KIYO Learning
KIYO Learning is a Japanese listed edtech company operating STUDYing, a self-serve AI-powered online certification exam preparation platform for business professionals, and AirCourse, a B2B SaaS employee education LMS sold to corporate HR and training departments.
- Company typePublic
- Founded2010
- HeadquartersNagatacho, Japan
- Headcount11–50
- GTM typeB2B and B2C
- OfferingSoftware
What KIYO Learning does
KIYO Learning Co., Ltd. (KIYOラーニング株式会社) is a Japanese education technology company listed on the Tokyo Stock Exchange Growth Market (ticker 7353) since July 2020, operating a dual-product platform. The company was incorporated in January 2010, building on the STUDYing (formerly Tsukin Koza) online certification exam preparation service launched in October 2008. Founder and CEO Kiyoshi Ayabe retains a 40.08% controlling stake as of December 2025.
The consumer product, STUDYing, is a self-serve online certification exam preparation platform covering 30+ professional certifications across business, legal, accounting, real estate, IT, civil service, language, and medical categories. The platform is built on a proprietary Learning Management System with multi-device video streaming, AI-powered adaptive learning (AI Master Teacher/Sensei, AI Performance Score, AI Learning Plan, AI Problem Review, AI Search, AI Subtitles), and has accumulated 360,000+ paid members and 27,000+ documented successful candidate stories as of December 2024. STUDYing is sold primarily through direct e-commerce on studying.jp, priced at approximately one-fifth of traditional classroom alternatives, and distributed via owned web properties, YouTube, X (15+ branded accounts), LINE, TikTok, paid digital advertising, and the Benefit-One employee welfare platform.
The B2B product, AirCourse, is a SaaS-based employee education LMS launched in 2017, offering per-seat pricing from ¥300/month with a zero-initial-cost entry tier, 405-605+ standard training courses, custom course authoring, SAML SSO integration, and an enterprise AI Knowledge RAG feature. AirCourse is sold through direct enterprise sales to HR and training departments, with a dedicated Corporate Business Division housed at the Akasaka office opened in December 2023. Ancillary revenue streams include corporate video production services, STUDYing Career job placement (launched November 2023), STUDYing Publishing (launched November 2025), and the free STUDYing Tech programming learning service.
KIYO Learning firmographics
Firmographics- Name
- KIYO Learning
- Legal name
- KIYOラーニング株式会社
- Website
- https://kiyo-learning.com
- Company type
- Public
- Founded year
- 2010
- Operating status
- Operating
- Headcount range
- 11–50 employees
- Short description
- KIYO Learning is a Japanese listed edtech company operating STUDYing, a self-serve AI-powered online certification exam preparation platform for business professionals, and AirCourse, a B2B SaaS employee education LMS sold to corporate HR and training departments.
- Ownership category
- akta.pro rank
KIYO Learning industry classification
Industry- Product category
- Online Learning and Education Technology
- NAICS
- Exam Preparation and Tutoring (611691), Professional and Management Development Training (61143), Business Schools and Computer and Management Training (6114)
- SIC
- Services-Educational Services (8200), Services-Prepackaged Software (7372)
- akta.pro primary industry
- Learning Management Systems (LMS) & Digital Classrooms (EDAJAMAA)
- akta.pro secondary industries
- AI-Powered Tutoring & Study Assistant Platforms (EDANAGAD), AI/ML Learning Platforms for Students (EDAFANAE)
Keywords
Where KIYO Learning is headquartered
LocationHeadquarters
- HQ city
- Nagatacho
- HQ country
- Japan
- HQ region
- Asia
Offices2 records
Markets served
KIYO Learning business model
Business model- GTM type
- B2B and B2C
- Offering type
- Software
- Cost components
- Technology or R&D, Personnel, Marketing or Sales, Operations, Infrastructure
Revenue model
- STUDYing Online Certification Courses: Individual consumers purchase subscription or one-time license access to online certification exam preparation courses spanning 30+ titles across business, legal, accounting, real estate, IT, civil service, language, and medical categories. Revenue from digital content delivery with high margins due to low-cost operations.
- AirCourse Enterprise LMS: SaaS-based employee education platform with per-seat pricing scaled by organizational user count. Offers two plans: Basic (course creation tools only) and Content Plus (405+ courses included with unlimited viewing). Volume discounts for larger enterprises. Zero initial setup cost.
- STUDYing Corporate Sales: Enterprise licensing of STUDYing certification courses to companies, particularly for employee qualification programs (e.g., real estate companies requiring宅建士 certifications). Corporate buyers receive aggregated reporting on employee progress.
- Video Production Services: Custom video content production for corporate clients using company's in-house studio and production expertise. Revenue from creating bespoke training videos for enterprise customers as an add-on to AirCourse subscriptions.
- STUDYing Career Job Placement Service: Direct recruitment service connecting STUDYing certification holders with employers seeking qualified candidates. Fee-based job placement matching between credentialed professionals and companies.
