COUNTERWORKS
COUNTERWORKS is a Tokyo-based SaaS company operating SHOPCOUNTER, Japan's largest pop-up store and event space marketplace, and SHOPCOUNTER Enterprise, a leasing DX system deployed at 1,500+ commercial facilities for shopping centers, supermarkets, railway groups, and department stores.
- Company typePrivate
- Founded2014
- HeadquartersTokyo, Japan
- Headcount51–100
- GTM typeB2B and B2C
- OfferingSoftware
What COUNTERWORKS does
COUNTERWORKS is a Tokyo-based SaaS company that operates a dual-platform portfolio targeting digitalization of Japanese commercial real estate leasing. Founded in October 2014 by Naoki Sanpei, the company runs SHOPCOUNTER (ショップカウンター), Japan's largest online marketplace for pop-up stores, events, and short-term commercial space rentals, connecting approximately 87,000 tenants with 27,000 listed spaces as of March 2026. The flagship enterprise product, SHOPCOUNTER Enterprise (ショップカウンター エンタープライズ), is a SaaS leasing DX system deployed at 1,500+ commercial facilities that digitizes the full tenant recruitment lifecycle — from white-label recruitment website publishing through inquiry management, schedule coordination, document verification, billing/collections, and space occupancy tracking — for shopping centers, supermarkets, railway commercial groups, home centers, department stores, and municipal transit operators.
The platform combines a multi-tenant marketplace frontend with a back-end sales-management SaaS, augmented by proprietary modules including AI Company Search β (AI企業サーチβ) for AI-powered tenant prospecting, a Sales Reporting Function (売上報告機能) for percentage-rent calculations, and the SHOPCOUNTER Permanent (ショップカウンター常設) media platform extending the service into permanent tenant placement. The company operates akinAI STUDIO, an internal AI division established in 2025 that applies generative AI and autonomous agents to leasing workflows, leveraging Anthropic's Claude Cowork for multi-step agent construction. Revenue is generated through three streams: Enterprise SaaS subscriptions (quote-based, multi-year contracts), marketplace transaction fees, and Professional Services (consulting, workflow design, and BPO bundled with enterprise rollouts).
COUNTERWORKS has raised approximately $15.6 million in disclosed funding across multiple rounds since 2016, plus a debt facility from Mizuho Bank, Japan Policy Finance Corporation, and Shoko Chukin Bank secured in August 2025. Paid-in capital stands at ¥654 million including reserves. The company relocated headquarters to the Gotanda TOC Building in January 2026 and appointed three external auditors in April 2026 in preparation for potential public-market readiness. Named enterprise customers include Tobu Group, Izumi, Aeon Hokkaido, Sundi, MrMax, Keikyu Department Store, Nishi-Tetsu Store, and Yokohama Municipal Transportation Bureau.
COUNTERWORKS firmographics
Firmographics- Name
- COUNTERWORKS
- Legal name
- 株式会社COUNTERWORKS
- Website
- https://counterworks.co.jp
- Company type
- Private
- Founded year
- 2014
- Operating status
- Operating
- Headcount range
- 51–100 employees
- Short description
- COUNTERWORKS is a Tokyo-based SaaS company operating SHOPCOUNTER, Japan's largest pop-up store and event space marketplace, and SHOPCOUNTER Enterprise, a leasing DX system deployed at 1,500+ commercial facilities for shopping centers, supermarkets, railway groups, and department stores.
- Ownership category
- akta.pro rank
COUNTERWORKS industry classification
Industry- Product category
- Commercial Real Estate Technology
- NAICS
- Telemarketing Bureaus and Other Contact Centers (561422), Computing Infrastructure Providers, Data Processing, Web Hosting, and Related Services (518), Office Administrative Services (5611)
- SIC
- Retail-Catalog & Mail-Order Houses (5961), Retail-Computer & Computer Software Stores (5734)
- akta.pro primary industry
- Appointment Reservations (Spa, Salon, Wellness) (HSACALAK)
- akta.pro secondary industry
- Office Supplies, IT & Workplace Procurement Marketplaces (CRAFAHAF)
Keywords
Where COUNTERWORKS is headquartered
LocationHeadquarters
- HQ city
- Tokyo
- HQ country
- Japan
- HQ region
- Asia
Offices1 record
Markets served
COUNTERWORKS business model
Business model- GTM type
- B2B and B2C
- Offering type
- Software
- Cost components
- Personnel, Technology or R&D, Marketing or Sales, Operations, Infrastructure
Revenue model
- Shop Counter Enterprise SaaS Subscription: SaaS subscription revenue from the commercial facility leasing DX system 'Shop Counter Enterprise'. Provides a tenant recruitment website builder, inquiry/sales management, and occupancy tracking as a cloud service with ongoing feature additions and version upgrades. Currently deployed at 1,500+ commercial facilities.
