Linc
- Company typePrivate
- Founded2016
- HeadquartersTokyo, Japan
- Headcount1–10
- GTM typeB2B
- OfferingSoftware
Linc firmographics
Firmographics- Name
- Linc
- Legal name
- 株式会社Linc
- Website
- https://linc-info.com
- Company type
- Private
- Founded year
- 2016
- Operating status
- Operating
- Headcount range
- 1–10 employees
- Ownership category
- akta.pro rank
Linc industry classification
Industry- Product category
- Recruitment Software
- NAICS
- Employment Placement Agencies and Executive Search Services (56131), Employment Placement Agencies (561311)
- SIC
- Services-Employment Agencies (7361)
- akta.pro primary industry
- Talent Acquisition (Recruiting) & Applicant Tracking (ATS) (BPACAPAD)
- akta.pro secondary industry
- Job Market Intelligence & Employer Networking Services (BPACAOAJ)
Keywords
Where Linc is headquartered
LocationHeadquarters
- HQ city
- Tokyo
- HQ country
- Japan
- HQ region
- Asia
Offices1 record
Markets served
Linc business model
Business model- GTM type
- B2B
- Offering type
- Software
- Cost components
- Personnel, Technology or R&D, Marketing or Sales, Operations
Revenue model
- SaaS Platform / Recruitment Marketplace: Linc operates a two-sided marketplace/platform where companies post jobs and recruitment agencies submit candidates. Revenue is generated from platform subscription fees paid by companies and/or commission/transaction fees from recruitment agencies for successful placements. The platform covers hiring across visa types (specified skilled worker, technical intern training, engineer/humanities/intl visas) and job levels (part-time to full-time).
- Linc Study E-Learning: Online university admission preparation E-learning service for Chinese-speaking international students targeting Japanese universities. Revenue generated from student subscription/license fees. Collaborates with 150+ Japanese language schools.
- Retention & Life Support Services: Post-hire services including Global Hub Talent (HR/admin platform), interpreter services via Oyraa partnership, insurance and financial services referrals, and community events to support foreign employee retention.
Pricing tiers
| Model | Billing | Price |
|---|---|---|
| Other | Multi-year contract | Platform subscription / transaction model — pricing not publicly disclosed |
Go-to-market motion3 records
Distribution channels4 records
Marketing channels9 records
Linc product offering
Product offeringCore offering
Linc operates the Global Hub (グロハブ) AI-powered recruitment management platform that connects Japanese enterprises facing labor shortages with foreign workers through AI-driven candidate-job matching. The platform aggregates job postings from client companies and candidate data from recruitment agencies, scoring compatibility and centralizing all hiring communications and documentation. The offering extends across the full foreign talent lifecycle, including pre-arrival education (Linc Study), recruitment and matching (Global Hub), and post-hire retention including HR administration and visa management (Global Hub Talent).
Product overview
Linc operates a multi-product platform ecosystem supporting the entire lifecycle of foreign talent in Japan. The core platform is Global Hub (グロハブ), an AI-powered recruitment management system that matches companies with global talent candidates using proprietary scoring algorithms. This core product is complemented by Linc Study, an E-learning service for university-bound international students, and Global Hub Talent, an employee retention module covering labor management and visa applications. Additional services include Linc Career (job placement support), Linc Voyage (career community), Linc Life (student support services), LincIntern (elite internship matching), and Tokyo Japanese Club (community events). The platform is designed with 'compound interest' mechanics where usage improves matching accuracy over time.
Differentiator
Problem solved
Functional benefit
Brands
- Global Hub（グロハブ）: 日本初のグローバル人材に特化したAI採用管理プラットフォーム。企業の求人と人材紹介会社が保有する海内外の外国人求職者情報を集約し、マッチングの最適化・最大化を支援。
- Linc Study
- Linc Career
- Linc Voyage
- Global Hub Talent（グロハブタレント）
- LincIntern
- 東京日本語クラブ
Products and services
- Global Hub (グロハブ) AI-powered recruitment management platform that aggregates job postings from Japanese enterprises seeking foreign workers with candidate information from recruitment agencies, using proprietary AI to calculate matching scores and optimize hiring outcomes. Centralizes all candidate-company communications, documents, interview scheduling, and hiring pipeline visibility in one system. Designed for large enterprise clients (primarily restaurant chains, hospitality groups, and retailers) and recruitment agencies placing foreign workers under multiple visa categories (Specified Skilled Worker, Technical Intern Training, Engineer/Humanities/International).
- Linc Study Online E-learning service for Chinese-speaking international students preparing for admission to Japanese universities (EJU - Examination for Japanese University Admission). Partners with over 150 Japanese language schools and reports approximately 95% university admission rate with 90%+ user satisfaction. Features ChatGPT-powered AI Chat Coach for personalized study support, Q&A, and adaptive learning based on individual progress.
- Global Hub Talent (グロハブレント) AI platform that integrates foreign employee HR administration and immigration/visa application management into a single unified system. Extends the Global Hub ecosystem to cover post-hire retention, including labor management, residence status (visa) applications, and ongoing employee administration for foreign workers in Japan.
