obniz
- Company typePrivate
- Founded2014
- HeadquartersTokyo, Japan
- Headcount11–50
- GTM typeB2B
- OfferingSoftware
obniz firmographics
Firmographics- Name
- obniz
- Legal name
- 株式会社obniz
- Website
- https://iot.obniz.com
- Company type
- Private
- Founded year
- 2014
- Operating status
- Operating
- Headcount range
- 11–50 employees
- Ownership category
- akta.pro rank
obniz industry classification
Industry- Product category
- Industrial IoT Platform
- NAICS
- Computing Infrastructure Providers, Data Processing, Web Hosting, and Related Services (518210)
- SIC
- Computer Communications Equipment (3576)
- akta.pro primary industry
- Smart Home Hubs & Home Gateways (IoT Edge) (HDAFAIAL)
- akta.pro secondary industries
- Industrial IoT/Edge Electronics Manufacturing (Gateways, Edge Controllers) (IMAGAGAC), Building Connectivity Infrastructure (Wired/Wireless, Gateways, Edge) (HSAPAPAN), Hardware & Embedded/IoT Programming (Microcontrollers, Raspberry Pi) (EDAMACAL)
Keywords
Where obniz is headquartered
LocationHeadquarters
- HQ city
- Tokyo
- HQ country
- Japan
- HQ region
- Asia
Offices3 records
Markets served
obniz business model
Business model- GTM type
- B2B
- Offering type
- Software
- Cost components
- Personnel, Technology or R&D, Infrastructure, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Supply Chain
Revenue model
- Hardware Sales: Sale of obnizOS-powered devices: obniz Board 1Y+Case (¥6,600), obniz Starter Kit 1Y+Case (¥9,063), obniz BLE/Wi-Fi Gateway Gen2.0 (¥10,780), obniz BLE/LTE Gateway, Intelligent Edge series. One-time purchase with included cloud access.
- obniz Now Cloud Subscription: Cloud platform subscription for obniz Now (device management, data storage, AI analytics, automation, multi-tenant operations). Pricing not publicly disclosed; sold via sales consultation.
- obniz Cloud Platform (Developer): Developer-tier cloud access for obnizOS devices. Basic tier is free; paid plans (Lite, Biz) for enhanced features. Cloud access is included with hardware purchase.
Pricing tiers
| Model | Billing | Price |
|---|---|---|
| One time/ perpetual license | Pay-as-you-go | obniz BLE/Wi-Fi Gateway Gen2.0 hardware (¥10,780) with obniz Cloud unlimited use included |
| One time/ perpetual license | Pay-as-you-go | obniz Board 1Y + Case (¥6,600) |
| One time/ perpetual license | Pay-as-you-go | obniz Starter Kit 1Y+Case (¥9,063) |
| Freemium | Monthly | obniz Cloud Developer Tier — Free |
| Subscription | Monthly | obniz BLE/LTE Gateway — Pricing not publicly disclosed |
Go-to-market motion3 records
Distribution channels4 records
Marketing channels6 records
obniz product offering
Product offeringCore offering
obniz offers a patented firmwareless IoT platform comprising obnizOS (embedded OS for microcontrollers), obniz Cloud (device management and APIs), and obniz Now (no-code IoT application platform) that enables cloud-based control of sensors, actuators, and industrial equipment without on-device firmware development. The company sells proprietary hardware devices including obniz Board 1Y (development board), Intelligent Edge series (industrial gateways with RS232/RS485/CAN/Ethernet), and BLE/Wi-Fi Gateways, all pre-installed with obnizOS and bundled with cloud access.
