Sigma-i
Sigma-i is a Tokyo-based quantum annealing startup developing combinatorial optimization solutions for logistics, manufacturing, materials science, and public-sector workflows, serving Japanese enterprises through consulting, joint R&D, and SaaS products.
- Company typePrivate
- Founded2019
- HeadquartersTokyo, Japan
- Headcount1–10
- GTM typeB2B
- OfferingSoftware
What Sigma-i does
Sigma-i Co., Ltd. (株式会社シグマアイ) is a Tokyo-based quantum computing startup founded in April 2019 as a spin-off from Tohoku University's Quantum Annealing Research and Development Center (T-QARD). The company develops combinatorial optimization solutions built on D-Wave quantum annealing hardware combined with proprietary techniques that it claims exceed the performance limits of standard quantum annealing machines. Its technology portfolio spans logistics optimization (CirqLog), manufacturing digital transformation (Opt-Operation), HR scheduling (NEW NORMAL SCHEDULER), public-sector call-center and wildlife-management tools (whis+, Econnect), and R&D-stage technologies including Phosaiq photomosaic generation and Qinema Seat venue layout optimization. Sigma-i holds granted patent 特開2021-47780 covering its combinatorial optimization problem processing device and a pending patent for its recommendation algorithm, with research published in journals including the Journal of the Physical Society of Japan (2026).
Sigma-i operates a hybrid revenue model with four streams: (1) B2B quantum computing consulting delivered through hypothesis validation, PoC, and demonstration experiments; (2) usage-based provisioning of D-Wave machine time following its July 2019 large-scale utilization contract; (3) subscription/SaaS licensing for products such as NEW NORMAL SCHEDULER, CirqLog, and Opt-Operation; and (4) joint R&D and co-development engagements with named industrial partners. Its go-to-market is primarily direct enterprise sales targeting large Japanese corporations across manufacturing, logistics, chemicals, electronics, and retail, supplemented by a self-serve channel for HR-SaaS and partner/integration distribution through relationships such as TOPPAN Printing's MITATE system. The company maintains offices in Tokyo (Shinagawa Seaside Terrace, Minato-ku) and a Sendai research center affiliated with Tohoku University, with approximately 8 employees and a customer roster including Mitsui Chemicals, TOPPAN Printing, SCREEN Holdings, Sony, Kohsoku, Mitsukoshi Isetan Nicol Travel, Sendai City, Matsuyama City, NEC, and Kyocera.
Funding to date consists of an approximately 400-500 million yen Series A from SPARX Group in December 2019, a strategic capital partnership with SCREEN Holdings announced in December 2023 targeting semiconductor manufacturing applications, and earlier government-supported backing. The company is led by co-Representative Directors Masayuki Ohzeki (Tohoku University and Tokyo Science University professor, T-QARD founder) and Renichiro Haba (PhD, Tohoku University, appointed June 2025), with a director and research staff predominantly drawn from Tohoku University doctoral programs. Recognition includes the KDDI Foundation Award (2023), the D-Wave Systems Award at the Quantum Annealing Solution Contest (2019), and the Funai Academic Award (2018) to Ohzeki.
Sigma-i firmographics
Firmographics- Name
- Sigma-i
- Legal name
- 株式会社シグマアイ
- Website
- https://sigmailab.com
- Company type
- Private
- Founded year
- 2019
- Operating status
- Operating
- Headcount range
- 1–10 employees
- Short description
- Sigma-i is a Tokyo-based quantum annealing startup developing combinatorial optimization solutions for logistics, manufacturing, materials science, and public-sector workflows, serving Japanese enterprises through consulting, joint R&D, and SaaS products.