- Shop Counter Marketplace Transaction Fees: Transaction-based revenue from the Shop Counter marketplace where tenants discover and book popup store, event, and commercial spaces. Space owners list commercial real estate; tenants search, reserve, and pay through the platform. Approximately 87,000 tenants and 27,000 spaces as of March 2026.
- Professional Services: Dedicated consultant services included during onboarding — from initial design through operational integration — providing hands-on support for workflow setup, team training, and performance optimization. BPO services also offered for event reception and operational support.
Pricing tiers
| Model | Billing | Price |
|---|---|---|
| Subscription | Multi-year contract | Shop Counter Enterprise SaaS subscription for commercial facilities |
Go-to-market motion2 records
Distribution channels3 records
Marketing channels9 records
COUNTERWORKS product offering
Product offeringCore offering
COUNTERWORKS operates SHOPCOUNTER, Japan's largest online marketplace for popup stores and short-term commercial space leasing, connecting brands with commercial facilities for events and temporary stores, and SHOPCOUNTER Enterprise, a SaaS leasing DX system that digitizes the full tenant lifecycle for commercial facility operators — from white-label tenant recruitment websites through inquiry management, scheduling, document verification, billing, and occupancy tracking. The platform serves approximately 87,000 tenants and 27,000+ listed spaces on the marketplace side, and is deployed at 1,500+ commercial facilities on the enterprise side.
Product overview
COUNTERWORKS operates a dual-product platform portfolio targeting commercial real estate digital infrastructure in Japan. The core platform is SHOPCOUNTER (ショップカウンター), a marketplace connecting popup store and short-term event tenants with commercial spaces — serving approximately 87,000 tenant brands against 27,000+ listed spaces as of early 2026. On top of this, SHOPCOUNTER Enterprise (ショップカウンター エンタープライズ) is a SaaS product for commercial facility operators that provides white-label tenant recruitment websites and integrated sales/tenant management, deployed at 1,500+ facilities. The portfolio is extended by SHOPCOUNTER 常設 (Permanent) media for permanent store leasing (beta, ~300 facilities) and proprietary AI modules including AI企業サーチβ for tenant prospecting and 売上報告機能 for tenant sales reporting. The company also operates akinAI STUDIO, an internal AI division focused on embedding generative AI and autonomous agents into the leasing workflow for both platform users.
Differentiator
Problem solved
Functional benefit
Brands
- SHOPCOUNTER: Japan's large-scale online platform for pop-up stores, events, and commercial space search, reservation, and payment.
- SHOPCOUNTER Enterprise
- ショップカウンター エンタープライズ
- ショップカウンター
- ショップカウンター常設
Products and services
- SHOPCOUNTER (ショップカウンター) Japan's largest online marketplace for popup stores, events, and short-term commercial space leasing. Enables brands and businesses to discover, book, and pay for commercial spaces through a self-serve digital platform with concierge support. Connects approximately 87,000 tenants with 27,000+ listed spaces.
- SHOPCOUNTER Enterprise (ショップカウンター エンタープライズ) SaaS-based leasing DX (digital transformation) system for commercial facilities providing a white-label tenant recruitment website and integrated sales management system covering inquiries, sales tracking, tenant information management, and space occupancy analytics. Deployed at 1,500+ commercial facilities as of June 2026.