Product overview
obniz is an IoT platform company offering a hardware + cloud portfolio centered on 'firmwareless' technology — enabling IoT device control from the cloud without on-device software development. The core platform consists of obniz Cloud (device management and API infrastructure) and obniz Now (IoT application development platform), both powered by obnizOS running on proprietary hardware. The device lineup includes obniz Intelligent Edge (industrial gateway in Kilo and Micro variants for RS485/Ethernet/cellular connectivity), obniz BLE/Wi-Fi Gateway Gen2.0 (plug-in BLE/Wi-Fi hub), obniz BLE/LTE Gateway (cellular BLE gateway), and obniz Board 1Y (ESP32-based development board with all-IO motor drive). Developer tools include obniz.js SDK (JavaScript/TypeScript), obniz-app-sdk, obniz-dock, obniz-cli, Python SDK, Node-RED nodes, and the MCP Server for AI integration. obniz Pipeline provides BLE sensor data aggregation and multi-destination routing. Solutions cover food/HACCP temperature monitoring, facility inspection automation, cloud-connected PLCs, smart product embedding (BLE Device-as-a-Service), and remote maintenance. The company has expanded internationally with operations in Japan, the United States, Taiwan, and Singapore.
Differentiator
Problem solved
Functional benefit
Products and services
- obniz Now IoT application development platform built on obniz Cloud providing data storage, visualization dashboards, organization/permission management, external service integrations, AI analysis, automated control, and multi-tenant operations without on-device firmware development. Sold to enterprises for remote monitoring, automation, and field service use cases.
- obniz Cloud Device management and development platform providing device connectivity, authentication, OS over-the-air updates, remote control, and REST/GraphQL/WebSocket APIs for building custom IoT applications.
- obnizOS Embedded operating system for obniz IoT devices enabling cloud-based device control without on-device firmware development. Runs on obnizOS devices including Intelligent Edge, BLE Gateways, and obniz Board series. Versions include obnizOS 5, 6, 7, and 7.1.0-beta.0.
- obniz Board 1Y IoT development board with Wi-Fi and BLE connectivity, ESP32-WROOM-32 CPU, 12 GPIO with motor-drive capability on all IO, built-in protection circuits, and obnizOS. Supports JavaScript, block programming, and Lua. Sold with or without protective case for makers, educators, and developers.
- obniz Intelligent Edge Industrial IoT gateway device connecting machines to the cloud. Available in Kilo variant (RS485, Ethernet for PLCs/large equipment) and Micro variant (ultra-low power deep sleep for product embedding). Supports LTE-M, RS232/RS485/CAN/Ethernet/BLE/Zigbee/Thread/relay interfaces.
- obniz BLE/Wi-Fi Gateway Gen2.0 Plug-in BLE/Wi-Fi IoT gateway enabling cloud connectivity for Bluetooth sensors and devices. Supports Wi-Fi b/g/n 2.4GHz, BLE5 with Coded PHY, 7 simultaneous connections, e-paper display, and RGB LED. Certified in Japan (TELEC), US (FCC), Taiwan (NCC), and Singapore (IMDA).
- obniz Pipeline IoT sensor data transfer service using obniz BLE gateways. Transfers sensor data to external APIs 24/7. Supports 100+ BLE sensor types. Includes multi-application feature for routing sensor data to different endpoints. Wi-Fi and LTE gateway options available.
- obniz BLE/LTE Gateway (Cat.4) LTE-connected BLE gateway for cellular IoT deployments. Cat.4 LTE supporting NTT DOCOMO/SoftBank/KDDI networks. Plugs into AC100V. For use with obniz Now and obniz Pipeline.
Quantifiable outcome
- 40,000+ devices shipped
- +5 more outcomes
Companies that use obniz
Customer profileNamed customers8 records
Segments8 records
Ideal customer profiles4 records
obniz technology and API
TechnologyTechnology focussed Yes
API detail
- Has API
- Yes
- API docs
- API detail
Core technology
AI maturity
App detail
Integration9 records
AI capability9 records
Feature8 records
obniz partnerships and signals
Strategic signalPartnerships
Nine partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.
- Beacapp Co., Ltd. (株式会社ビーキャップ)coreJointly developed a 'Research Equipment Operational Visualization and Usage Record Automation Solution' targeting pharma and advanced technology research labs. Combines obniz Now with Beacapp Here indoor location service. Beacapp Here holds No.1 position in office real-time location services (Tokyo Shoko Research, Jan 2026).
