NeU

What NeU does

NeU is a privately held Japanese brain science company founded in August 2017 as a joint venture between Tohoku University (cognitive neuroscience research and IP) and Hitachi High-Tech Corporation (wearable NIRS hardware technology). The company applies functional Near-Infrared Spectroscopy (fNIRS) technology to three commercial business segments: (1) NIRS Hardware & Systems — portable brain activity measurement devices including the HOT-2000 (129g, 2-channel wireless), the XB-01 ultra-compact sensor (30g, 13mm thickness), and the NeU-VR 1.0 integrated VR eye-tracking and NIRS platform co-developed with FOVE; (2) Neuromarketing — biometric consumer response measurement services including eye tracking, brain activity analysis, and the NeuroDesign® AI-powered advertising evaluation service jointly offered with Toppan Printing; (3) Brain Fitness — the Active Brain CLUB neurofeedback training subscription, Stress Manager app, Thinkie children's brain training app, and a network of Brain Health Station kiosks in drugstores.

The company's revenue model is multi-stream: hardware sales and rental to research institutions and corporate clients; recurring subscription revenue from Active Brain CLUB, Stress Manager Enterprise Package (minimum 30-user B2B), and insurance white-label distribution to policyholders (Asahi Life, Fukoku Shinra Life, Mitsui Sumitomo Aioi Life); fee-for-service neuromarketing research contracts with consumer goods companies (Kirin, Lotte, Morinaga, Bandai, Yoshinoya); and licensing of NIRS technology and APIs to developers. Distribution combines direct enterprise sales, OEM/white-label partnerships with insurance and telecom companies (KDDI), agency partnerships (Toppan, Hakuhodo DY ONE), app store consumer channels, retail pharmacy placement, and regional distributors (imedtac for Taiwan).

NeU holds 18 patents (16 Japan, 2 overseas) and reports 6,500+ cumulative device shipments, 7 million+ brain training sessions, 100,000+ brain age checks, and 103 completed on-site research studies. The scientific backbone of the company is CTO Dr. Ryuta Kawashima, Director of Tohoku University's Institute of Development, Aging and Cancer, whose prior research underpins the Nintendo Brain Age franchise. Major shareholders include Tohoku University, Hitachi High-Tech, and Mitsui & Co., reflecting an academic-industry consortium ownership structure with no public listing.

Name

NeU

Legal name

株式会社NeU

Website

https://neu-brains.co.jp

Company type

Private

Founded year

2017

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

251–500 employees

Short description

NeU is a Japanese brain science company, founded as a joint venture between Tohoku University and Hitachi High-Tech, that develops wearable NIRS brain measurement devices, neuromarketing research services, and neurofeedback brain training subscriptions for insurers, consumer goods firms, and enterprise wellness buyers.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Brain Science Measurement Devices and Neuromarketing Services

NAICS

Computer and Peripheral Equipment Manufacturing (33411), Other Scientific and Technical Consulting Services (54169)

SIC

Electromedical & Electrotherapeutic Apparatus (3845), Services-Commercial Physical & Biological Research (8731)

akta.pro primary industry

Neurological Monitoring (EEG, Seizure/Sleep/Neuro Wearables) (HLAHACAE)

akta.pro secondary industries

Behavioral & Neuroscience Research (Biometrics, Eye-Tracking, Neuromarketing) (MPAAALAN), VR/XR Hardware & Accessories (Headsets, Controllers, Trackers, Haptics) (MPAFAGAG), Mental Wellness & Stress Management Devices (Biofeedback, Meditation/Neurostimulation Devices) (CRACAQAL)

Keywords

• Wearable brain sensors
• Neuromarketing services
• Cognitive training software
• NIRS brain imaging
• Stress management apps

Headquarters

HQ city

Tokyo

HQ country

Japan

HQ region

Asia

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

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

Revenue model

1. NIRS Hardware Sales and Rental: Sale and rental of portable brain activity measurement devices (HOT-2000 series, XB-01, WOT-HS, NeU-VR 1.0) to research institutions, universities, and corporate clients. Hardware is sold directly to enterprise buyers and through distribution partners.
2. Brain Fitness Software Subscriptions (Active Brain CLUB): Subscription-based cognitive training service providing monthly brain training content, brain age checks, and self-check tools via smartphone app. Offered to individual consumers and as enterprise/insurance policyholder benefit.
3. Neuro Marketing Research Services: Fee-for-service neuromarketing research including eye tracking, brain activity measurement, and consumer response analysis for advertising, packaging, and store layout evaluation. Provided directly to consumer goods companies and through agency partnerships.
4. Brain Science Advisory Services: Advisory and consulting services for research and marketing domains, including literature research, experimental design, statistical analysis, and neuroscience-based product development support for client companies.
5. Stress Manager Enterprise Package: Enterprise B2B package combining new brain sensor hardware rental, app licenses, and consulting for corporate health management programs. Minimum 30 users, minimum contract period applies.
6. Technology Licensing: Licensing of brain measurement technology, analysis software (tomato/HOT-ANALYSIS), and API access to research developers and integration partners for custom application development.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion3 records

