What New Innovations does

New Innovations is a Tokyo-headquartered "next-generation manufacturer" founded in 2018 that combines proprietary robotics hardware with AI and cloud control to automate operations in food service and manufacturing. Its product portfolio is organized into two business lines: (1) OMO solutions for restaurants and retail — the root C unmanned smart coffee stand operated as a service-owner model, the Burger Cooker fully automated hamburger cooking robot (max 120 servings/hour), the Kakigori Maker vision-controlled shaved ice robot, the AI Order Thru voice dialogue AI for in-store and drive-through ordering, and the Store Meister KDS/KIOSK store-operations suite; and (2) manufacturing solutions — the 図面バンク (Zumen Bank) AI cloud drawing management system with similar-shape search and AI-OCR, expanded through the December 2025 acquisition of First Automation (SPESILL generative-AI specifications platform) and a drawing-scan outsourcing service capable of 100,000 sheets/day. Underlying technology spans mechanics, embedded systems, electrical engineering, control systems, and software, including the proprietary MSOC multi-actuator orchestration architecture that enables complex multi-ingredient assembly.

The company generates revenue through a mix of subscription (図面バンク from ¥48,000/month; root C consumer subscriptions of ¥1,980-7,980/month), hardware sale or lease of customized cooking robots to enterprise customers, service-owner coffee sales via root C and the root C KIOSK touch-terminal channel, and enterprise AI software licensing. Distribution combines direct enterprise field sales, an SB C&S distributor channel for SMB manufacturing, self-serve app and web onboarding, and consumer touchpoints in commercial facilities, transit stations, and home-improvement chains.

The company is venture-backed with ¥8.56 billion (~$57M USD) cumulative funding as of March 2026 across seed, Series A, and Series B rounds (with the latest tranche a ¥17.5 billion debt facility from 7 financial institutions), has 51-100 employees, and is led by Co-CEO/CTO Keito Nakao (Forbes 30 Under 30 Asia 2023) and Co-CEO Tsutomu Yamada (formerly of DEEPCORE). Major enterprise customers include Mos Food Services (~1,300-store AI rollout), Starbucks Coffee Japan, Pront Corporation, Suntory (Expo 2025), AEON Mall, Cainz, Yokohama Municipal Subway, and manufacturing customers Showa Seiko, Yamashita Seisakusho, and Mie Seiki.

Name

New Innovations

Legal name

株式会社New Innovations

Website

https://newinov.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

2018

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

51–100 employees

Short description

New Innovations is a Tokyo-based next-generation manufacturer that combines proprietary robotics and AI to automate food service (unmanned coffee, hamburger and shaved-ice robots, voice ordering) and manufacturing (AI cloud drawing management) for enterprise chains and SMBs in Japan.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Service Robotics and Automation

NAICS

Computer Systems Design Services (541512), Computer Systems Design and Related Services (54151), Custom Computer Programming Services (541511)

SIC

Services-Computer Integrated Systems Design (7373), Services-Computer Programming Services (7371), Industrial Instruments For Measurement, Display, And Control (3823)

akta.pro primary industry

End-to-End Enterprise AI Platforms (MLOps & Model Lifecycle Management) (HDAEANAA)

akta.pro secondary industries

AI Integration & Orchestration Platforms (Connectors, Workflow, iPaaS for AI) (HDAEANAI), Intelligent Document Processing (IDP) & OCR Automation (HDAEAHAC), Agents & Autonomous Workflows (Tool Use, Planning, Multi-Agent) (HDAAACAF), Industrial Automation Software (SCADA, HMI, MES, Historian) (IMAHAHAJ)

Keywords

• Service robotics automation
• Cloud drawing management
• Smart coffee retail
• AI voice ordering
• Automated cooking robots

Headquarters

HQ city

Tokyo

HQ country

Japan

HQ region

Asia

Offices4 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2B and B2C

Offering type

Hardware or Manufacturing

Cost components

Technology or R&D, Personnel, Operations, Supply Chain, Marketing or Sales, Infrastructure