- HACK ROCK FES 2025 (Life Insurance IT Consortium)minorobniz provided technical support at the HACK ROCK FES 2025 multi-company hackathon at Haneda Innovation City. Supported teams building IoT projects combining obniz with sensors and AI.
- MUFG Bank (株式会社三菱UFJ銀行)minorobniz exhibited at MUFG Startup Summit 2025 (December 2025) showcasing Intelligent Edge series and enterprise IoT solutions. MUFG organizes the summit for Japanese startups and large corporations.
- Amazon.com (Fulfilment by Amazon)coreobniz products available worldwide via Amazon.com FBA (Fulfilment by Amazon). Faster and lower cost international shipping than official store. Available globally in various countries.
- MEEQ Co., Ltd. (ミーク株式会社)coreobniz adopted MEEQ SIM (IoT SIM) from MEEQ for use with obniz Now LTE devices. MEEQ also promotes obniz Now to its customer base. Joint IoT promotion partnership combining MEEQ SIM with obniz Now for low-cost, high-quality IoT connectivity solutions.
- NEST EdLAB Co., Ltd. (株式会社NEST EdLAB)minorobniz Board adopted as core teaching tool in NEST LAB's online research school Robot AI Technology major curriculum for elementary and middle school students. Jointly developed educational curriculum combining obniz Board with AI/robotics education.
- Multi-Staff Corporation (マルティスープ株式会社)minorMulti-Staff organized the SATEX seminar where CEO Satō presented on 'Location Information and Gateway' topics. obniz BLE/Wi-Fi Gateway was used in Multi-Staff's location-based services.
- SWITCHBOT Corporation (SWITCHBOT株式会社)coreobniz.js (JavaScript IoT SDK) added support for SwitchBot products including SwitchBot Bot, Contact Sensor, Temperature & Humidity Meter, Motion Sensor, and Plug. SwitchBot has 500K+ units sold and is the 'IoT Device No.1 Brand' per Kaden Biz 2022 survey.
- JETRO (日本貿易振興機構)minorobniz was selected for JETRO's 'New Export Nation Consortium Hands-on Support' program. JETRO and specialized partners assist obniz with international expansion efforts.
Scale indicators9 records
Recent moves7 records
Expansion highlights6 records
obniz competitors and assessment
Company assessmentEmerging players
- Losant: Enterprise IoT application enablement platform offering low-code workflows, dashboards, and edge connectivity. Comparable in targeting enterprise IoT developers with a managed platform, and overlaps on dashboard/visualization functionality embedded in obniz Now.
- Blues Wireless: Provides pre-paid cellular IoT modules (Notecard) with a cloud service (Notehub) that abstracts cellular complexity for developers. Comparable developer-first, 'low-friction cellular IoT' positioning and similar maker-to-enterprise GTM trajectory, though focused on cellular connectivity rather than full device control.
- Memfault: OTA update, device observability, and remote debugging platform for embedded/firmware-based IoT products. Adjacent to obniz in targeting the same 'manage connected devices from the cloud' pain point, but operates one layer down at the firmware observability level rather than eliminating firmware altogether.
- Ubidots: White-label IoT application enablement platform for sensor data ingestion, dashboards, and alerting. Comparable SMB/maker and education user base, and comparable 'no-code/low-code IoT app' positioning, though without obniz's proprietary hardware or firmwareless control claim.
Regional players
- 1NCE: German-headquartered global IoT connectivity provider offering flat-rate cellular IoT SIMs and an IoT platform. Comparable in simplifying IoT deployment economics for cross-border rollouts, though primarily connectivity-centric and Europe-rooted versus obniz's Japan-Asia focus.
Broad incumbents
- Microsoft Azure IoT Hub: Microsoft's managed IoT messaging and device-management service bundled with Azure Digital Twins, IoT Edge, and Azure ML. Represents the enterprise incumbent alternative for customers already standardized on Azure, competing on integration rather than simplicity.