Distribution channels7 records

Marketing channels6 records

Core offering

NeU is a brain science company that develops and sells wearable NIRS (functional Near-Infrared Spectroscopy) brain measurement hardware devices, neurofeedback brain training mobile applications, and neuromarketing research services. The company commercializes cognitive neuroscience research from Tohoku University by combining proprietary optical topography hardware (HOT-2000, XB-01, NeU-VR 1.0) with brain fitness software (Active Brain CLUB, Stress Manager, Thinkie) and consulting services that measure unconscious consumer responses, support corporate wellness, and provide dementia prevention tools to insurance and senior care clients.

Product overview

NeU is a neuroscience company offering a comprehensive portfolio of brain science industrial applications. The product portfolio consists of three main business segments: (1) NIRS Hardware & Systems including HOT-2000 portable brain activity measurement device, XB-01 ultra-compact brain sensor, NeU-VR1.0 combined VR/eye-tracking solution, and the tomato analysis application; (2) Neuro-marketing services including eye tracking, the NeuroDesign evaluation service with AI-powered advertising scoring, and participant recruitment; and (3) Brain Fitness solutions including Active Brain CLUB neurofeedback brain training, Stress Manager app, Thinkie brain training app, NeUup kiosk terminals, driving brain training/checker, brain health stations, empathy visualization, and corporate brain science solutions. The company integrates hardware devices (wearable brain sensors), proprietary software applications, and neuroscience consulting services into a unified ecosystem for cognitive health, marketing research, and enterprise wellness applications.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• Active Brain CLUB: Neurofeedback brain training service supervised by Dr. Ryuta Kawashima, enabling users to train cognitive function while visualizing real-time brain activity.
• NeUro+
• Thinkie
• NeuroDesign（ニューロデザイン）

Products and services

• HOT-2000 Portable Brain Activity Measurement Device Portable NIRS-based brain activity measurement device for research markets. Enables real-time wireless brain blood flow measurement using smartphone or tablet with 2-channel prefrontal cortex measurement and slide adjustment for positioning. Targets research institutions, universities, and corporate R&D labs.
• XB-01 Ultra-Compact Brain Activity Sensor Ultra-compact wearable brain activity sensor weighing 30g with 13mm thickness, classified as one of the world's smallest and lightest brain measurement sensors. Measures prefrontal cortex activity using near-infrared light. Used for consumer brain training apps (Stress Manager) and research applications.
• NeU-VR 1.0 Combined Brain Activity + Eye Tracking VR System Integrated VR research solution combining FOVE 0 eye-tracking VR headset (120fps, <1 degree accuracy) with NeU's customized HOT-2000 NIRS sensor. Enables simultaneous measurement of brain activity, heart rate, and eye tracking (gaze ratio, blinking, pupil diameter) during VR content viewing. Sold to research institutions globally.
• Active Brain CLUB Neurofeedback Brain Training Service Dr. Ryuta Kawashima-supervised neurofeedback brain training service. Real-time brain activity visualization while performing cognitive training exercises for cognitive function maintenance and improvement. Targets individual consumers and white-label distribution to insurance policyholders. Validated by randomized controlled trials published in Brain Sciences journal.
• Stress Manager Application Brain science-based stress management app using the XB-01 brain sensor. Monitors DMN activity during meditation and provides biofeedback training for stress reduction and resilience improvement. Includes enterprise package (minimum 30 users) with new 500Hz brain sensor for corporate health management.
• Thinkie Brain Training App

Quantifiable outcome

• 6,500+ wearable brain measurement devices shipped; 7 million+ brain training sessions completed; 100,000+ brain age checks performed; 103 total on-site studies; 2,701 total subjects measured
• +4 more outcomes

Named customers13 records

Segments7 records

Ideal customer profiles5 records

Technology focussed Yes

API detail

Has API

Yes

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Integration4 records

AI capability8 records

Feature10 records

Partnerships

16 partnerships are on record, tiered regional and core.