- SHOPCOUNTER Permanent (ショップカウンター常設) Media platform for permanent store leasing aggregating information from approximately 300 commercial facilities and providing pre-release listings from 1,000+ facilities. Features waiting list system and bidirectional matching enabling facilities to proactively scout brands seeking their first permanent store presence.
- SHOPCOUNTER Enterprise Professional Services Consulting and implementation support package bundled with SHOPCOUNTER Enterprise deployments. Covers project goal setting, existing workflow documentation, new workflow design, organizational briefings, rulebook creation, and data migration support for enterprise implementations.
Quantifiable outcome
- Yokohama Municipal Transportation Bureau: 97.2% increase in space usage days and 106.1% revenue increase within 2 years of Shop Counter implementation
- +4 more outcomes
Companies that use COUNTERWORKS
Customer profileNamed customers14 records
Segments4 records
Ideal customer profiles2 records
COUNTERWORKS technology and API
TechnologyTechnology focussed Yes
API detail
- Has API
- No
- API docs
- API detail
Core technology
AI maturity
App detail
Integration11 records
AI capability7 records
Feature4 records
COUNTERWORKS partnerships and signals
Strategic signalPartnerships
Six partnerships are on record, tiered notable and core.
- Sansan株式会社notableCounterworks partnered with Sansan (provider of the Contract One contract management service) to co-host a webinar on 'Commercial Facility Contract and Management DX' in November 2025. The partnership combines Counterworks' leasing DX platform with Sansan's contract lifecycle management expertise to address end-to-end digitalization of commercial facility operations from tenant recruitment through contract execution and management.
- 日本ショッピングセンター協会 (Japan Shopping Center Association)notableCounterworks and the Japan Shopping Center Association jointly conducted the 'Commercial Facility AI Adoption Survey' in September-October 2025 (95 companies, 156 respondents), with results published in SC JAPAN TODAY magazine. Both parties co-hosted AI-focused seminars and research initiatives. Counterworks' New Business Room head contributed a guest article to the SC White Paper 2026.
- 日本小売業協会 (Japan Retailers Association)coreCounterworks joined the Japan Retailers Association as a supporting member in June 2026. The association represents major Japanese retailers across all formats. Counterworks aims to leverage this membership to strengthen relationships with retail sector companies and share knowledge about space utilization and leasing DX to expand real store value.
- 東武グループ (Tobu Group)notableTobu Group is a major Japanese railway and retail conglomerate operating Tokyo Solamachi, VARIE, EQUIA stations, and other commercial facilities. Counterworks provides Shop Counter Enterprise for Tobu's leasing operations across multiple facilities, with Counterworks' professional services team supporting implementation including process design and cross-organizational rollout.
- 日本ショッピングセンター協会 (SC Association)notableCounterworks and the SC Association jointly published a survey on Gen Z commercial facility usage patterns and co-presented at SC Association forums. The partnership extends Counterworks' credibility and reach within the shopping center industry through joint research, thought leadership content, and event participation.
- 横浜市交通局 (Yokohama Municipal Transportation Bureau)notableYokohama Municipal Transportation Bureau operates 21 subway stations and uses the Shop Counter platform for station concourse space leasing. This government entity partnership has yielded strong results with 97% usage days increase and 106% revenue increase, making it a reference case for Counterworks' platform effectiveness.
Scale indicators9 records
Recent moves7 records
Expansion highlights7 records
COUNTERWORKS competitors and assessment
Company assessmentDirect peers
- Spacemarket: Spacemarket is Japan's largest online marketplace for short-term space rental, including event venues, conference rooms, and pop-up store spaces. It is the most direct competitor to Counterworks' SHOPCOUNTER marketplace business, serving the same Japanese tenants and space owners.
- Nokisaki: Nokisaki (軒先) is a Japanese marketplace focused on short-term commercial space rentals, including event spaces, pop-up stores, and promotional venues. It directly competes with SHOPCOUNTER in the B2B pop-up and event space rental market in Japan.
- Peatix: Peatix is a leading event management and ticketing platform with a strong Japan presence. While focused on event ticketing, it overlaps with Counterworks' event space marketplace through its event discovery and venue booking capabilities.
