
- Data Anshin Pack Add-on: Cybersecurity insurance bundled add-on service providing data breach compensation, IP allowlisting, and data recovery support. Priced at ¥5,000/month (excluding tax). Sold as an add-on to existing Lukumi subscribers.
- Luxmee Photo Sales: Parents purchase printed photos and photo albums of their children taken at childcare facilities. The platform handles order fulfillment and delivery. Transaction-based revenue from end consumers (parents).
Pricing tiers
| Model | Billing | Price |
|---|---|---|
| Subscription | Monthly | Data Anshin Pack (Cybersecurity Add-on) |
Go-to-market motion1 record
Distribution channels4 records
Marketing channels5 records
UniFa product offering
Product offeringCore offering
UniFa develops and operates "Lukumi" (ルクミー), a comprehensive childcare ICT platform for nursery schools, kindergartens, and children's schools in Japan. The platform integrates IoT nap-monitoring hardware, AI-powered photo documentation and growth-report generation, and cloud-based SaaS modules covering attendance, billing, shift management, class communication, and parent engagement. It is sold as a subscription service directly to childcare facilities and through municipal procurement, with a complementary parent-facing photo-purchase offering.
Product overview
UniFa operates as a 'Childcare-Tech' startup offering the Lukumi (ルクミー) comprehensive childcare ICT platform for nursery schools, kindergartens, and children's schools. The platform consists of three main categories—Healthcare (including nap monitoring and temperature tracking), Photo services (documentation and sales), and ICT administration (attendance, communication, billing, shift management). Key modules include Lukumi Nap Check for sleep safety monitoring, Lukumi Photo for automated photo documentation, Lukumi Class Board for centralized information management, and the recently launched Childcare AI Sukusuku Report for automated growth reporting. The platform integrates with government childcare administration platforms and offers training services through Lukumi Future Childcare School.
Differentiator
Problem solved
Functional benefit
Brands
- ルクミー (Lukumi): Comprehensive childcare ICT service platform offering solutions for childcare facilities including health management, photo sharing, daily operations management, and communication tools.
Products and services
- Lukumi (ルクミー) Childcare ICT Platform End-to-end childcare operations SaaS platform that helps licensed childcare facilities (hoikuen, yochien, kodomoen) reduce administrative burden, digitize parent communication, and improve childcare quality through integrated modules.
- Data Safety Pack (データ安心パック) Add-on subscription service co-developed with Tokio Marine & Nichido Fire Insurance providing IP allowlisting, data-breach insurance coverage, and data recovery support to childcare facilities using the Lukumi platform.
- Lukumi Future Childcare School (ルクミー未来保育スクール) Professional development training service for childcare workers, supporting adoption and effective use of ICT tools such as the Lukumi platform.
- Lukumi Photo (ルクミーフォト) Photo Sales Service Parent-facing photo purchase and album service within the Lukumi platform; parents browse and buy printed photos of their children captured at childcare facilities.
Quantifiable outcome
- Over 167,000 children monitored during nap time across Lukumi Gosui Check users
- +3 more outcomes
Companies that use UniFa
Customer profileNamed customers5 records
Segments1 record
Ideal customer profiles2 records
UniFa technology and API
TechnologyTechnology focussed Yes
API detail
- Has API
- No
- API docs
- API detail
Core technology
AI maturity
App detail
AI capability6 records
Feature5 records
UniFa partnerships and signals
Strategic signalPartnerships
Seven partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.
- こども家庭庁 (Child and Family Agency)coreLukumi supports integration with the government-promoted 'Childcare Business Facility Management Platform' (保育業務施設管理プラットフォーム) and 'Childcare Activity Information Collaboration Infrastructure' (保活情報連携基盤). UniFa's system enables childcare facilities to comply with the 2026 government digital mandate, connecting Lukumi data to national public platforms via API.
- MIXI, Inc.coreUniFa entered a capital and business alliance with MIXI to integrate Lukumi with MIXI's 'Family Album Mitenne' service, enabling shared family photo experiences. MIXI invested ¥500 million as part of UniFa's Series E round. The partnership aims to enhance family communication and happiness through linked children's photo services.
- 三菱UFJリサーチ＆コンサルティング株式会社 (Mitsubishi UFJ Research and Consulting)Co-developed the 'Handbook for First-Time ICT Use in Childcare Facilities' (保育所等におけるはじめてのICT活用ハンドブック) under a Ministry of Health, Labour and Welfare research project. UniFa contributed ICT domain expertise; the handbook was published to promote childcare DX nationwide.
- 東京海上日動火災保険株式会社 (Tokio Marine & Nichido Fire Insurance)coreCo-developed and launched 'Data Anshin Pack', a bundled cybersecurity and data protection package for childcare facilities using Lukumi. Tokio Marine provides cyber insurance coverage (up to ¥3M per incident) and data recovery support, while UniFa provides IP allowlisting and platform security. Monthly subscription priced at ¥5,000.
