i-plug
i-plug operates OfferBox, a Japanese two-sided recruitment platform where companies send direct offers to registered university students, inverting traditional application-based job-hunting. Listed on TSE Growth (4177), serving enterprises and students across Japan.
- Company typePublic
- Founded2012
- HeadquartersOsaka, Japan
- Headcount251–500
- GTM typeB2B
- OfferingSoftware
What i-plug does
i-plug (株式会社i-plug, TSE Growth: 4177) operates OfferBox, a Japan-focused recruitment platform that inverts the traditional job-hunting model: instead of students applying to companies, employers send direct offers to students whose profiles match their hiring criteria. The platform serves two primary sides — enterprise customers (large corporates, mid-market, SMBs, and startups across all industries) seeking new-graduate talent, and university students and recent graduates seeking employment. Founded in 2012 in Osaka and IPO'd on TSE Mothers (now Growth) in 2021, the company reported FY2026 consolidated revenue of ¥5,756M at a 23.8% CAGR from FY2020, with 324 employees as of March 2026 and 22,000+ registered companies and 239,000+ registered 2026-graduate students on the platform.
The core technology is a web and mobile (iOS/Android) two-sided matching platform that combines company-offer and student-profile data with the proprietary eF-1G aptitude assessment (via subsidiary E-Falcon). The group operates multiple product lines: OfferBox (core offer-based recruiting), OfferBoxPLUS (new-graduate referral), OfferBox LIVE (online events), OfferBox VVV Station (physical member lounges near universities), OfferBox mirai (June 2026 launch targeting freshmen/sophomores), and Tsunagaru就活 (food-industry specialized events via subsidiary Maximize). The company applies generative AI for student profile drafting and conversational AI for OJT communication support, and earned ISO/IEC 27001:2022 certification in 2025.
Revenue is generated primarily through subscription (early fixed-type fees, ~70% of consolidated revenue) plus per-hire success fees on OfferBox, with OfferBox-related services accounting for ~90% of group revenue. Distribution combines direct enterprise field sales, the self-serve offerbox.jp platform, mobile apps, university partnerships, and physical lounge spaces across Kansai, Kanto, and Chubu regions. The customer base is broad-based across industries with no significant concentration.
i-plug firmographics
Firmographics- Name
- i-plug
- Legal name
- 株式会社i-plug
- Website
- https://i-plug.co.jp
- Company type
- Public
- Founded year
- 2012
- Operating status
- Operating
- Headcount range
- 251–500 employees
- Short description
- i-plug operates OfferBox, a Japanese two-sided recruitment platform where companies send direct offers to registered university students, inverting traditional application-based job-hunting. Listed on TSE Growth (4177), serving enterprises and students across Japan.
- Ownership category
- akta.pro rank
i-plug industry classification
Industry- Product category
- Online Recruitment / HR Technology
- NAICS
- Educational Support Services (61171), Professional and Management Development Training (611430), Computer Systems Design and Related Services (54151)
- SIC
- Services-Prepackaged Software (7372), Services-Computer Programming, Data Processing, Etc. (7370)
- akta.pro primary industry
- Training Delivery Providers (In-Person, Virtual, Train-the-Trainer) (BPACANAM)
Keywords
Where i-plug is headquartered
LocationHeadquarters
- HQ city
- Osaka
- HQ country
- Japan
- HQ region
- Asia
Offices3 records
Markets served
i-plug business model
Business model- GTM type
- B2B
- Offering type
- Software
- Cost components
- Personnel, Technology or R&D, Marketing or Sales, Operations, Infrastructure
Revenue model
- OfferBox Early Fixed-Type Subscription: Subscription-based pricing model where companies pay a fixed fee for access to the OfferBox platform and recruiting services. This constitutes approximately 70% of consolidated revenue.
- OfferBox Success Fee (Transaction-based): Success-based fees charged when a hiring is completed through the platform. Combined with early fixed-type subscription, OfferBox-related services account for approximately 90% of group revenue.
- OfferBoxPLUS: New graduate offer-based placement service launched in November 2022, contributing to diversified revenue streams beyond core OfferBox.
Pricing tiers
| Model | Billing | Price |
|---|---|---|
| Subscription | Annual | Enterprise recruitment subscription with early fixed-type fees |
Go-to-market motion2 records
Distribution channels5 records
Marketing channels9 records
i-plug product offering
Product offeringCore offering
i-plug operates OfferBox, a reverse job-hunting platform where companies proactively send direct offers to registered university students rather than students applying to companies. Companies pay subscription fees plus success fees per hire, and the platform is supported by the eF-1G aptitude assessment, OfferBoxPLUS referrals, OfferBox LIVE online events, OfferBox mirai early-career self-exploration, OfferBox VVV Station physical lounges, and Tsunagaru就活 industry-focused events.