Emerging players
- VTS: VTS is a commercial real estate leasing and asset management platform serving landlords and brokers in office and retail. It is comparable to SHOPCOUNTER Enterprise as a SaaS platform that digitizes commercial leasing workflows, though focused on office/large-format retail rather than Japanese pop-up/event space.
- MRI Software: MRI Software is a global provider of real estate software solutions including lease management, property management, and accounting. It is comparable to SHOPCOUNTER Enterprise as a SaaS platform serving commercial real estate operators, with overlap in lease management and tenant administration functionality.
Broad incumbents
- Yardi: Yardi is a major property management and commercial real estate software platform with a broad suite including leasing, operations, and accounting. It serves as a broad incumbent comparable for SHOPCOUNTER Enterprise's commercial facility leasing DX functionality, though it targets a global, multi-segment audience.
- Eventbrite: Eventbrite is a global event marketplace and ticketing platform. While primarily event-focused, it overlaps with SHOPCOUNTER's event space and pop-up discovery functionality, and serves as a comparable marketplace business model for events and experiences.
- CBRE Group: CBRE is the world's largest commercial real estate services firm, offering brokerage, property management, and advisory services. It is a broad incumbent in the same commercial real estate ecosystem that Counterworks serves, and a potential partner or competitor for enterprise leasing DX.
- JLL: JLL (Jones Lang LaSalle) is a global commercial real estate services firm offering brokerage, property management, and technology solutions. It serves the same enterprise commercial real estate operators as Counterworks and is investing in PropTech that overlaps with leasing DX.
- Cushman & Wakefield: Cushman & Wakefield is a major global commercial real estate services firm offering brokerage, asset services, and consulting. It is a broad incumbent operating in the same Japanese commercial real estate ecosystem as Counterworks' enterprise customers.
Market position
Strengths5 records
Weaknesses5 records
Competitive moat5 records
Key risks6 records
Key highlights7 records
Customer concentration
COUNTERWORKS social profiles
Digital presenceCOUNTERWORKS financial estimates
Financial estimateRevenue estimate
Valuation estimate
COUNTERWORKS leadership team
Management profileNumber of profiles
Profiles13 records
COUNTERWORKS funding detail
Funding detailFunding overview
Funding rounds6 records
Investors17 records
Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
COUNTERWORKS 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 COUNTERWORKS
What does COUNTERWORKS do?
COUNTERWORKS operates SHOPCOUNTER, Japan's largest online marketplace for popup stores and short-term commercial space leasing, connecting brands with commercial facilities for events and temporary stores, and SHOPCOUNTER Enterprise, a SaaS leasing DX system that digitizes the full tenant lifecycle for commercial facility operators — from white-label tenant recruitment websites through inquiry management, scheduling, document verification, billing, and occupancy tracking. The platform serves approximately 87,000 tenants and 27,000+ listed spaces on the marketplace side, and is deployed at 1,500+ commercial facilities on the enterprise side.
Is COUNTERWORKS a public or private company?
COUNTERWORKS is a private company. It is classified as venture growth investor backed and is currently operating.
When was COUNTERWORKS founded?
COUNTERWORKS was founded in 2014. It employs 51 to 100 people.
Where is COUNTERWORKS based?
COUNTERWORKS is headquartered in Tokyo, Japan, in the Asia region.
How does COUNTERWORKS make money?
Three revenue lines are on record. Shop Counter Enterprise SaaS Subscription is the primary driver. The others are shop Counter Marketplace Transaction Fees and professional Services.
Who are COUNTERWORKS's main competitors?
Direct peers on record are Spacemarket, Nokisaki and Peatix. Emerging players are VTS and MRI Software. Broad incumbents are Yardi, Eventbrite, CBRE Group, JLL and Cushman & Wakefield.
Does COUNTERWORKS have an API?
No public API is recorded for COUNTERWORKS.
What industry is COUNTERWORKS in?
COUNTERWORKS's product category is Commercial Real Estate Technology. Its primary akta.pro industry code is HSACALAK, Appointment Reservations (Spa, Salon, Wellness), with a secondary code of CRAFAHAF, Office Supplies, IT & Workplace Procurement Marketplaces. Its NAICS code is 561422 and its SIC code is 5961.