What Mama Square does

Mama Square (株式会社ママスクエア) is a Japanese operating company headquartered in Minato-ku, Tokyo that runs a national network of co-located childcare-and-workspace facilities. Founded as a kabushiki kaisha (joint-stock company) on December 24, 2014, with a predecessor parent-and-child café business ("Skip Kids") dating to 2004, the company operates approximately 57 locations across Japan's Kanto, Kansai, Chubu, Kyushu, and Tohoku regions and employs roughly 1,500 mothers across its direct-operated, franchise, and partner network as of 2024. The foundational concept is the "kids-space-attached working space" (キッズスペース付ワーキングスペース): adjacent office and supervised nursery areas separated by glass partitions, where mothers perform work assignments while their children are on-site.

The core platform is the Mama Square Model, which integrates BPO service delivery (call center operations, outbound sales, customer success, CAD/data entry, help desk, back-office processing) with on-site childcare management. Proprietary operational components include the Multi-Dispatch (マルチ派遣) staffing system, which allows dispatched mothers to work across multiple tenant businesses within a single logistics or commercial facility while their children are supervised in the on-site nursery, and the Mini Mama Square compact kids-space installation service that requires only six tatami-equivalent of floor space within existing offices. The wholly-owned operating subsidiary Mamasquare HR-Partners handles dispatch (派遣), paid placement (有料職業紹介), and joint operation (共同運営) activities. Supporting revenue lines include corporate nursery design, build, and management contracts (12 DPL logistics-center nurseries for Daiwa House Industries, Kotofisu facilities in Marunouchi for Mitsubishi Jisho Property Management, and DonKids retail nurseries for Don Quijote), the Mama Scope (ママスコラボ) marketing research service, Mama Photographer training and dispatch services, and government collaboration consulting. Registered capital is ¥886.06 million (including capital reserves).

The revenue model rests on four primary streams: (i) BPO managed services billed to corporate clients including Daiwa House Industries, Don Quijote, Suntory, Kaga Electronics, Mitsubishi Jisho Property Management, and Takumi Honpo; (ii) franchise and area licensing fees with the first franchisee (I-Station) opening in December 2017 and Crie Anabuki operating the Chugoku-Shikoku region; (iii) corporate nursery design, build, and management contracts; and (iv) project-based Mama Scope marketing research, Mama Photographer training, and consulting engagements. Distribution is hybrid: direct enterprise sales to corporations and municipal governments (with partnership agreements signed with 17+ Japanese cities including Yokohama, Fukuoka, Sendai, Kobe, Katsuragi, Toyonaka, Toda, and Kashiwara), channel partners via franchise and area operators, and embedded on-site facility operations for logistics, retail, and office landlords. BPO and franchise pricing is quote-based and not publicly disclosed; Mama Scope uses project- and subscription-based tiers (Fast Answer, Survey, Interview/Focus Group, Strategic Consulting); Mama Photographer training courses are priced at ¥30,000–60,000 (tax-inclusive ¥33,000–66,000) with dispatch photography billed at ¥4,700 per session.

Name

Mama Square

Legal name

株式会社ママスクエア

Website

https://mamasquare.co.jp

Company type

Private

Founded year

2014

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

51–100 employees

Short description

Mama Square operates a 57-location national network of kids-space-attached working spaces across Japan, employing approximately 1,500 mothers in BPO services, marketing research, and on-site corporate nursery roles. The company serves corporations facing labor shortages and municipalities pursuing female employment promotion programs.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Childcare-Integrated Workforce Services

NAICS

Child Care Services (62441)

SIC

Services-Child Day Care Services (8351)

akta.pro primary industry

Employer-Sponsored / On-Site Childcare Centers (EDACAAAD)

akta.pro secondary industry

Infant-Focused Childcare Centers (EDACAAAF)

Keywords

• BPO staffing services
• Corporate childcare management
• Female employment programs
• Marketing research panels
• Childcare franchise operations

Headquarters

HQ city

Tokyo

HQ country

Japan

HQ region

Asia

Offices5 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

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

Revenue model

1. BPO Services Revenue: Mama Square employs mothers who perform business process outsourcing tasks (call center, data entry, back-office work) on behalf of corporate clients. Revenue is generated through service fees charged to client companies for these outsourced operations. The company handles recruitment, training, and management of the workforce.
2. Franchise Fees and Royalties: The company licenses its operational model, brand, and systems to franchise partners who open Mama Square locations. Franchisees pay initial fees and ongoing royalties in exchange for brand use, training, operational support, and BPO client acquisition assistance.
3. Corporate Nursery/Childcare Facility Management: Mama Square designs, builds, and operates on-site childcare facilities for corporations (DPL Nurseries, Kotofisu facilities). Revenue comes from setup consulting fees and ongoing facility management contracts.
4. Marketing Research Services: The 'Mama Scope' (ママスクラボ) service conducts marketing research panels, surveys, interviews, and focus groups using the company's network of mothers as research participants. Revenue from research project fees.
5. Consulting Services: The company provides consulting to governments and corporations on implementing childcare-friendly workplace policies, facility design, and female employment promotion programs.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion3 records

