Photosynth

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.

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

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

• IoT access control
• Smart lock systems
• Cloud access management
• Keyless entry solutions
• Physical security systems

Headquarters

HQ city

Tokyo

HQ country

Japan

HQ region

Asia

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Software

Cost components

Technology or R&D, Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales

Core 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

Segments1 record

Ideal customer profiles1 record

Technology focussed Yes

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature1 record

Partnerships

One partnership is on record.

• Miwa LockcoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 6 July 2021Photosynth 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

Broad 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

• Xx.com/photosynth
• Facebookfacebook.com/Photosynth.Inc
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/photosynth-inc-

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles4 records

Subsidiaries1 record

Funding overview

Funding rounds6 records

Investors22 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 Photosynth