- Linc Career Employment support service providing career guidance, interview practice, resume writing assistance, and job hunting events for international students and foreign professionals in Japan. Serves approximately 1,000 students annually and connects them with approximately 30 companies.
- Linc Voyage Japan's first co-creation career community for inbound talent (foreign professionals in Japan), providing a platform for networking, collaboration, and career experimentation. Hosts over 20 monthly events and has over 1,500 community members.
- LincIntern Japan's first long-term internship matching service specialized for elite inbound talent, connecting Japanese companies (from listed enterprises to startups) with high-class foreign student talent for extended internship engagements.
- Linc Life for School Corporations Comprehensive solution package for Japanese language schools including PR/marketing support (LCC, LPS) and life support services for international students (airline tickets, SIM cards, insurance, seal ordering). Helps schools recruit students and support them through arrival and settling in Japan.
- Tokyo Japanese Club (東京日本語クラブ) Community platform for foreign students in Japan, hosting regular online and offline events including career support, networking, and cultural activities. Approximately 2,400 participants from 35 countries annually.
Quantifiable outcome
- Approximately 95% annual university admission rate for Linc Study users
- +4 more outcomes
Companies that use Linc
Customer profileNamed customers9 records
Segments3 records
Ideal customer profiles3 records
Linc technology and API
TechnologyTechnology focussed Yes
API detail
- Has API
- No
- API docs
- API detail
Core technology
AI maturity
App detail
Integration1 record
AI capability7 records
Feature6 records
Linc partnerships and signals
Strategic signalPartnerships
Twelve partnerships are on record, tiered minor, strategic and core.
- Restaurant Tech Association (一般社団法人レストランテック協会)minorLinc joined the Restaurant Tech Association as a supporting member in December 2024 to address restaurant industry hiring challenges. The association promotes digital transformation in the food service industry, and Linc contributes its foreign talent matching technology and expertise to support member companies.
- jinjer Corporation (jinjer株式会社)minorLinc and jinjer co-hosted a November 2024 online seminar on efficient foreign talent recruitment, retention, and labor management. jinjer provides HR/Payroll SaaS and contributes expertise on labor management administration, complementing Linc's recruitment and retention platform.
- Oyraa Inc. (株式会社Oyraa)strategicOyraa provides a 24/7 interpreting app with access to 153 languages and 2,700 interpreters, available by the minute. The partnership integrates Oyraa's interpreting services into Linc's foreign talent recruitment and retention workflow, enabling companies to communicate with foreign employees in their native language during hiring and post-hire periods.
- VYSA — Vietnamese Student/Youth Association in Japan (在日ベトナム学生青年協会)minorVYSA and Linc co-hosted a charity book project (May 2022–January 2023) at Linc Cafe to support Vietnamese children and promote reading culture among Vietnamese students in Japan, with ¥698,259 in sales proceeds donated to fund heart surgeries for 3 children.
- FPT Japanese Language School (FPT日本語学校)minorFPT Japanese Language School collaborated with Linc on a webinar about designing employment support courses for Japanese language schools, sharing insights on how schools can serve as platforms connecting foreign talent with employers.
- Shochiku Co., Ltd. (松竹株式会社)minorShochiku collaborated with Linc's inbound talent community on two occasions (November 2022 and February 2023) to introduce Japanese culture (Kabuki theater and the film 'Sister Summer's Parting') to international students and foreign workers through community events at Linc Cafe.
- Tokio Marine & Nichido Fire Insurance (東京海上日動株式会社)minorTokio Marine partnered with Linc to co-host community events for foreign talent (105 participants from 15+ countries), featuring insurance-related quizzes and information sessions. Tokio Marine also provides short-term insurance products for foreign students in Japan.
- Tokyo Kai (東京海上日動社)minorSee Tokio Marine & Nichido entry above. Same entity referred to as Tokyo Kai (東京海上日動社) in source.
- L'Oréal Japan (日本ロレアル株式会社)minorL'Oréal Japan's 'L'Oréal For Youth' program (global youth employment initiative) partnered with Linc to co-host a career event connecting international students with L'Oréal Japan's HR representatives for resume reviews and career guidance.
- Fuji Language School (Fuji Language School)minorFuji Language School's Principal Honma hosted a Linc webinar on how non-Japanese-language-industry professionals can bring new perspectives to Japanese language education management, contributing expertise on operational excellence and curriculum design.
- Tokyo Central Japanese Language Academy (東京日本語クラブ)coreTokyo Central Japanese Language Academy is Linc's long-standing community partner for organizing events, webinars, and career support for international students in Japan. Approximately 2,400 students from 35 countries participated in Tokyo Japanese Club events in 2022.
- INGS (株式会社INGS)minorINGS is a restaurant company operating ~160 locations including 'Ramen Hayashida', '500 Yen Pizza CONA', and 'Shumai Joe'. Linc helped INGS increase monthly wages from ¥250,000 to ¥280,000 for foreign workers as part of retention strategy amid the specified skilled worker acceptance cap.
