What Co-LABO MAKER does

Co-LABO MAKER Inc. is a Sendai-headquartered Japanese Lab-as-a-Service platform founded in April 2017. The company operates a web-based matching marketplace that connects companies and researchers seeking experimental capability — including laboratory space, specialized equipment, and experiment outsourcing — with providers such as corporate labs, university research facilities, and testing services across Japan. The platform is MEXT-certified as an officially recognized research support service and is structured with a free base tier (Co-LABO MAKER Lite) covering internal network searches, supplemented by two paid add-on modules — +Search for extended network searches supported by staff, and +Connect for staff-facilitated deal progression including three 1-hour interview sessions per engagement.

The platform offers four primary service lines: lab sharing (rental laboratories equipped for chemistry including organic synthesis, electrochemistry, and inorganic materials; biotech including BSL1, BSL2, cell culture, and animal testing), experiment outsourcing (sample creation, prototyping, analysis), equipment visit use, and industry-academia collaboration connecting companies with academic experts. A secondary marketplace, Co-LABO MAKER Reuse, supports buying and selling of used research equipment and reagents, and an attached insurance service bundling trustee liability and facility owner/manager liability coverage is provided at no incremental cost. Co-LABO MAKER also operates Co-LABOX, a media sub-brand focused on research democratization content, alongside social media presence on Twitter, Facebook, and Note for content-driven demand generation.

Co-LABO MAKER monetizes primarily through transaction-based service fees charged on successful matches (introduction fee plus first-time commission on each deal), supplemented by recurring subscription revenue from the +Search and +Connect paid plans. Customers span Japanese biotech, pharmaceutical, chemical, materials, and manufacturing enterprises — from early-stage pharmaceutical startups to SMEs and large industrial manufacturers — with a sales-led GTM approach combining direct consultation, content marketing, and PR-driven demand generation. The platform has handled 3,000+ consultation requests cumulatively and operates a network of 300+ registered research institutions across all major Japanese regions (Kanto, Kansai, Tohoku, Hokuriku Koshinetsu, Tokai, Kyushu Okinawa, Chugoku, Kinki). Cumulative funding totals approximately 230 million yen across four rounds (2018-2023), with the company founder, Yuki Furuya, serving as representative director.

Name

Co-LABO MAKER

Legal name

株式会社Co-LABO MAKER

Website

https://co-labo-maker.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

2017

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

Co-LABO MAKER is a Japanese Lab-as-a-Service platform connecting companies and researchers seeking R&D lab space, equipment, and experiment outsourcing services with 300+ registered universities and corporate labs across Japan.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

R&D Lab Sharing Marketplace

NAICS

Testing Laboratories and Services (541380), Medical Laboratories (621511)

SIC

Services-Commercial Physical & Biological Research (8731), Services-Testing Laboratories (8734)

akta.pro primary industry

Central Laboratory & Clinical Trial Testing CROs (HLAGAAAE)

akta.pro secondary industry

Central Laboratory Services (Core Lab Operations) (HLAGAEAA)

Keywords

• Lab sharing services
• Research equipment marketplace
• Experiment outsourcing
• Academic-industry collaboration
• R&D resource platform

Headquarters

HQ city

Sendai

HQ country

Japan

HQ region

Asia

Offices2 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Digital Commerce or Content

Cost components

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

Revenue model

1. Marketplace commission / transaction fee: Co-LABO MAKER charges service fees upon successful matching and deal closure between research resource seekers (requesters) and providers. Fees include the provider's usage fee plus Co-LABO MAKER's introduction and first-time service commission. Payments are collected by Co-LABO MAKER and remitted to providers net of commissions, typically on month-end closing / next-month payment terms.
2. Optional paid plans (+Search, +Connect): Co-LABO MAKER Lite is the free base plan covering network-internal searches. Paid optional plans (+Search for extended network searches supported by staff, +Connect for staff-facilitated deal progression including interview sessions) generate additional subscription/flat-fee revenue. Invoiced month-end closing / next-month payment.
3. Used equipment marketplace (Co-LABO MAKER Reuse): A subsidiary marketplace for buying and selling used research equipment and reagents, generating secondary transaction-based revenue alongside the core lab sharing service.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels3 records

Marketing channels6 records

Core offering

Co-LABO MAKER operates a web-based matching marketplace that connects companies needing R&D lab space, equipment, or experimental services with providers (universities, corporate labs, testing services). The platform supports four core resource categories: lab sharing (rental labs), experimental outsourcing, equipment visit use, and academic-industry collaboration, with bundled insurance and full-service matchmaking support.

Product overview

Co-LABO MAKER operates as a lab-as-a-service platform offering a portfolio of interconnected services. The core platform 'Co-LABO MAKER' provides a marketplace for renting research labs, outsourcing experiments, and connecting with academic institutions. The platform is structured with a basic tier (コラボメーカーLite) that offers free matching within their network, supplemented by two optional paid modules: +Search for extended partner exploration and +Connect for transaction support. Additional services include equipment visit use, industry-academia collaboration, and an attached insurance service. The company also operates Co-LABOX as a media brand and a reuse marketplace for used equipment.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• Co-LABOX（コラボックス）: A media platform operated by Co-LABO MAKER that publishes content for researchers, under the tagline 'Research democratization' (研究開発の民主化).