- Ownership category
- akta.pro rank
Sigma-i industry classification
Industry- Product category
- Quantum Computing Optimization Software
- NAICS
- Management Consulting Services (54161), Computer Systems Design and Related Services (54151), Scientific Research and Development Services (5417), Other Management Consulting Services (541618)
- SIC
- Services-Management Consulting Services (8742), Services-Computer Integrated Systems Design (7373), Services-Commercial Physical & Biological Research (8731)
- akta.pro primary industry
- End-to-End Enterprise AI Platforms (MLOps & Model Lifecycle Management) (HDAEANAA)
- akta.pro secondary industry
- Manufacturing & Operations Excellence (Lean/Six Sigma) (BPAHAHAC)
Keywords
Where Sigma-i is headquartered
LocationHeadquarters
- HQ city
- Tokyo
- HQ country
- Japan
- HQ region
- Asia
Offices2 records
Markets served
Sigma-i business model
Business model- GTM type
- B2B
- Offering type
- Software
Revenue model
- Quantum Computing Consulting: B2B quantum annealing machine utilization consulting services, providing comprehensive solutions for enterprise challenges using quantum computing technology
- D-Wave Machine Time Provision: Provision of D-Wave Systems quantum annealing machine access (first large-scale contract in Japan, July 2019)
- Product Licensing/SaaS: HR-SaaS product NEW NORMAL SCHEDULER, logistics optimization products CirqLog, manufacturing DX solution Opt-Operation, and other application products
- Joint R&D/Development: Co-development projects with partner companies for specific optimization solutions in logistics, materials, manufacturing, and other domains
Pricing tiers
| Model | Billing | Price |
|---|---|---|
| Other | Pay-as-you-go | Intern/Part-time Engineer Position |
Go-to-market motion3 records
Distribution channels3 records
Marketing channels6 records
Sigma-i product offering
Product offeringCore offering
Sigma-i provides consulting, joint R&D, and SaaS products that apply quantum annealing and proprietary combinatorial optimization technology to solve complex business problems for enterprises. The company offers end-to-end engagements — from upstream problem identification and hypothesis validation through PoC, demonstration, and custom solution delivery — alongside ready-to-use SaaS products for logistics, manufacturing, HR scheduling, call center support, and wildlife management.
Product overview
Sigma-i offers a portfolio of quantum annealing-powered optimization products alongside custom R&D and consulting services. The core products are CirqLog (logistics operations), whis+ (call center medical institution search), Opt-Operation (manufacturing DX), NEW NORMAL SCHEDULER (HR-SaaS hybrid work scheduling), and Econnect (wildlife capture management). These are complemented by R&D technologies such as Phosaiq (mosaic art generation) and Qinema Seat (seating optimization). Services also include consulting for materials discovery with Mitsui Chemicals, travel recommendation systems for Mitsui Mitsukoshi Isetan Nicoy Travel, and digital signal processing research.
Differentiator
Problem solved
Functional benefit
Brands
- NEW NORMAL SCHEDULER (NNS): HR-SaaS product that optimizes office/remote work schedules using quantum annealing technology.
- whis+
- CirqLog
- Opt-Operation
- Econnect
- Qinema Seat
Products and services
- CirqLog Logistics optimization SaaS leveraging quantum annealing technology to optimize driver allocation, load capacity, and total vehicle routing/mileage while balancing equity in worker preferences, enabling data-driven logistics management for logistics enterprises.
- whis+ Call center support system for medical institution referral that recommends optimal healthcare facilities to callers based on real-time congestion data, distance, and medical specialty, reducing operator workload; deployed at Sendai City COVID-19 consultation hotline.
- Opt-Operation Manufacturing digital transformation solution providing automated production scheduling, KPI visualization, and bottleneck analysis through a continuous cycle of automation, visualization, and issue analysis for multi-product production environments.
- NEW NORMAL SCHEDULER (NNS) HR-SaaS product using quantum annealing to automatically generate optimized office/remote work schedules based on target attendance rates while maximizing in-person meeting opportunities; browser-based application requiring no special operational knowledge.
- Econnect Wild bird and animal capture management application consisting of an iPad app for field data entry and a web app for administrative document generation and capture heatmap visualization, for use by local governments.