Distribution channels5 records

Marketing channels8 records

Core offering

Mama Square operates childcare-attached working spaces where mothers perform BPO work (call center, data entry, CAD, customer support) while their children are supervised in adjacent kids spaces at the same facility. The company employs approximately 1,500 mothers across 57+ locations nationwide and licenses its operational model, brand, and systems to franchise partners. Additional offerings include corporate on-site nursery management, government collaboration for female employment programs, consulting, and the Mama Labo marketing research service using a panel of mothers.

Product overview

Mama Square operates a portfolio of integrated services centered on enabling parents to work alongside their children. The core offering is the Mama Square kids-space-attached working space, which combines working space with adjacent childcare facilities staffed by dedicated kids-support personnel. Supporting this core are BPO services (call center, customer success, CAD), government collaboration services, on-site nursery facilities (DPL series, Kotofisu), franchise program, consulting services, Mama Labo marketing research for mothers/children, logistics model with multi-temp staffing, and office kids-space installation (Mini Mama Square). The portfolio enables companies to solve labor shortages while providing childcare, and supports working mothers through the entire ecosystem of workspace, childcare, training, and staffing services. The company operates 49+ nursery facilities nationwide and has placed over 1,500 mothers in employment.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Mama Square Kids-Space Working Space (ママスクエア) Core product combining a working space with an adjacent kids space (supervised nursery) where mothers can work alongside their children. Mothers are employed by Mama Square to perform BPO tasks (call center, data entry, CAD, customer support) for corporate clients; their children are cared for in the on-site kids space. The model has been replicated across 57+ facilities nationwide and underpins all other Mama Square services.
• BPO Services (BPO事業) Outsourced business process services staffed by Mama Square's working-mother workforce. Service lines include outbound/inbound sales support, customer success support, call center operations, CAD drafting and data entry, and help desk operations. Delivered to enterprise clients in logistics, retail, e-commerce, recruitment services, and electronics. Pricing is quote-based and not publicly disclosed.
• Government Collaboration Services (行政連携事業) Partnership services for Japanese municipal governments deploying the Mama Square model to address female employment promotion, childcare facility shortages, and regional revitalization. Includes subsidized location deployment, female employment promotion programs (webinars, seminars, expert dispatch, Facebook outreach), and certification-system outreach. First partnership established in 2016.
• Corporate On-site Nursery Services (DPL Nurseries / 事業所内保育事業) Design, construction, and operation of on-site or near-site corporate nurseries at logistics facilities (DPL series with Daiwa House), office buildings (Kotofisu with Mitsubishi Jisho at Marunouchi), and retail locations (DonKids with Don Quijote). 12+ facilities serve tenant employees and local communities, generating setup consulting fees and ongoing management contracts.
• Franchise Program (フランチャイズ事業) Franchise program enabling partners to establish Mama Square kids-space-attached working spaces under the company's brand. Includes training, BPO client acquisition support, operational guidance, and brand licensing. Area franchisees include real estate companies, local governments, and logistics operators. Franchisees pay initial fees and ongoing royalties.
• Consulting Services (コンサルティング事業) Advisory services for companies, governments, and developers on childcare facility establishment, female employment promotion, and family-friendly facility design. Helps large enterprises and municipalities implement working-mother employment programs modeled on the Mama Square approach.
• Mama Labo Marketing Research (ママスクラボ / Mama Scope) Marketing research service specialized in mothers, women, and children. Provides tiered offerings — Fast Answer (self-serve quick research, usage-based pricing), Survey Research (professional survey design and analysis, project-based), Interview/Focus Group (qualitative research with 1-month minimum turnaround, project-based), and Strategic Consulting (PEST, 3C, concept development, and go-to-market planning, project-based). References a network of over 10,000 mothers.
• Logistics Model & Multi-Dispatch Staffing (物流モデル・マルチ派遣) Logistics industry solution combining on-site childcare with multi-tenant staffing services. Enables logistics and commercial-facility tenants to address chronic labor shortages by recruiting mothers who can work while children stay at the adjacent Mama Square nursery. Deployed at DPL logistics centers and Hankyu Umeda / Lala Garden Kawaguchi facilities.
• Mini Mama Square (ミニママスクエア) Office Kids Space Compact kids space installation service for existing corporate offices. Requires approximately 6 tatami mats of space for setup, allowing companies to add on-site childcare support to existing premises without building a full Mama Square facility.
• Mama Photographer Service (ママフォトグラファーサービス) Photography staffing service that dispatches mother photographers to nurseries, kindergartens, and childcare facilities to capture children's daily activities. Includes initial training, equipment provision, transportation, and expense coverage; contract work billed at 4,700 yen per session. Also offers a training program for mothers wanting to become photographers, with SLR (60,000 yen) and smartphone (30,000 yen) courses launched in 2026.