Revenue model

1. Smart Coffee Stand root C: The company operates root C as a service owner (service owner model), generating revenue from direct coffee sales to consumers via app ordering and subscriptions. Fixed costs are reduced through unmanned operations, enabling investment in premium bean quality. Also offers a corporate solution plan allowing businesses to customize root C's enclosure design and coffee offerings.
2. Cooking Robots (Kakigori Maker, Burger Cooker): Sale or lease of automated cooking robots to food service enterprise customers. Robots handle labor-intensive cooking tasks (shaved ice, hamburgers), reducing labor costs, training costs, and enabling consistent quality and productivity. Products are customized to customer kitchen layouts, menu mixes, and cooking manuals.
3. AI Drawing Management System — 図面バンク: Cloud-based subscription service for manufacturing enterprises. AI-powered drawing management with similarity search, document linking, and version control. Also offers a drawing scanning proxy service (paper to digital conversion). Generates recurring subscription revenue from manufacturing companies.
4. AI Order Thru — Voice AI Solutions: Voice dialogue AI system for physical store order taking, offered as a service to restaurants and retailers. Revenue likely generated through licensing or subscription, with deployment support for enterprise customers including Mos Food Services.
5. Store Meister — KIOSK & KDS Solutions: Integrated solution combining order management terminals (KIOSK) and kitchen display systems (KDS) for store operational efficiency. Offered alongside other robot products to food service and retail chains.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion2 records

Distribution channels5 records

Marketing channels6 records

Core offering

New Innovations designs, manufactures, and sells AI- and robotics-driven automation solutions across two business lines. The OMO (Online Merges with Offline) Solutions line includes the root C unmanned smart coffee stand operated as a service, plus fully automated cooking robots (Burger Cooker for hamburgers, Kakigori Maker for shaved ice), the AI Order Thru voice dialogue AI, and Store Meister integrated KDS/KIOSK store operations. The Manufacturing Solutions line features Zumen Bank (図面バンク), a cloud AI drawing management system with similar-shape search and AI-OCR, plus an outsourced drawing scan digitization service, complemented by SPESILL generative AI from its First Automation subsidiary.

Product overview

New Innovations operates as a 'next-generation manufacturer' combining hardware and software to provide automation and labor-saving solutions. Its product portfolio spans two distinct business lines: (1) OMO Solutions including smart coffee stand root C (an app-based unmanned specialty coffee service with personalization engine), fully automated cooking robots Burger Cooker and Kakigori Maker, AI Order Thru voice dialogue AI for order reception, and Store Meister integrated store operations management; and (2) Manufacturing Solutions through AI-powered cloud drawing management system 図面バンク (which encompasses the SPESILL generative AI capability from subsidiary First-Automation) plus an outsourced drawing scan service. The company also offers the root C KIOSK touch-panel terminal as a channel for root C. All products share core AI, robotics, and cloud control technologies as foundational capabilities.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• root C: スマートコーヒースタンド。アプリから時間を指定して注文することで、受け取きたい時間に合わせて挽きたて、淹れたてのスペシャルティコーヒーを専用のロッカーから提供する完全無人営業のコーヒースタンド。2021年グッドデザイン賞受賞。
• Kakigori Maker
• Burger Cooker
• Store Meister
• AI Order Thru
• 図面バンク
• ロボカッパー