• LotteregionalStrategic or Co-development Partner · 23 April 2026NeU and Lotte conducted joint research confirming that chewing high-cooling gum suppresses drowsiness in simulated automated driving environments, using brain activity measurement to objectively assess the effect.
• Asahi Life InsurancecoreChannel Partner/ Reseller/ Distributor · 26 March 2026NeU participates in Asahi Life's 'Everyone's Peace of Mind 100-Year Project,' providing Dr. Kawashima-supervised 'Asahi Newspaper Brain Training' as part of a dementia prevention ecosystem addressing the estimated 9 trillion yen economic burden of dementia. NeU provides the Active Brain CLUB朝日生命版 service to policyholders.
• Hakuhodo DY ONEcoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 5 March 2026NeU and Hakuhodo DY ONE have started joint research on scientifically verifying video advertisement effectiveness using neuromarketing technology. The first phase focuses on demonstrating the effectiveness of Hakuhodo DY ONE's creative framework 'Attention to Action (ATA)' using biological indicators (brain waves, eye movements, heart rate, skin potential) to measure unconscious consumer reactions that traditional surveys cannot capture. Findings will be published at a seminar on March 25, 2026, with the goal of establishing methods for predicting and improving video advertisement effectiveness.
• KDDIregionalChannel Partner/ Reseller/ Distributor · 26 January 2026NeU provides Dr. Ryuta Kawashima-supervised brain training short videos and 'au Short Adult Brain Training' service through KDDI's au Short mobile platform, reaching KDDI's consumer subscriber base with brain fitness content.
• Morinaga ManufacturingregionalStrategic or Co-development Partner · 20 September 2024NeU conducted joint research with Morinaga Manufacturing evaluating chocolate product value through combined biometric (eye tracking, NIRS) and subjective survey methodology, assessing the complete eating experience from package opening to finish.
• imedtac Co. Ltd.regionalChannel Partner/ Reseller/ Distributor · 7 August 2024imedtac Co. Ltd., NeU's Taiwan business partner, received TOP 10 Smart Healthcare Solution recognition at the Taiwan International Senior Health Industry Expo for promoting NeU's brain fitness solutions, demonstrating successful regional partnership expansion.
• imedtac Co. Ltd.regionalChannel Partner/ Reseller/ Distributor · 12 May 2023NeU signed a memorandum of understanding with imedtac Co. Ltd. (Taipei, Taiwan) for distribution of NeU's latest neurofeedback brain training solutions in Taiwan. imedtac serves as the local partner, marketing solutions to elderly care facilities and active senior facilities, with localization of content for the Taiwanese market.
• Toppan PrintingcoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 11 November 2021NeU and Toppan Printing jointly developed and launched 'NeuroDesign®' evaluation service, applying cognitive neuroscience principles to optimize advertising and design. NeU provides brain activity and biological measurement technology plus consulting; Toppan handles creative analysis, production, and acts as the commercial business development partner. The service uses AI models trained on 6,000+ samples to score advertising creativity on metrics including interest, memory, attention, preference, and readability.
• Kirin Holdings (Kirin Central Research Institute)coreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 23 June 2021NeU collaborated with Kirin Holdings' Central Research Institute on clinical trials demonstrating that the dairy-derived ingredient β-lactolin improves cerebral blood flow in the prefrontal cortex. NeU's CTO Dr. Kawashima supervised the research, which was published in Aging and Journal of Clinical Medicine peer-reviewed journals. NeU's WOT-HS and HOT-2000 NIRS devices were used to measure brain blood flow changes during cognitive tasks.
• FOVEcoreTechnology or Integration · 25 May 2020NeU and FOVE co-developed the 'NeU-VR 1.0' product combining FOVE's gaze-tracking VR headset with NeU's customized HOT-2000 NIRS sensor for simultaneous brain activity and eye tracking during VR content viewing. The companies jointly hold patents on the integrated technology and sell the solution to research institutions globally.
• Toppan Printing (Consumer Behavior Research Laboratory)coreChannel Partner/ Reseller/ Distributor · 19 March 2020NeU provides its portable brain activity measurement solution (HOT-2000) to Toppan Printing's Consumer Behavior Research Laboratory, enabling consumer biometric response analysis for consumer goods manufacturers. This preceded the full NeuroDesign® co-development partnership.
• Toppan PrintingcoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 20 February 2020NeU and Toppan Printing began joint research applying cognitive neuroscience to design optimization in October 2020, which led to the November 2021 launch of the NeuroDesign® evaluation service. The partnership combines Toppan's creative production expertise with NeU's brain measurement and analysis capabilities.
• BandaicoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 22 August 2019NeU co-developed the 'Brain Science Melody' series for Bandai's BabyLabo® baby toy line, scientifically validating that specific melodies switch baby moods (cheerful G-melody or calm Y-melody) based on brain activity, heart rate, and facial expression measurements across 120 infants. The product received Hitachi's Brain Science Mark certification.
• University of Tokyo (Prof. Kai Hirata)coreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 27 May 2019NeU collaborated with Professor Kai Hirata at the University of Tokyo Graduate School of Arts and Sciences on a 'Cognitive Neuroscience-Based EdTech Demonstration Experiment.' NeU provided HOT-2000 hardware and system for simultaneous measurement of up to 40 students, with real-time brain activity visualization and feedback to teachers. This world-first large-scale classroom brain measurement initiative was part of SIP Phase 2 'Cyberspace Infrastructure Technology.'
• Tohoku UniversitycoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 August 2017NeU was established as a joint venture between Tohoku University and Hitachi High-Tech Corporation in August 2017. Tohoku University contributes cognitive neuroscience research expertise and intellectual property, while NeU commercializes discoveries through its corporate structure. Dr. Ryuta Kawashima serves as both NeU's CTO and Director of Tohoku University's Institute of Development, Aging and Cancer.
• Hitachi High-Tech CorporationStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 August 2017Hitachi High-Tech is NeU's founding joint venture partner, contributing proprietary wearable NIRS optical topography technology and manufacturing capabilities. NeU succeeded Hitachi Group's wearable optical topography business, inheriting the WOT-HS and HOT-series product lines and associated patent portfolio.