Quantifiable outcome

• Companies reduce recruitment advertising costs significantly by attracting mothers through the child-friendly work environment
• +4 more outcomes

Named customers10 records

Segments5 records

Ideal customer profiles5 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature2 records

Partnerships

33 partnerships are on record, tiered core and supporting.

• Daiwa House Industries (大和ハウス工業)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerJoint development of corporate nursery facilities within DPL logistics centers. Partners on DPL Nursery chain with 12 facilities nationwide. Major logo sponsor and operational partner.
• DNP (大日本印刷)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerMajor sponsor partner appearing in sponsorship section. Broader strategic relationship beyond investment.
• Daiwa Lease (大和リース)coreChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorArea partner for regional franchise expansion. Co-develops Mama Square facilities with local governments and property owners. Multiple partnership agreements (Okegawa, Moriya, Otsu).
• Mitsubishi Jisho Property Management (三菱地所プロパティマネジメント)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerJoint operation of Kotofisu childcare-integrated office facilities in Marunouchi. Mama Square manages nursery space within Kotofisu corporate childcare facilities.
• Keio Electric Railway (京王電鉄)supportingStrategic or Co-development PartnerBusiness collaboration established 2015 for Mama Square facility deployment near Keio stations.
• Don Quijote Holdings (ドンキホーテホールディングス)supportingStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartnership established 2016 for DonKids corporate nursery facilities at Don Quijote stores nationwide.
• Hankyu Corporation (阪急電鉄)supportingStrategic or Co-development PartnerBusiness collaboration established 2016 for Mama Square facility deployment in Hankyu operating areas.
• Mitsui Fudosan (三井不動産)supportingStrategic or Co-development PartnerReal estate developer and sponsor partner. Mama Square facilities deployed at Mitsui Fudosan properties.
• Xymax (株式会社ザイマックス)supportingStrategic or Co-development PartnerReal estate services company and investor. Mama Square facilities at Xymax-managed properties.
• Anabuki Group (あなぶきグループ)supportingChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorArea franchise partner for regional expansion. Investor and operational partner.
• Renaissance (株式会社ルネサンス)supportingStrategic or Co-development PartnerSponsor partner, broader business relationship.
• Taxan (上加賀電子グループ)supportingStrategic or Co-development PartnerElectronics group and sponsor partner. Kaga Techno Service (加賀テクノサービス) client for BPO services.
• Hankyu Hanshin Holdings (南海電気鉄道)supportingStrategic or Co-development PartnerRailway company sponsor partner.
• Suntory (サントリーホールディングス)supportingGTM or Marketing PartnerClient for marketing research services (All Free Collagen focus groups). Mama Scope research client.
• ChuChu Childcare Lab (ChuChu育児研究室)supportingGTM or Marketing PartnerClient for product development focus groups at Mama Square Sannomiya Opa 2 location.
• Yokohama City (横浜市)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerComprehensive partnership agreement for female employment promotion. Mama Square Yokohama Kohoku store opened 2018 as 20th location with city support. City survey found 92.6% of non-working women have employment desire. Partnership enables diverse work arrangements including freelancers, entrepreneurs, and remote workers.
• Fukuoka City (福岡市)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartnership agreement for female employment promotion. Mama Square facility deployment in Fukuoka.
• Sendai City (仙台市)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartnership agreement for female employment promotion. Mama Square facility deployment in Sendai.
• Katsuragi City, Nara Prefecture (奈良県葛城市)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerFirst government partnership 2016. ICT-based telework employment creation project. Used national regional revitalization subsidies. Created approximately 30 new jobs for mothers.
• Kobe City (神戸市)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartnership using national regional revitalization subsidies. Mama Square Kobe Shinnnagata store opened in shopping district vacant store (first such deployment).
• Toyonaka City (豊中市)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerThree consecutive years of female employment promotion projects. Includes webinars, seminars, expert dispatch, and Facebook outreach. City corporate female employment certification system promotion.
• Toda City (戸田市)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerSubsidy recipient for Mama Square Kitatosato store (first Kanto government partnership). City has youngest average age in Saitama for 22 consecutive years.
• Kashiwara City (柏原市)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerFirst Osaka prefecture initiative using national regional revitalization subsidies. Mama Square Kashiwara store at private workers' center. Hometown tax donation media project with local staff.
• Fujieda City (藤枝市)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartnership agreement and Mama Square Fujieda store opening. Co-hosted Mama internship program with Daiwa Lease.
• Otsu City (大津市)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerCooperation agreement signed with Daiwa Lease for female employment promotion.
• Okegawa City (桶川市)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerThree-party agreement with Daiwa Lease for female employment promotion.
• Moriya City (守谷市)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerThree-party agreement with Daiwa Lease for female employment promotion.
• Minato Hokubu Town, Nara Prefecture (子上牧町)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerNational regional revitalization project. Mama Square Location opened December 2017 in APITA West Yamato shopping center.
• Oji Town, Nara Prefecture (王寺町)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerNational regional revitalization project. Mama Square Libelle Oji store opened December 2017 in Libelle Oji East Building alongside city employment and childcare services hub.
• Minoh City (箕面市)supportingStrategic or Co-development PartnerMama Square Minoh location with city support for female employment.
• South Awaji City (南あわじ市)supportingStrategic or Co-development PartnerObserver participation in city childcare consortium 'Management Strategy for Gender Equality' with local businesses.
• Crie Anabuki (クリエアナブキ)coreChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorArea franchise partner for Chugoku-Shikoku region. Opened Create x Mama Square Takamatsu location. Joint expansion of Mama Square model in the region targeting local mothers.
• I-Station (株式会社アイ・ステーション)coreChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorFirst franchisee (FC 1st store). Call center BPO operations at Ageo Shosan Plaza, Saitama. Opened December 4, 2017. Mama Square model enabled dramatic recruitment improvements for their 17-location national call center operations.

