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FOOLS Inc. (株式会社FOOLS) is a Tokyo-based private footwear company founded in March 2019 that designs, develops, manufactures, imports, exports, and markets footwear under its consumer brand "grounds." The company is led by Representative Director Takuya Kanamaru (CEO) and Director Mikio Sakabe, and is headquartered in Shibuya, Tokyo, with a headcount of 11–50 employees. Its core portfolio consists of four named product lines — JEWELRY (transparent jewel-sphere clear soles), INTERSTELLAR (streamlined curved outsole embodying the LEAP GRAVITY concept), VORTEX / Cut the Moon (crescent-shaped sole minimizing ground contact), and MOOPIE (gel-like fluid outsole with refined upper) — each built around sculptural, gravity-defying outsole architectures that the company describes as novel method and design IP rather than conventional athletic or fashion footwear.

The business operates a direct-to-consumer model via its owned e-commerce platform (grounds-fw.com) and organic social channels on Instagram and Facebook, targeting fashion-forward consumers who prioritize distinctive, design-led footwear. Pricing is not publicly disclosed. Revenue is generated through one-time footwear sales rather than subscriptions or licensing. As of 2026, the company is executing its first international expansion into China through a hybrid distribution model: physical retail is managed via a partnership with Itochu Corporation, while online sales are operated independently by wholly-owned subsidiary FOOLS HK LIMITED through a Tmall Global storefront, supported by a POP-UP at Mixc World in Shenzhen from July 5 to August 31, 2026. The company has disclosed approximately $820K in cumulative external funding across two rounds (2019 and 2020), no public revenue figures, no AI/ML capabilities, and no patents or certifications.

Name

Fools

Legal name

株式会社FOOLS

Website

https://fools-inc.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

2019

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

FOOLS Inc. is a Tokyo-based private footwear company operating the "grounds" consumer brand, selling four lines of sculptural, gravity-defying footwear via direct-to-consumer channels and, as of July 2026, expanding into China through an Itochu Corporation retail partnership and a Tmall Global storefront.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Headquarters

HQ city

Tokyo

HQ country

Japan

HQ region

Asia

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Hardware or Manufacturing

Cost components

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

Revenue model

1. Footwear Sales: Revenue from design, manufacture, and sale of proprietary footwear products under the grounds brand, including direct-to-consumer sales through the company's online store and physical retail channels. Also covers import/export of footwear products.

Go-to-market motion2 records

Distribution channels4 records

Marketing channels4 records

Core offering

FOOLS Inc. (株式会社FOOLS) is a Tokyo-based footwear company that designs, develops, manufactures, imports, exports, and markets designer sneakers under its "grounds" brand. The company sells four distinct proprietary product lines — JEWELRY, INTERSTELLAR, VORTEX, and MOOPIE — each defined by a sculptural, gravity-defying outsole concept tied to the LEAP GRAVITY design philosophy, and distributes them via its own online store, brand social channels, and physical retail partnerships.

Product overview

Fools Inc. operates the grounds footwear brand, offering a portfolio of four distinct product lines—JEWELRY, INTERSTELLAR, VORTEX, and MOOPIE—each distinguished by innovative sole technologies and unique design philosophies. The company employs a Direct-to-Consumer business model, selling through its proprietary online store (grounds-fw.com) and physical retail partnerships, with recent expansion into the Chinese market via Tmall Global.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• JEWELRY Sneaker line built around a thick transparent clear sole made of jewel-like transparent spheres. Each sphere is designed to move softly with foot movement, producing a floating walking sensation; aimed at fashion-forward consumers seeking statement footwear.
• INTERSTELLAR Sneaker model that embodies the LEAP GRAVITY brand concept, featuring a streamlined outsole with an extreme curve from heel toward the toe designed as the contact point between gravity and Earth, naturally pushing the wearer forward.
• VORTEX Sneaker line marketed under the sub-name CUT THE MOON, characterized by a rounded semi-circular sole resembling a halved moon. The sole minimizes ground contact points and uses an extremely soft material, creating a visually floating appearance and tactile floating experience.
• MOOPIE Sneaker designed to look like stepping on a giant gel substance. The fluid, soft-looking outsole is paired with rubber accent parts on the outside and a deliberately delicate upper with a sharp shape and arch indentation, producing a slender, refined sneaker silhouette that contrasts with the voluminous sole.

