Photosynth
Photosynth Inc. is a Tokyo-listed Japanese IoT company that provides the Akerun cloud-based access control system, delivering keyless entry and remote smart-lock management to over 5,000 corporate facility clients across Japan.
- Company typePublic
- Founded2014
- HeadquartersTokyo, Japan
- Headcount101–250
- GTM typeB2B
- OfferingSoftware
What Photosynth does
Photosynth Inc. (株式会社フォトシンス) is a Tokyo-headquartered, publicly listed Japanese information-technology company that designs and operates cloud-based entrance-and-exit management systems for corporate facilities. Its flagship product, the Akerun IoT-based access control system, enables keyless entry, remote access management and centralized smart-lock administration for offices and other commercial premises, and is deployed across more than 5,000 corporate clients in Japan. The company extends its hardware footprint through a joint venture with Miwa Lock, a legacy Japanese lock manufacturer, to co-develop smartlock hardware and related services that combine Photosynth's IoT and cloud software with Miwa Lock's lock-manufacturing expertise.
Photosynth's business model centers on a hardware-plus-software recurring-revenue blend: customers deploy Akerun IoT controllers and compatible smartlocks at their sites and pay for ongoing cloud-based access management, credential issuance and remote control functionality. Pricing details are not publicly disclosed. The company has a horizontal go-to-market across corporate-facility segments rather than vertical specialization, and has attracted strategic corporate investors including NTT DOCOMO Ventures, JR East Start Up, Kokuyo, 31Ventures and Global Brain, which provide channel access into telecom, rail, office-supplies and real-estate accounts. Photosynth has been listed on the Tokyo Stock Exchange Growth Market under Securities Code 4379, with reported revenue growth of approximately 55% cumulative from FY2021 through FY2025 and EBITDA that turned positive in FY2023 and accelerated thereafter, supporting continued reinvestment and profitability trajectory.
Photosynth firmographics
Firmographics- Name
- Photosynth
- Legal name
- 株式会社フォトシンス
- Website
- https://photosynth.co.jp
- Company type
- Public
- Founded year
- 2014
- Operating status
- Operating
- Headcount range
- 101–250 employees
- Short description
- Photosynth Inc. is a Tokyo-listed Japanese IoT company that provides the Akerun cloud-based access control system, delivering keyless entry and remote smart-lock management to over 5,000 corporate facility clients across Japan.
- Ownership category
- akta.pro rank
Photosynth industry classification
Industry- Product category
- Access Control Systems
- NAICS
- Security Systems Services (except Locksmiths) (561621)
- SIC
- Auto Controls For Regulating Residential & Comml Environments (3822)
- akta.pro primary industry
- Access Control & Smart Locks (Managed/Monitored) (HSAHAAAG)
- akta.pro secondary industries
- Physical Security, Access Control & Visitor Management (HSAPAPAD), Smart Lock Installation, Retrofit & Door Hardware Services (HSAHAEAB)
Keywords
Where Photosynth is headquartered
LocationHeadquarters
- HQ city
- Tokyo
- HQ country
- Japan
- HQ region
- Asia
Markets served
Photosynth business model
Business model- GTM type
- B2B
- Offering type
- Software
- Cost components
- Technology or R&D, Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales
Photosynth product offering
Product offeringCore offering
Photosynth designs, develops, and operates the cloud-based Akerun IoT access control system, which enables keyless entry, remote access management, and smart lock administration for corporate facilities. Through a joint venture with Miwa Lock, the company also provides smartlock hardware and related services, serving more than 5,000 corporate clients across Japan.
Product overview
Photosynth offers a portfolio of IoT-based access control solutions anchored by its flagship product Akerun, an intelligent access control system designed for corporate clients. The company has established partnerships with Miwa Lock through a joint venture to develop and provide smartlocks and related services. The product ecosystem enables businesses to manage physical access through smart lock technology, serving over 5,000 corporate customers across Japan.
Differentiator
Problem solved
Functional benefit
Products and services
- Akerun
Companies that use Photosynth
Customer profileSegments1 record
Ideal customer profiles1 record
Photosynth technology and API
TechnologyTechnology focussed Yes
API detail
- Has API
- No
- API docs
- API detail
Core technology
AI maturity
App detail
Feature1 record
Photosynth partnerships and signals
Strategic signalPartnerships
One partnership is on record.