Scale indicators8 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Direct peers

• Interaxon (Muse): Consumer EEG headband for meditation, sleep, and focus; competes directly with NeU's Active Brain CLUB and Stress Manager in the consumer brain-fitness segment. Both target non-clinical brain training and wellness, though Muse uses EEG while NeU uses NIRS.
• Emotiv: Manufacturer of research-grade and consumer EEG headsets (EPOC, Insight) used for neuromarketing, brain-computer interfaces, and cognitive research. Overlaps with NeU's NIRS-based research hardware and NeUro+ neuromarketing services.
• NeuroSky: Provider of low-cost consumer EEG biosensors and chipsets integrated into wellness, education, and gaming products. Comparable to NeU's brain fitness line and embedded OEM strategy targeting consumer applications.

Emerging players

• BrainCo: Developer of EEG-based wearables for education (Focus) and prosthetics. Adjacent competitor in the brain-fitness and education markets, where NeU has enterprise and EdTech traction with multi-person classroom measurement.
• Neurable: BCI startup producing EEG-based neurotechnology for productivity and consumer applications. Emerging competitor pursuing everyday brain measurement and focus monitoring, intersecting with NeU's stress and cognitive-performance use cases.

Broad incumbents

• Kernel: Neurotechnology company developing non-invasive brain measurement (Kernel Flow, Kernel Cloud) targeting cognitive performance and clinical research. Comparable at the broader non-invasive brain-measurement category, with deeper capital but later-stage commercialization than NeU.
• Shimadzu Corporation: Major Japanese scientific instrument manufacturer with optical/analytical equipment used in neuroscience and life-science research. Regional incumbent providing comparable measurement instruments, though not specialized in consumer brain wearables.
• Magstim: Manufacturer of transcranial magnetic stimulation and neurodiagnostic equipment used in clinical and research settings. Comparable within the neurological monitoring and neurotechnology equipment space, with deeper clinical footprint but no consumer channel.

Others

• TOPPAN Holdings: Strategic partner of NeU in developing NeuroDesign® neuromarketing service; provides creative production and consumer research distribution. Strong ecosystem overlap rather than direct product competition, with co-branded offerings.

Regional players

• Yokogawa Electric: Japanese industrial measurement and control systems manufacturer with adjacent optical/sensor technology. Comparable as a Japan-based measurement-instrument incumbent with potential overlap in optical sensing applications for life sciences.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses1 record

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• YouTubeyoutube.com/channel/UC1yTTr2VatsWB7Rlmkf3UpA
• Facebookfacebook.com/NeUCorporation

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles4 records

Subsidiaries1 record

Funding overview

Funding rounds1 record

Investors4 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 NeU