Differentiator
Problem solved
Functional benefit
Brands
- OfferBox: 新股オファー型就活サービス - 企业が采用したい学生に直接アプローチできる新股ダイレクトリクルーティングサービス
- OfferBoxPLUS
- OfferBox VVV Station
- eF-1G（适性検査）
- Tsunagaru就活
Products and services
- OfferBox OfferBox is i-plug's flagship reverse job-hunting platform that enables companies to send targeted offers directly to registered university students. Companies pay annual subscription fees plus success fees upon hire. Core platform with 2.2万 registered companies and 23.9万 registered students as of March 2026; accounts for ~90% of group revenue.
- OfferBoxPLUS OfferBoxPLUS is a new-graduate offer-based referral service that lets companies send offers to students matching their criteria through a referral layer on top of OfferBox.
- OfferBox LIVE OfferBox LIVE is an online event platform within the OfferBox suite that hosts live sessions connecting students with companies through webinars and virtual events.
- OfferBox VVV Station OfferBox VVV Station is a network of member-only community spaces near major Japanese universities offering students a third-place environment for self-study, workshops, and career exploration events.
- OfferBox mirai OfferBox mirai is an early-career self-exploration platform targeting university freshmen and sophomores. Students explore experiential programs across themes such as local revitalization, globalization, and entrepreneurship, then reflect using the M-PDCA framework to build a career portfolio before formal job hunting begins.
- eF-1G Aptitude Assessment eF-1G is a personality and ability aptitude testing service operated by subsidiary E-Falcon and integrated into the OfferBox platform to support matching and employment decisions.
- Tsunagaru就活 Tsunagaru就活 is a food-industry specialized new graduate recruiting event service operated by subsidiary Maximize, connecting companies in the food industry with students interested in the supply chain and food sector.
Quantifiable outcome
- 20,000+ companies registered (as of January 2026)
- +3 more outcomes
Companies that use i-plug
Customer profileNamed customers7 records
Segments4 records
Ideal customer profiles3 records
i-plug technology and API
TechnologyTechnology focussed Yes
API detail
- Has API
- No
- API docs
- API detail
Core technology
AI maturity
App detail
AI capability3 records
Feature3 records
i-plug partnerships and signals
Strategic signalPartnerships
Six partnerships are on record, tiered minor and core.
- VISITS Technologies株式会社minorBusiness transfer acquired in December 2022, including membership lounge business (renamed from HELLO VISITS to plugin lab, later to OfferBox VVV Station) and career university business.
- 株式会社マキシマイズcoreEquity acquisition of Maximize (マキシマイズ) in November 2022. The company operates Tsunagaru就活 specialized job hunting event service for the food industry.
- 神戸ストークス (現：西宮ストークス)minorInvestment in Hyogo Prefecture professional basketball club (西宮ストークス, renamed to Kobe Storks) in 2021 as part of regional community engagement.
- 株式会社イー・ファルコンcoreEquity acquisition of E-Falcon (イー・ファルコン) in March 2018. The company provides eF-1G aptitude assessment service integrated with OfferBox.
- 株式会社イー・ファルコンcoreBusiness partnership established in February 2017 to integrate eF-1G aptitude assessment into OfferBox platform. Subsequently acquired as subsidiary in March 2018, achieving 100% ownership in 2020.
- 大学・教育機関corePartnerships with universities for OfferBox VVV Station lounge locations near campuses and student referrals to OfferBox mirai early career programs.
Scale indicators10 records
Recent moves6 records
Expansion highlights5 records
i-plug competitors and assessment
Company assessmentMarket position
Competitive moat5 records
Key highlights7 records
Customer concentration
i-plug social profiles
Digital presencei-plug financial estimates
Financial estimateRevenue estimate
Valuation estimate
i-plug leadership team
Management profileNumber of profiles
Profiles13 records
i-plug subsidiaries and ownership
Company hierarchySubsidiaries3 records
i-plug funding detail
Funding detailFunding overview
Funding rounds2 records
Investors5 records
Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
i-plug M&A and investment
M&A and investmentM&A
Investments1 record
M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Frequently asked questions about i-plug
What does i-plug do?
i-plug operates OfferBox, a reverse job-hunting platform where companies proactively send direct offers to registered university students rather than students applying to companies. Companies pay subscription fees plus success fees per hire, and the platform is supported by the eF-1G aptitude assessment, OfferBoxPLUS referrals, OfferBox LIVE online events, OfferBox mirai early-career self-exploration, OfferBox VVV Station physical lounges, and Tsunagaru就活 industry-focused events.
Is i-plug a public or private company?
i-plug is a public company. It is classified as public and is currently operating.
When was i-plug founded?
i-plug was founded in 2012. It employs 251 to 500 people.
Where is i-plug based?
i-plug is headquartered in Osaka, Japan, in the Asia region.
How does i-plug make money?
Three revenue lines are on record. OfferBox Early Fixed-Type Subscription is the primary driver. The others are offerBox Success Fee (Transaction-based) and offerBoxPLUS.
Does i-plug have an API?
No public API is recorded for i-plug.
What industry is i-plug in?
i-plug's product category is Online Recruitment / HR Technology. Its primary akta.pro industry code is BPACANAM, Training Delivery Providers (In-Person, Virtual, Train-the-Trainer). Its NAICS code is 61171 and its SIC code is 7372.