- Quantum Computing Consulting Services B2B consulting service that delivers comprehensive quantum annealing-based solutions for enterprise challenges — from problem identification and hypothesis validation through PoC, demonstration experiments, and custom solution delivery.
- D-Wave Quantum Annealing Machine Access Provision of D-Wave Systems quantum annealing machine access under Japan's first large-scale contract with D-Wave (July 2019), enabling customer solutions and research using D-Wave Advantage machines.
- Materials Discovery Joint R&D Joint R&D and consulting applying quantum annealing and black-box optimization to compound search and composition optimization in materials science; verified to deliver 17.2x efficiency improvement over conventional methods.
Quantifiable outcome
- Material development efficiency improved by 17.2x compared to conventional methods
- +2 more outcomes
Companies that use Sigma-i
Customer profileNamed customers11 records
Segments6 records
Ideal customer profiles6 records
Sigma-i technology and API
TechnologyTechnology focussed Yes
API detail
- Has API
- No
- API docs
- API detail
Core technology
AI maturity
App detail
AI capability5 records
Feature6 records
Sigma-i partnerships and signals
Strategic signalPartnerships
Eight partnerships are on record, tiered core, major and minor.
- 東北大学量子アニーリング研究開発センター (T-QARD)coreCore research partnership with Tohoku University's Quantum Annealing R&D Center. Company originated from T-QARD activities. Continuous joint research on Fokker-Planck dynamics and other quantum computing applications.
- 東京科学大学 (Tokyo Science University)coreAcademic partnership with Tokyo Science University. CEO Ohzeki holds professorship. Joint research on gauge fields in Fokker-Planck dynamics with Institute of Science Tokyo.
- 株式会社高速 (Kohsoku)majorJoint demonstration experiment for logistics warehouse operations optimization. Focus on optimal product placement for efficient inbound, picking, and outbound operations using quantum annealing optimization technology.
- 株式会社市川環境ホールディングス (Ichikawa Environmental Holdings)minorThree-way collaboration with TOPPAN Printing on quantum annealing for plastic resource circulation. Focus on waste and recycled resource collection and delivery planning optimization.
- 三井化学 (Mitsui Chemicals)majorJoint research on applying quantum annealing for material exploration acceleration. Focus on compound search and composition optimization using black-box optimization technology. Ongoing verification with published research results.
- 凸版印刷 (TOPPAN Printing)majorJoint demonstration experiment applying quantum annealing to logistics operations efficiency. Integration with TOPPAN's MITATE logistics visualization system for delivery planning optimization. Also collaborated on plastic resource circulation optimization with Ichikawa Environmental Holdings.
- Sony (索尼)majorJoint research on quantum annealing application in communication technology. Research成果 'Maximum Likelihood Channel Decoding with Quantum Annealing Machine' was accepted at international conference ISITA2020.
- D-Wave SystemscoreStrategic partnership for quantum annealing machine access. Sigma-i established Japan's first large-scale utilization contract with D-Wave Systems in July 2019, providing access to D-Wave Advantage quantum annealing machines for customer solutions and research.
Scale indicators6 records
Recent moves7 records
Expansion highlights6 records
Sigma-i competitors and assessment
Company assessmentDirect peers
- Jij Inc. (Jij): Jij is a Tokyo-based quantum annealing software startup offering Ising-based optimization SDKs and consulting services; it competes head-to-head with Sigma-i in the Japanese enterprise quantum optimization market and even appears among Sigma-i's listed customer logos.
- Fixstars Amplify: Fixstars Amplify is a Japanese quantum annealing cloud platform and consulting service, providing Annealing Cloud Web and SDK tooling for enterprise combinatorial optimization—a direct competitor to Sigma-i's consulting + D-Wave access offerings.
- 1QBit: 1QBit is a quantum software company that builds enterprise optimization and machine learning applications using quantum and quantum-inspired approaches, overlapping with Sigma-i's joint R&D and consulting model in materials, logistics, and finance.