Scale indicators8 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Direct peers

• Poppins Holdings: One of the largest Japanese private childcare and nursery operators running hundreds of daycare centers and in-house nursery facilities for corporations. Operates corporate on-site childcare (事業所内保育) similar to Mama Square's DPL/Kotofisu facilities and competes for the same B2B nursery clients.
• Bright Horizons Family Solutions: US/global leader in employer-sponsored childcare, backup care, and early education. The most direct international analog to Mama Square's corporate-nursery + adjacent workspace model, serving enterprise HR and real-estate tenants seeking childcare solutions.
• Apron Inc. (株式会社エプロン): Japanese operator of in-house corporate nursery facilities (企業内保育受託運営), matching Mama Square's core work of designing and managing on-site nursery facilities for corporations including hospitals, financial institutions, and retailers.
• KinderCare Learning Companies: Large US private-market early childhood education and childcare operator serving families and employer-sponsored programs. Comparable in addressing working-parent childcare needs at scale and in integrating employer-sponsored models.

Emerging players

• Kidsna (株式会社キッズナ): Japanese childcare-focused media, community platform, and concierge service targeting working parents. Shares Mama Square's mother-focused market and complements or competes for childcare content and family services mindshare.
• Will Group / Mammy (ウィルグループ / mammy): Japanese staffing group that includes working-mother-focused dispatch brands. Comparable in dispatching flexible female workforce into corporate BPO and call-center roles, overlapping with Mama Square's multi-dispatch (マルチ派遣) business line.
• Sitters Co. (株式会社シッターズ): Japanese matching platform for babysitter/childcare services with corporate programs (sitter派遣 to companies). Comparable adjacently on childcare staffing and dispatch to Mama Square's working-mother BPO staffing model.

Broad incumbents

• Benesse Holdings (ベネッセホールディングス): Large Japanese education and childcare conglomerate (incl. Benesse-style保育園, Tamahiyo brand). Dominant incumbent in maternal and early-childhood services with broader portfolio; competes in same Japanese mother/child customer mindshare.
• JP-Holdings (株式会社JPホールディングス): Listed Japanese operator of Pikkoro, Arukadia, and other daycare chains plus medical/children-related businesses. Largest publicly disclosed scale competitor in Japanese childcare market.

Others

• Dai Nippon Printing BPO Services (DNP): A major Mama Square investor/sponsor and Japan's large BPO operator through related ventures. Asymmetric relationship: investor/strategic backer of Mama Square with overlap in BPO market; not a direct competitor but ecosystem participant.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks7 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• Facebookfacebook.com/mamasquare.co.jp
• Instagraminstagram.com/mamasquare_official

Compliance1 record

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles1 record

Subsidiaries1 record

Funding overview

Funding rounds14 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 Mama Square