Pricing tiers
| Model | Billing | Price |
|---|---|---|
| One time/ perpetual license | Multi-year contract | STUDYing Individual Courses (per certification) |
| Subscription | Monthly | STUDING Monthly Subscription (per course) |
| Subscription | Monthly | AirCourse Basic Plan |
| Subscription | Monthly | AirCourse Content Plus Plan |
| Subscription | Annual | STUDYing Corporate Enterprise Licensing |
Go-to-market motion4 records
Distribution channels5 records
Marketing channels12 records
KIYO Learning product offering
Product offeringCore offering
KIYO Learning develops, produces, and operates two primary e-learning platforms: STUDYing, a B2C online certification exam preparation service offering 30+ AI-powered courses for individual business professionals across categories such as real estate, accounting, IT, law, and civil service; and AirCourse, a B2B cloud-based employee learning management system (LMS) providing 405+ ready-made training courses and custom course creation tools for corporate clients on a per-seat SaaS model. Both platforms are built on a proprietary AI-powered learning engine that includes generative AI tutoring, exam score prediction, personalized study planning, and spaced repetition review.
Product overview
KIYO Learning operates a dual-brand product portfolio consisting of two core platforms: STUDYing (スタディング), a consumer-facing online certification exam preparation platform, and AirCourse (エアコース), a B2B employee education cloud SaaS. STUDYing offers ~30 AI-powered certification courses across business, legal, accounting, real estate, IT, and other categories, leveraging adaptive learning technology and generative AI for personalized study optimization. AirCourse provides unlimited video training content, custom course creation tools, training management, and a generative AI knowledge base (RAG) for corporate clients. A third brand, STUDYing Career (スタディングキャリア), is a career platform connecting qualified users to job opportunities. STUDYing Publishing (スタディング出版) extends the brand into AI-enhanced physical and digital publishing. All products share foundational 'Learning Technology' capabilities: learning system development, content development, web marketing, low-cost operations, and AI/data utilization.
Differentiator
Problem solved
Functional benefit
Brands
- スタディング出版: Publishing brand for AI-equipped qualification books launched in January 2025.
- スタディングテック
Products and services
- STUDYing (スタディング) Online certification exam preparation platform offering video lectures, practice questions, past exams, and AI-powered personalized study optimization across approximately 30 certification courses (business, legal, accounting, real estate, IT, civil service, language, medical) for individual professionals.
- AirCourse (エアコース) Corporate employee education cloud service (SaaS LMS) offering unlimited video training courses, custom course creation tools, training management, learning analytics, and generative AI knowledge management, targeted at Japanese SMBs and large enterprises.
- STUDYing Career (スタディングキャリア)
- STUDYing Publishing (スタディング出版) Publishing initiative offering qualification books with integrated AI features, creating a new kind of qualification book experience combining physical books and AI-powered study tools.
- STUDYing Tech (スタディングテック) Free programming learning service teaching Python and generative AI technologies at no cost.
- Corporate Video Production Service (動画制作おまかせパック) Custom video content production service for corporate clients using KIYO Learning's in-house studio and production expertise to create bespoke training videos.
Quantifiable outcome
- STUDYing courses priced at ~1/5 the cost of traditional classroom certification courses from major competitors
- +4 more outcomes
Companies that use KIYO Learning
Customer profileNamed customers1 record
Segments3 records
Ideal customer profiles3 records
KIYO Learning technology and API
TechnologyTechnology focussed Yes
API detail
- Has API
- Yes
- API docs
- API detail
Core technology
AI maturity
App detail
Integration35 records
AI capability9 records
Feature8 records
KIYO Learning partnerships and signals
Strategic signalPartnerships
Six partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.
- フリー株式会社 (Furyu Corporation)coreKIYO Learning entered a business partnership with Furyu Corporation to promote collaboration in SMB human capital utilization and talent development. The partnership aims to leverage both companies' strengths to serve the small and medium business market with integrated training and human capital solutions.
- 中央経済社 (Chuo Keizai Sha)minorPublishing partnership for STANDING Publishing (スタディング出版), a new publishing initiative launched January 2026 offering AI-enhanced certification study books in partnership with Chuo Keizai Sha and other publishers.
- アルク (ALC Press Inc.)minorJoint development partnership with ALC Press for the STUDYing & ALC TOEIC TEST preparation course, combining KIYO Learning's online platform technology with ALC's English language teaching expertise.
- 株式会社データミックス (DataMix)minorCapital and business partnership with DataMix for joint initiatives in AI and data science domains. Enables collaboration on data-driven learning optimization and AI feature development using DataMix's data science expertise.
- 株式会社セントメディア (Saint Media)minorCareer support partnership for 外︎勤者 certification candidates. Saint Media provides employment support and job placement services to STUDYing 外︎勤者 course graduates who pass the certification exam, creating a study-to-employment pathway.