- Multiverse Computing: Multiverse Computing applies quantum and quantum-inspired algorithms to enterprise finance, manufacturing, and logistics optimization; its software-only stack and European base provide a comparable peer to Sigma-i's optimization consulting model.
- Zapata AI: Zapata AI builds enterprise generative AI and optimization software leveraging quantum-inspired methods, addressing combinatorial and industrial optimization problems similar to Sigma-i's Opt-Operation and CirqLog product lines.
- QC Ware: QC Ware provides quantum and quantum-inspired software as a service for enterprise optimization in finance, aerospace, and manufacturing, competing with Sigma-i for enterprise combinatorial optimization engagements and joint R&D contracts.
Broad incumbents
- D-Wave Systems: D-Wave is the manufacturer of quantum annealing hardware and Sigma-i's core technology partner; while not a direct competitor for application-layer consulting, D-Wave's expanding Leap cloud offering overlaps with Sigma-i's access-based and solution-delivery business.
- Fujitsu (Digital Annealer): Fujitsu's Digital Annealer is a quantum-inspired optimization platform sold to Japanese enterprises for combinatorial problems in logistics, manufacturing, and finance, directly overlapping Sigma-i's core use cases while leveraging Fujitsu's enterprise sales scale.
- Hitachi (CMOS Annealing): Hitachi offers a CMOS annealing machine and optimization services for combinatorial problems in finance, mobility, and manufacturing, making it a broad incumbent peer targeting the same Japanese enterprise customers as Sigma-i.
- Toshiba (Simulated Bifurcation Machine): Toshiba's Simulated Bifurcation Machine is a quantum-inspired optimization technology commercialized for logistics, finance, and manufacturing use cases, competing with Sigma-i's quantum annealing approach in the Japanese enterprise market.
Market position
Strengths5 records
Weaknesses5 records
Competitive moat5 records
Key risks7 records
Key highlights7 records
Customer concentration
Sigma-i social profiles
Digital presenceSigma-i financial estimates
Financial estimateRevenue estimate
Valuation estimate
Sigma-i leadership team
Management profileNumber of profiles
Profiles4 records
Sigma-i funding detail
Funding detailFunding overview
Funding rounds3 records
Investors2 records
Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Sigma-i 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 Sigma-i
What does Sigma-i do?
Sigma-i provides consulting, joint R&D, and SaaS products that apply quantum annealing and proprietary combinatorial optimization technology to solve complex business problems for enterprises. The company offers end-to-end engagements — from upstream problem identification and hypothesis validation through PoC, demonstration, and custom solution delivery — alongside ready-to-use SaaS products for logistics, manufacturing, HR scheduling, call center support, and wildlife management.
Is Sigma-i a public or private company?
Sigma-i is a private company. It is classified as venture growth investor backed and is currently operating.
When was Sigma-i founded?
Sigma-i was founded in 2019. It employs 1 to 10 people.
Where is Sigma-i based?
Sigma-i is headquartered in Tokyo, Japan, in the Asia region.
How does Sigma-i make money?
Four revenue lines are on record. Quantum Computing Consulting is the primary driver. The others are D-Wave Machine Time Provision, product Licensing/SaaS and joint R&D/Development.
Who are Sigma-i's main competitors?
Direct peers on record are Jij Inc. (Jij), Fixstars Amplify, 1QBit, Multiverse Computing, Zapata AI and QC Ware. Broad incumbents are D-Wave Systems, Fujitsu (Digital Annealer), Hitachi (CMOS Annealing) and Toshiba (Simulated Bifurcation Machine).
Does Sigma-i have an API?
No public API is recorded for Sigma-i.
What industry is Sigma-i in?
Sigma-i's product category is Quantum Computing Optimization Software. Its primary akta.pro industry code is HDAEANAA, End-to-End Enterprise AI Platforms (MLOps & Model Lifecycle Management), with a secondary code of BPAHAHAC, Manufacturing & Operations Excellence (Lean/Six Sigma). Its NAICS code is 54161 and its SIC code is 8742.