Segments1 record

Ideal customer profiles1 record

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature4 records

Partnerships

Three partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• Itochu CorporationcoreChannel Partner/ Reseller/ Distributor · 22 June 2026Itochu Corporation serves as the physical retail partner for grounds brand in China. Itochu manages the physical store operations as part of the hybrid market entry model combining physical retail and online sales for the Chinese market.
• FOOLS HK LIMITEDcoreOthers · 22 June 2026FOOLS HK LIMITED is a wholly-owned subsidiary of FOOLS Inc. that independently operates the Tmall Global online store for grounds brand in China, handling online sales operations as part of the hybrid China market entry strategy.
• Mixc World (Shenzhen)minorOthersMixc World in Shenzhen serves as the venue for the grounds brand POP-UP event launching the Chinese market entry from July 5 to August 31, 2026. It is a retail/shopping venue rather than a strategic business partner.

Scale indicators2 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights4 records

Broad incumbents

• ASICS: Japan-headquartered global footwear giant with both performance and lifestyle (ASICS SportStyle) lines. Comparable as a Japanese-origin footwear company with growing lifestyle / fashion crossover, but at vastly larger scale and broader distribution.
• Crocs: Global footwear brand built around a proprietary, immediately recognizable molded sole / clog silhouette. Comparable to grounds in using a distinctive, conversation-starting sole design as the central brand asset, though operating at mass-market scale.
• Reebok: Global athletic and lifestyle footwear brand with significant collaborations in fashion / avant-garde design (e.g., Maison Margiela partnership). Comparable to grounds as a footwear brand operating in the same fashion-sneaker conversation, though at very different scale.
• Maison Margiela: Avant-garde fashion house known for deconstructed, sculptural footwear (e.g., Tabi, Replica sneaker). Comparable to grounds in pushing unconventional, sculptural footwear aesthetics into the mainstream fashion conversation, though as a luxury fashion house rather than a footwear-native brand.
• Birkenstock: German footwear brand whose entire identity is built on a proprietary contoured footbed / sole design. Comparable to grounds in the sense that its distinctive sole architecture is the core brand asset and primary point of differentiation, though at vastly larger scale.
• Camper: Spanish family-owned footwear brand with an emphasis on playful, design-forward product and own-store D2C retail. Comparable to grounds as a design-led footwear brand operating own-retail and pursuing international distribution, though at larger scale.
• Onitsuka Tiger: Heritage Japanese footwear brand (ASICS subsidiary) with strong global retail and a fashion-led lifestyle positioning. Comparable as a Japanese footwear brand with international distribution, though operating at much larger scale and broader mainstream appeal.

Direct peers

• Hender Scheme: Japanese avant-garde leather footwear and accessories label known for sculptural, design-forward product and a D2C-led retail model. Closely comparable to grounds as a similarly positioned Japanese niche footwear brand built on distinctive design language.
• Suicoke: Japanese contemporary footwear brand built around proprietary sole designs (e.g., Vibram-based sandals) and a fashion-forward aesthetic. Directly comparable to grounds on the basis of a Japanese origin, sole-led design differentiation, and D2C / boutique distribution.
• Melissa: Brazilian footwear brand built around distinctive proprietary plastic / jelly shoe construction with fashion-forward designer collaborations. Comparable to grounds in using a distinctive material / sole aesthetic as a brand signature and pursuing global fashion retail distribution.

Market position

Strengths4 records

Weaknesses4 records

Competitive moat2 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights5 records

Customer concentration

• Facebookfacebook.com/fools.fashion
• Instagraminstagram.com/grounds.official

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles2 records

Subsidiaries1 record

Funding overview

Funding rounds2 records

Investors3 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 →

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