- AWS IoT Core: Hyperscaler-managed IoT service offering device connectivity, device shadows, rules engine, and integration with the broader AWS analytics and ML stack. Competes indirectly by providing the cloud substrate enterprise customers may choose over obniz for device management and analytics.
Direct peers
- Balena: Provides balenaOS, balenaCloud, and balenaEtcher for managing fleets of Linux-based IoT devices via containerized updates. Comparable developer-led growth motion, hardware-agnostic cloud orchestration, and target market of embedded/IoT developers building connected products.
- Particle Industries: US-based IoT platform combining cellular/Wi-Fi hardware (Photon, Boron, Argon) with a device cloud, IDE, and OTA management. Directly comparable product architecture — managed hardware running a managed OS with cloud-first device control — and serves overlapping developer + enterprise IoT segments.
- SORACOM: Tokyo-based IoT connectivity and platform company offering cellular IoT SIMs, gateways, and a cloud platform (SORACOM Beam, Funk, Harvest). Closest comparable to obniz in geographic focus, customer profile (Japan enterprise + global makers), and bundled hardware-plus-cloud business model, though SORACOM is connectivity-centric where obniz is firmwareless-control-centric.
Market position
Strengths5 records
Weaknesses5 records
Competitive moat6 records
Key risks7 records
Key highlights7 records
Customer concentration
obniz social profiles
Digital presenceobniz compliance and trust
Trust signalCompliance1 record
obniz financial estimates
Financial estimateRevenue estimate
Valuation estimate
obniz leadership team
Management profileNumber of profiles
Profiles2 records
obniz funding detail
Funding detailFunding overview
Funding rounds5 records
Investors6 records
Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
obniz 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 obniz
What does obniz do?
obniz offers a patented firmwareless IoT platform comprising obnizOS (embedded OS for microcontrollers), obniz Cloud (device management and APIs), and obniz Now (no-code IoT application platform) that enables cloud-based control of sensors, actuators, and industrial equipment without on-device firmware development. The company sells proprietary hardware devices including obniz Board 1Y (development board), Intelligent Edge series (industrial gateways with RS232/RS485/CAN/Ethernet), and BLE/Wi-Fi Gateways, all pre-installed with obnizOS and bundled with cloud access.
Is obniz a public or private company?
obniz is a private company. It is classified as venture growth investor backed and is currently operating.
When was obniz founded?
obniz was founded in 2014. It employs 11 to 50 people.
Where is obniz based?
obniz is headquartered in Tokyo, Japan, in the Asia region.
How does obniz make money?
Three revenue lines are on record. Hardware Sales are the primary driver. The others are obniz Now Cloud Subscription and obniz Cloud Platform (Developer).
Who are obniz's main competitors?
Emerging players on record are Losant, Blues Wireless, Memfault and Ubidots. 1NCE is listed as a regional player. Broad incumbents are Microsoft Azure IoT Hub and AWS IoT Core. Direct peers are Balena, Particle Industries and SORACOM.
Does obniz have an API?
Yes. obniz provides a REST/GraphQL/WebSocket API for device management, cloud execution, and IoT service orchestration. The platform offers multiple SDKs including obniz.js (JavaScript/TypeScript), obniz-app-sdk, obniz-dock, obniz-cli, and obniz-python-sdk. An MCP (Model Context Protocol) server is available as a developer preview, enabling AI tools such as Claude and Cursor to interact directly with obniz Now device data via natural language commands. Developer documentation is at docs.obniz.com.
What industry is obniz in?
obniz's product category is Industrial IoT Platform. Its primary akta.pro industry code is HDAFAIAL, Smart Home Hubs & Home Gateways (IoT Edge), with a secondary code of IMAGAGAC, Industrial IoT/Edge Electronics Manufacturing (Gateways, Edge Controllers). Its NAICS code is 518210 and its SIC code is 3576.