- 株式会社MS-JapancoreCapital and business alliance with MS-Japan, Japan's leading recruiting firm specializing in administrative and management professionals. Enables cross-promotion between KIYO Learning's education services and MS-Japan's recruiting platforms (Manegy), allowing users to move from certification study to job placement within the same ecosystem.
Scale indicators9 records
Recent moves16 records
Expansion highlights6 records
KIYO Learning competitors and assessment
Company assessmentEmerging players
- manebi: Japanese corporate e-learning platform with LMS and curated course marketplace. Competes directly with AirCourse in the SME and mid-market corporate training segment with comparable per-seat pricing.
- Studyplus: Japan's leading study-logging social app for self-learners. While not a direct LMS competitor, it overlaps with STUDYing's target learner and could either become a content partner or a competing engagement layer.
- キカガク (Kikagaku): Japan-focused AI and data science education provider offering both consumer courses and corporate training. Overlaps with AirCourse in the AI/data upskilling category and with STUDYing Tech on Python/AI fundamentals.
Direct peers
- Udemy: Global online learning marketplace with both consumer and Udemy Business (B2B) tiers, directly comparable to KIYO's dual STUDYing/AirCourse model. Competes on certification and professional skills content with subscription and seat-based pricing.
- Schoo: Japan-focused online business learning platform offering live and on-demand video courses for individuals and corporate training (Schoo for Business). Closest domestic competitor to KIYO's AirCourse in the Japanese SME upskilling market.
- ユーキャン (U-CAN): Long-standing Japanese correspondence education provider offering certification and lifestyle courses via mail and online. Competes with STUDYing in the Japanese certification prep market from a traditional brand and pricing position.
Broad incumbents
- Skillsoft: Enterprise-focused corporate learning platform offering compliance, leadership, and technology training. Competes with AirCourse in the larger-enterprise tier of the Japanese market with a more global content catalog and established enterprise sales motion.
- Coursera: Global online credentialing platform partnering with universities and companies. Coursera for Business competes directly with AirCourse in the enterprise learning segment, while consumer catalog overlaps with STUDYing's certification offerings.
- Benesse Corporation: Major Japanese education conglomerate operating correspondence courses, K-12 services, and adult education brands. Competes across the broader Japanese education market including adult professional certification where STUDYing operates.
- LinkedIn Learning: LinkedIn-owned professional learning platform bundled with LinkedIn Premium and sold to enterprises via Talent Solutions. Competes with AirCourse for corporate L&D budgets with broader professional catalog and integration into LinkedIn's hiring data.
Market position
Strengths5 records
Weaknesses5 records
Competitive moat6 records
Key risks6 records
Key highlights7 records
Customer concentration
KIYO Learning social profiles
Digital presenceKIYO Learning compliance and trust
Trust signalCompliance1 record
KIYO Learning financial estimates
Financial estimateRevenue estimate
Valuation estimate
KIYO Learning leadership team
Management profileNumber of profiles
Profiles4 records
KIYO Learning funding detail
Funding detailFunding overview
Funding rounds6 records
Investors16 records
Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
KIYO Learning 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 KIYO Learning
What does KIYO Learning do?
KIYO Learning develops, produces, and operates two primary e-learning platforms: STUDYing, a B2C online certification exam preparation service offering 30+ AI-powered courses for individual business professionals across categories such as real estate, accounting, IT, law, and civil service; and AirCourse, a B2B cloud-based employee learning management system (LMS) providing 405+ ready-made training courses and custom course creation tools for corporate clients on a per-seat SaaS model. Both platforms are built on a proprietary AI-powered learning engine that includes generative AI tutoring, exam score prediction, personalized study planning, and spaced repetition review.
Is KIYO Learning a public or private company?
KIYO Learning is a public company. It is classified as public and is currently operating.
When was KIYO Learning founded?
KIYO Learning was founded in 2010. It employs 11 to 50 people.
Where is KIYO Learning based?
KIYO Learning is headquartered in Nagatacho, Japan, in the Asia region.
How does KIYO Learning make money?
Five revenue lines are on record. STUDYing Online Certification Courses are the primary driver. The others are airCourse Enterprise LMS, STUDYing Corporate Sales, video Production Services and STUDYing Career Job Placement Service.
Who are KIYO Learning's main competitors?
Emerging players on record are manebi, Studyplus and キカガク (Kikagaku). Direct peers are Udemy, Schoo and ユーキャン (U-CAN). Broad incumbents are Skillsoft, Coursera, Benesse Corporation and LinkedIn Learning.
Does KIYO Learning have an API?
Yes. The AirCourse API enables user information linkage between AirCourse and other systems. The company also supports SAML authentication-based single sign-on (SSO) integration. On the data side, AirCourse API is available for linking user information with other systems.
What industry is KIYO Learning in?
KIYO Learning's product category is Online Learning and Education Technology. Its primary akta.pro industry code is EDAJAMAA, Learning Management Systems (LMS) & Digital Classrooms, with a secondary code of EDANAGAD, AI-Powered Tutoring & Study Assistant Platforms. Its NAICS code is 611691 and its SIC code is 8200.