- Miwa LockcorePhotosynth established a joint venture with Miwa Lock for developing smartlocks and related services. This partnership leverages Miwa Lock's lock manufacturing expertise combined with Photosynth's IoT technology capabilities.
Scale indicators2 records
Recent moves6 records
Expansion highlights5 records
Photosynth competitors and assessment
Company assessmentBroad incumbents
- ASSA ABLOY: Global leader in access solutions, including smart locks and electronic access control for commercial and residential markets. Comparable to Photosynth as a broad incumbent across the same smart-lock/access-control category, but with vastly greater scale and global footprint.
- Allegion: US-listed manufacturer of locks, access control and security products serving commercial and institutional customers. Comparable to Photosynth via its enterprise-focused electronic access portfolio, though operating at much larger scale and globally.
Direct peers
- Latch: US-based provider of cloud-managed smart access control for multifamily and commercial buildings. Highly comparable to Photosynth in product (IoT access control), business model (hardware + SaaS), and target customer (corporate/enterprise real estate).
- Brivo: Cloud-native physical access control provider serving commercial real estate with SaaS-managed door controllers and credentials. Directly comparable to Photosynth in delivering cloud-based, keyless enterprise access.
- Salto Systems: European provider of electronic smart locks and access control for commercial, hospitality and residential markets. Comparable to Photosynth on smart-lock hardware plus access management software for enterprise customers.
- RemoteLock: Cloud-managed smart-lock platform serving vacation rentals, commercial and multifamily. Closely comparable to Photosynth on cloud access + IoT lock model, especially for short-term credential management use cases.
Emerging players
- Kisi: Cloud-based access control platform for offices and coworking spaces with mobile credential management. Comparable to Photosynth as a cloud-first, IoT-access peer focused on enterprise clients, but smaller and earlier-stage.
- iLOQ: Finland-based digital and mobile locking solutions provider for residential and commercial properties. Comparable to Photosynth on smart-lock hardware innovation, though with a different (battery-/mobile-first) technology approach.
Regional players
- GOAL Co., Ltd. Japanese listed company providing access control systems, electronic locks and security products for offices and commercial facilities. Directly comparable to Photosynth in product category and Japanese market focus, though with a more traditional hardware-led approach.
Others
- Miwa Lock Co., Ltd. Established Japanese lock manufacturer and Photosynth's joint-venture partner in smartlocks. Included as an adjacent/ecosystem peer since it shares product category and supply-chain overlap but is a traditional mechanical lock player rather than a direct competitor.
Market position
Strengths5 records
Weaknesses5 records
Competitive moat4 records
Key risks6 records
Key highlights6 records
Customer concentration
Photosynth social profiles
Digital presencePhotosynth financial estimates
Financial estimateRevenue estimate
Valuation estimate
Photosynth leadership team
Management profileNumber of profiles
Profiles4 records
Photosynth subsidiaries and ownership
Company hierarchySubsidiaries1 record
Photosynth funding detail
Funding detailFunding overview
Funding rounds6 records
Investors22 records
Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Photosynth 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 Photosynth
What does Photosynth do?
Photosynth designs, develops, and operates the cloud-based Akerun IoT access control system, which enables keyless entry, remote access management, and smart lock administration for corporate facilities. Through a joint venture with Miwa Lock, the company also provides smartlock hardware and related services, serving more than 5,000 corporate clients across Japan.
Is Photosynth a public or private company?
Photosynth is a public company. It is classified as public and is currently operating.
When was Photosynth founded?
Photosynth was founded in 2014. It employs 101 to 250 people.
Where is Photosynth based?
Photosynth is headquartered in Tokyo, Japan, in the Asia region.
Who are Photosynth's main competitors?
Broad incumbents on record are ASSA ABLOY and Allegion. Direct peers are Latch, Brivo, Salto Systems and RemoteLock. Emerging players are Kisi and iLOQ. GOAL Co., Ltd. is listed as a regional player. Miwa Lock Co., Ltd. is listed as an others.
Does Photosynth have an API?
No public API is recorded for Photosynth.
What industry is Photosynth in?
Photosynth's product category is Access Control Systems. Its primary akta.pro industry code is HSAHAAAG, Access Control & Smart Locks (Managed/Monitored), with a secondary code of HSAPAPAD, Physical Security, Access Control & Visitor Management. Its NAICS code is 561621 and its SIC code is 3822.