Products and services

• root C (ルートシー) — Smart Coffee Stand A fully unmanned smart coffee stand operated by New Innovations as service owner, enabling users to order specialty coffee via a mobile app specifying pickup time and location, and collect freshly ground and brewed coffee from a dedicated locker. Features AI demand forecasting for pre-brew timing, root C MATCH personalized recommendation engine, and a compact ~1 tsubo footprint suited to idle commercial spaces. Sold to consumers through subscription plans and single purchases, and offered as a corporate solution plan to enterprises.
• Burger Cooker (バーガークッカー) A fully automated hamburger cooking robot designed for limited kitchen spaces (compact W900xH1800xD750mm footprint), with ingredient storage for up to 60 portions. Automates bun warming, patty cooking, ingredient assembly, and packaging via MSOC (Multi-SKU Orchestrated Control). Touch panel operation and POS integration enable seamless deployment in existing restaurant operations at up to 120 servings per hour (55 seconds per burger).
• Kakigori Maker (かき氷メーカー) A fully automated shaved ice (kakigori) robot that links with commercial shaved ice machines to dramatically reduce preparation time and labor. Uses a vision system for real-time control of ice portioning and shape, compensating for temperature, humidity, and ice density variations to deliver consistent quality. Adopted by multiple Pront Corporation Tsumugi cafe locations and Suntory at the Osaka-Kansai Expo 2025 venue.
• AI Order Thru (エーアイ オーダー スルー) A voice dialogue AI system for in-store order reception enabling customers to place orders through natural spoken communication without screen-based interfaces. Features a two-layer AI + IT systems architecture for brand-guideline-compliant order accuracy, noise cancellation optimized for real store environments (engine noise, ambient sound), and integration from order receipt through production initiation and existing POS input. Designed for hybrid human-AI operation in drive-thru and quick-service environments.
• Store Meister (ストアマイスター) An integrated store operations solution combining KDS (Kitchen Display System) for digitalizing order and kitchen operations, KIOSK terminals for unmanned ordering and payment, and integration with robots and existing POS/mobile ordering systems. Streamlines restaurant front- and back-of-house operations for food service and retail chains.
• root C KIOSK (ルートシー キオスク) A touch-panel ordering terminal for the root C coffee stand that allows customers to purchase root C specialty coffee without downloading the dedicated mobile app. Supports multiple payment methods including electronic money, credit cards, QR codes, and transit IC cards. Priced from 500 yen per drink.
• Zumen Bank (図面バンク) A cloud-based AI drawing management system for manufacturing enterprises that links engineering drawings with related documents (quotes, CAD/CAM files, technical records). Features AI-powered similar-shape search across thousands to tens of thousands of drawings and high-precision AI-OCR for digitizing handwritten paper drawings. Sold via monthly subscription from 48,000 yen (tax excl.) with self-serve browser onboarding (no installation required), and via the SB C&S distributor channel. Company-reported outcome: ~40% reduction in drawing search time and labor costs.
• SPESILL (スペシル) A manufacturing-focused generative AI solution from consolidated subsidiary First Automation Co., Ltd. that automates creation of specification documents and technical documents from manufacturing drawings and technical records, and enables internal knowledge utilization via RAG (Retrieval-Augmented Generation). Integrated with Zumen Bank to provide a comprehensive manufacturing DX platform connecting design, procurement, and manufacturing.
• Drawing Scan Outsourcing Service (図面スキャン代行サービス) An outsourced paper-to-digital scanning service for engineering drawings, converting paper and handwritten drawings into high-precision PDF data using high-resolution scanners. Operates under the Zumen Bank brand with processing capacity of up to 100,000 sheets per day. Launched with introductory campaign pricing of 10,000 yen for 100 drawings (100 yen/drawing).

Quantifiable outcome

• 40% reduction in drawing search time and labor costs
• +5 more outcomes

Named customers10 records

Segments4 records

Ideal customer profiles4 records

Technology focussed Yes

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

AI capability12 records

Feature5 records

Partnerships

Five partnerships are on record, tiered core, flagship and minor.