Products and services

• Lab Sharing (ラボシェアリング) Service allowing companies to jointly use equipped laboratories, including BSL1, BSL2, organic synthesis, electrochemistry, battery prototyping, and other specialized lab facilities, sourced from universities, corporate labs, and testing services across Japan.
• Experimental Outsourcing (実験委託) Service where providers conduct experiments, analysis, or testing on behalf of clients, including sample creation, prototyping, chemical synthesis, and bio experiments across clinical, animal, cell, and other research domains.
• Equipment Visit Use (機器訪問利用) Service allowing users to visit registered equipment locations and use the equipment only, without renting the full lab space, covering specialized instruments such as NMR, LC-MS, XRD, GC-MS, and others.
• Industry-Academia Collaboration (産学連携) Service connecting companies with academic institutions for technical guidance and academic advisory from university faculty and experts, enabling knowledge transfer and collaborative research projects.
• Co-LABO MAKER Reuse Secondary marketplace for buying and selling used research equipment and reagents, extending the Co-LABO MAKER ecosystem beyond shared access to equipment ownership.
• Insurance Service (付帯保険サービス) Bundled insurance coverage attached to the Co-LABO MAKER matching service, including trustee liability insurance for equipment damage and facility owner/manager liability insurance for third-party damage claims, provided at no additional cost to users.
• Funding Acquisition Support (補助金獲得支援) Service supporting researchers and companies in obtaining government subsidies and research funding, complementing the platform's R&D resource marketplace offerings.

Quantifiable outcome

• 3,000+ consultation requests handled through the platform
• +2 more outcomes

Named customers4 records

Segments4 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed Yes

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Partnerships

Two partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• Cactus Communications Inc. (カクタス・コミュニケーションズ)coreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 April 2026Effective April 1, 2026, Co-LABO MAKER and Cactus Communications formed a capital and strategic partnership combining Co-LABO MAKER's experimental equipment sharing platform and material distribution capabilities with Cactus's AI technology and academic communication expertise. The partnership aims to address researcher challenges — funding constraints, equipment investment burdens, and sustainability — by building a sustainable research ecosystem and improving access to research resources across Japan.
• Azuma One (東一拍)minorGTM or Marketing Partner · 11 October 2023Co-LABO MAKER announced a collaboration with Azuma One alongside its approximately 190 million yen funding round in October 2023, aimed at expanding its lab sharing service reach and capabilities. Details of the collaboration scope are limited to the PR Times announcement.

Scale indicators4 records

Recent moves5 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Direct peers

• Science Exchange: US-based marketplace connecting companies with CROs and research service providers for outsourced experiments. Most direct comparable to Co-LABO MAKER's experiment outsourcing and lab matching business model, but operates globally rather than Japan-domestic.
• Scientist.com: Online marketplace for outsourced scientific services that connects researchers with CROs and contract labs. Closely comparable marketplace business model to Co-LABO MAKER, serving pharma/biotech R&D with similar take-rate economics on completed transactions.
• Kolabtree (Outsource.com): Global platform connecting companies with freelance scientists and research experts for project-based work. Comparable to Co-LABO MAKER's academia-industry collaboration and expert consultation modules, though Kolabtree focuses on freelance talent rather than physical lab resources.

Broad incumbents

• Benchling: Cloud-based R&D platform serving biotech and pharma with lab data management, electronic lab notebooks, and workflow tools. Broader scope than Co-LABO MAKER but addresses the same enterprise R&D buyer and increasingly overlaps on resource discovery and collaboration workflows.
• Dotmatics: Enterprise scientific informatics platform for R&D data, workflows, and lab decisions. Broader incumbent serving pharma/biotech R&D with tools that overlap with Co-LABO MAKER's resource matching and operational intelligence goals at the platform layer.
• LabWare: Provider of Laboratory Information Management Systems (LIMS) and laboratory execution systems used in regulated and R&D environments. Broader incumbent serving the same lab operations buyer as Co-LABO MAKER but focused on data systems rather than physical resource sharing.
• Citeline (formerly Pharma Intelligence): Global provider of clinical trial intelligence, CRO benchmarking, and pharmaceutical R&D data services. Broader incumbent that addresses pharma/biotech R&D decision-making, overlapping with Co-LABO MAKER's experiment outsourcing buyer base.

Emerging players

• Quartzy: Lab management and procurement platform for research labs, offering ordering, inventory, and supplier coordination. Adjacent to Co-LABO MAKER's marketplace concept with overlap on lab resource procurement, though focused on consumables rather than equipment/lab space.

Regional players

• リバース (Reverse Inc.): Japan-based platform matching companies with research institutions and supporting academic-industry collaboration. Most direct Japan-domestic comparable to Co-LABO MAKER, operating in overlapping academia-industry and lab resource matchmaking territory.
• ラボマーケット / Researchers' Marketplace operators: Japanese platforms (e.g., LabBase) connecting researchers with employers and research opportunities. Comparable regional peer operating in the Japan research talent/resource market, though more focused on researcher hiring than lab space sharing.

Market position

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/Co_LABO_MAKER
• Facebookfacebook.com/colabomaker
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/co-labo-maker

Compliance1 record

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles1 record

Funding overview

Funding rounds4 records

Investors9 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 Co-LABO MAKER