Scale indicators7 records
Recent moves8 records
Expansion highlights6 records
Linc competitors and assessment
Company assessmentBroad incumbents
- en-japan: Major Japanese recruitment and HR services company with 620,000+ enterprise clients; both an investor in Linc and a potential competitor given its breadth across hiring, staffing, and HR tech. Comparable because it operates a multi-product HR platform in the same Japanese market.
- BizReach: Japanese executive search and recruiting platform owned by Visional. Comparable as a large-scale Japanese recruitment platform with enterprise sales motion and ATS capabilities, competing for the same enterprise recruiting budget Linc targets.
- Recruit Holdings (Indeed / LinkedIn Japan): Japan's dominant HR media and services conglomerate operating Indeed Japan, LinkedIn Japan exposure, and Rikunabi. Comparable as a massive Japanese recruitment platform with AI-driven matching capabilities that could expand into foreign-talent specialization.
Direct peers
- Persol Global Workforce (PERSOL Holdings): PERSOL's specialized foreign talent business unit, where Linc Career division head Junichi Sugita previously led sales. Operates recruitment, dispatch, and HR support for foreign workers in Japan — a directly overlapping offering with Global Hub.
- Daijob: Bilingual recruitment platform targeting global talent seeking roles in Japan. Comparable as a direct competitor in foreign-talent-focused job matching with an online-first model, though Daijob focuses on bilingual professional roles versus Linc's broader visa-category coverage.
- GaijinPot: Long-running Japanese job board and information portal for foreign workers and international students. Comparable as a competing destination for foreign talent looking for Japan-based employment, with overlap in candidate community and job listing services.
- WELBE: Japan-based HR / staffing platform serving SMEs and mid-market with recruitment and HR administration services. Comparable as a SaaS-enabled HR platform targeting Japanese employers with bundled recruitment and workforce management features.
Emerging players
- Talentio: Japan-focused ATS and talent management platform for SMB and mid-market employers. Comparable in offering ATS-style recruitment infrastructure to Japanese employers, though not specialized for foreign talent — illustrating the broader HR tech competitive set Linc competes for budget against.
- HRMOS (Asahi Intelligence): HR tech suite from Asahi Intelligence covering ATS, HR administration, and onboarding for Japanese employers. Comparable as an integrated recruiting-plus-HR platform; complementary to Global Hub Talent's positioning and a competitor for the same HR tech wallet share.
Others
- Oyraa: 24/7 multilingual interpretation app (153 languages, 2,700 interpreters) that integrates with Linc's platform for foreign-talent communication. Comparable as an enabling ecosystem partner in the foreign-talent support stack rather than a direct competitor.
Market position
Strengths5 records
Weaknesses5 records
Competitive moat5 records
Key risks6 records
Key highlights7 records
Customer concentration
Linc social profiles
Digital presenceLinc compliance and trust
Trust signalCompliance1 record
Linc financial estimates
Financial estimateRevenue estimate
Valuation estimate
Linc leadership team
Management profileNumber of profiles
Profiles12 records
Linc funding detail
Funding detailFunding overview
Funding rounds5 records
Investors4 records
Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Linc 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 Linc
What does Linc do?
Linc operates the Global Hub (グロハブ) AI-powered recruitment management platform that connects Japanese enterprises facing labor shortages with foreign workers through AI-driven candidate-job matching. The platform aggregates job postings from client companies and candidate data from recruitment agencies, scoring compatibility and centralizing all hiring communications and documentation. The offering extends across the full foreign talent lifecycle, including pre-arrival education (Linc Study), recruitment and matching (Global Hub), and post-hire retention including HR administration and visa management (Global Hub Talent).
Is Linc a public or private company?
Linc is a private company. It is classified as venture growth investor backed and is currently operating.
When was Linc founded?
Linc was founded in 2016. It employs 1 to 10 people.
Where is Linc based?
Linc is headquartered in Tokyo, Japan, in the Asia region.
How does Linc make money?
Three revenue lines are on record. SaaS Platform / Recruitment Marketplace is the primary driver. The others are linc Study E-Learning and retention & Life Support Services.
Who are Linc's main competitors?
Broad incumbents on record are en-japan, BizReach and Recruit Holdings (Indeed / LinkedIn Japan). Direct peers are Persol Global Workforce (PERSOL Holdings), Daijob, GaijinPot and WELBE. Emerging players are Talentio and HRMOS (Asahi Intelligence). Oyraa is listed as an others.
Does Linc have an API?
No public API is recorded for Linc.
What industry is Linc in?
Linc's product category is Recruitment Software. Its primary akta.pro industry code is BPACAPAD, Talent Acquisition (Recruiting) & Applicant Tracking (ATS), with a secondary code of BPACAOAJ, Job Market Intelligence & Employer Networking Services. Its NAICS code is 56131 and its SIC code is 7361.