• First Automation (株式会社ファースト・オートメーション)coreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 24 December 2025Acquired as a group company (100% share acquisition) in December 2025. First Automation provides manufacturing-specific generative AI solutions including SPESILL for automatic specification document creation and RAG-based internal knowledge utilization. The acquisition integrates 図面バンク's drawing assets with SPESILL's document analysis/generation technology to create a comprehensive manufacturing DX platform connecting design, procurement, and manufacturing.
• Mos Food Services (株式会社モスフードサービス)flagshipStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 December 2025Partnership for next-generation store development using AI, covering all ~1,300 Mos Burger stores nationwide. First initiative: AI drive-through pilot at Yoshikawaminami store using AI Order Thru voice dialogue AI with 'hybrid response' model. Goal of establishing 5+ pilot locations in FY2026 with multiple permanent installations. Future plans include AI-powered menu recommendations and character-based AI responses during campaign periods.
• Starbucks Coffee Japan (スターバックス コーヒー ジャパン)coreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 20 November 2025Introduced root C corporate solution plan at Starbucks Coffee JR Shin-Yokohama Station Shinkansen Platform 11 (downbound platform), marking a corporate B2B deployment of the root C unmanned coffee stand concept at a Starbucks location.
• SB C&S (SB C&S株式会社)coreChannel Partner/ Reseller/ Distributor · 4 November 2025Signed Japan's first domestic distributor (ディストリビューター) contract for 図面バンク AI cloud drawing management system. SB C&S distributes the product to expand reach to manufacturing customers across Japan.
• Sanden Retail System (サンデン・リテールシステム株式会社)minorStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 February 2025Business partnership agreement signed for joint booth at Super Market Trade Show 2025. Sanden Retail System co-exhibited with New Innovations to showcase the root C smart coffee stand for addressing labor shortages and efficiency needs in the retail industry.

Scale indicators9 records

Recent moves9 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Direct peers

• Connected Robotics: Japanese food-service robotics company developing automated cooking and dishwashing systems (e.g., Soft Servo soft-serve robot, Tenchika sushi robot). Closest domestic competitor in restaurant kitchen automation and a direct peer to Burger Cooker and Kakigori Maker.
• TechMagic: Tokyo-based food automation startup building cooking and prep robots for institutional kitchens. Comparable product philosophy of automating repetitive food preparation tasks and a direct peer to New Innovations' OMO cooking robot line.
• Telexistence: Japanese retail and convenience-store robotics company deploying restocking and beverage robots at Lawson and FamilyMart. Same end-customer profile (large Japanese retail/QSR chains) and a parallel peer in unmanned retail automation.
• CADDi: Tokyo-headquartered manufacturing data platform that digitizes and connects supply chain drawings and supplier data. Closest direct peer to New Innovations' Zumen Bank drawing management business in Japanese manufacturing DX, both serving mid-market manufacturers.
• QBIT Robotics: Japanese service robotics company that developed the successor to SoftBank's Pepper humanoid robot and serves retail and food-service customers. Comparable in deploying conversational/service robots into Japanese physical-store environments.
• RT Corporation: Japanese service and educational robotics firm (originator of the RoboCup-type platforms). Shares a robotics engineering talent base and similar customer-adjacent markets for service-oriented autonomous systems.

Broad incumbents

• SoftBank Robotics: Global humanoid and service robotics subsidiary of SoftBank Group and prior backer of New Innovations via DEEPCORE. Larger player offering broader robotics portfolio (Pepper, Whiz) with overlapping enterprise go-to-market in Japan.
• Preferred Networks: Leading Japanese deep-learning/AI company with deep tech roots and much larger capital base, focused on foundation models, autonomous driving, and industrial AI. Overlaps with New Innovations on AI-for-industry positioning but operates at significantly broader scale.
• Mujin: Tokyo-based industrial automation company providing robot motion-planning controllers for warehouse and manufacturing robots. Comparable in deploying advanced AI/robotics to Japanese industrial customers and competing for the same automation mindshare.

Emerging players

• Bear Robotics: US/Korean service robotics company deploying restaurant serving robots (Servi) into QSR and hospitality chains. Comparable product category and target verticals (food service, labor shortage) but primarily US/Korea-deployed and serving-focused rather than cooking-focused.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat6 records

Key risks7 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Xtwitter.com/rootc_cafe
• YouTubeyoutube.com/channel/UCdKdG0KvQD6i4N3tX6e7m8g
• Instagraminstagram.com/rootc_cafe
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/newinov

Compliance3 records

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles4 records

Subsidiaries1 record

Funding overview

Funding rounds5 records

Investors17 records

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about New Innovations