- インパクトスタートアップ協会 (Impact Startup Association / ISA)coreUniFa is a founding promoter and lead member of the Impact Startup Association, co-founded with READYFOR, Life is Tech, Herlassen, and 19 other companies. The ISA promotes 'impact startups' that solve social problems while achieving sustainable growth. UniFa CEO serves as a board representative. Activities span 'sharing, forming, advocating, and communicating'.
- セcoms株式会社 (SECOM)minorSecurity industry leader SECOM formed a technology/partnership with UniFa to support childcare facility safety through integrated security and monitoring solutions. Nature of partnership appears to be technology collaboration for the Smart Nursery concept.
- 銷售代理店 (Sales agent/distributor partners)minorUniFa's privacy policy notes joint use of customer data with sales agents (販売代理店) for contract fulfillment and customer support. Nature of partnership is resale and customer acquisition for Lukumi services.
Scale indicators5 records
Recent moves6 records
Expansion highlights6 records
UniFa competitors and assessment
Company assessmentDirect peers
- Brightwheel: US-based childcare management platform serving tens of thousands of preschools and daycares with attendance, billing, parent communication, and learning documentation. Closest US analog to UniFa's Lukumi in product scope and B2B-to-B2C model.
- HiMama: Canadian childcare management app providing daily reports, photo/video sharing, attendance tracking, and parent communication for daycare and preschool programs. Direct competitor in early childhood ICT with a similar feature set to Lukumi Photo and Lukumi Otayori.
- Procare Solutions: Long-standing US childcare management software provider serving tens of thousands of daycare centers with attendance, billing, parent engagement, and child tracking. Mature direct competitor operating in the same product category as Lukumi at scale.
- Famly: Denmark-headquartered childcare management platform serving daycare and preschool programs across Europe with attendance, parent communication, billing, and documentation tools. Closest European analog to UniFa's comprehensive Lukumi suite.
- Educa: Early childhood education documentation and family engagement platform serving childcare centers in New Zealand, Australia, and North America. Direct peer focused on learning documentation and parent communication, similar to Lukumi's growth reports and Otayori modules.
- Kangarootime: US childcare management platform offering billing, attendance, parent communication, and learning tools for daycare and preschool providers. Direct B2B competitor with comparable SaaS product scope to UniFa's Lukumi.
- ChildPilot: US-based childcare center management software providing enrollment, billing, attendance, and family engagement tools for daycare programs. Direct peer serving similar customer segments with a comparable SaaS product to Lukumi.
- Smartcare: US childcare management platform offering parent communication, attendance, billing, and learning management for daycare and preschool facilities. Direct peer in the B2B childcare SaaS market with overlapping customer profile.
Market position
Strengths5 records
Weaknesses5 records
Competitive moat6 records
Key risks5 records
Key highlights7 records
Customer concentration
UniFa social profiles
Digital presenceUniFa compliance and trust
Trust signalCompliance1 record
UniFa financial estimates
Financial estimateRevenue estimate
Valuation estimate
UniFa leadership team
Management profileNumber of profiles
Profiles5 records
UniFa funding detail
Funding detailFunding overview
Funding rounds8 records
Investors33 records
Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
UniFa M&A and investment
M&A and investmentM&A
Investments
M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Frequently asked questions about UniFa
What does UniFa do?
UniFa develops and operates "Lukumi" (ルクミー), a comprehensive childcare ICT platform for nursery schools, kindergartens, and children's schools in Japan. The platform integrates IoT nap-monitoring hardware, AI-powered photo documentation and growth-report generation, and cloud-based SaaS modules covering attendance, billing, shift management, class communication, and parent engagement. It is sold as a subscription service directly to childcare facilities and through municipal procurement, with a complementary parent-facing photo-purchase offering.
Is UniFa a public or private company?
UniFa is a private company. It is classified as venture growth investor backed and is currently operating.
When was UniFa founded?
UniFa was founded in 2013. It employs 101 to 250 people.
Where is UniFa based?
UniFa is headquartered in Tokyo, Japan, in the Asia region.
How does UniFa make money?
Three revenue lines are on record. Luxmee ICT Subscription Services are the primary driver. The others are data Anshin Pack Add-on and luxmee Photo Sales.
Who are UniFa's main competitors?
Direct peers on record are Brightwheel, HiMama, Procare Solutions, Famly, Educa, Kangarootime, ChildPilot and Smartcare.
Does UniFa have an API?
No public API is recorded for UniFa.
What industry is UniFa in?
UniFa's product category is Childcare Management Software. Its primary akta.pro industry code is EDALAGAB, Assistive Technology (AT) & Accessible Learning Tools, with a secondary code of EDAGALAH, Special Education & Accessibility-Optimized Media (UDL, AAC, Captioning). Its NAICS code is 611710 and its SIC code is 7373.