OQTA

What OQTA does

OQTA (currently operated by inoree LLC / 合同会社inoree in Kyoto, Japan, since an April 2024 service transfer from the original OQTA Corporation) designs and sells the OQTA HATO, an IoT-connected bellows-type cuckoo clock that delivers non-verbal emotional notifications. The hardware uses a domestically unique bellows mechanism manufactured exclusively by Rhythm Clock Industrial, producing a warm analog pigeon sound distinct from electronic tones. The system connects via Bluetooth LE for setup and Wi-Fi for long-range signaling, supporting up to 8 anonymous members per device; a companion iOS app, Android APK, and browser-based web app at push.oqta.com let senders trigger the clock remotely, while a web "prayer map" (inoree.world) visualizes the transmission in real time. The company holds Japanese Patent No. 6484831 covering the device and non-verbal notification mechanism.

The business model is direct-to-consumer and product-led. Revenue derives from three streams: (1) hardware sales of the Wi-Fi HATO model, sold via direct email inquiry and a formal waiting list rather than public retail, after the December 2023 end of MoMA Design Store distribution; (2) a ¥300/month (tax-excluded) premium app subscription that unlocks indefinite history storage of button-press timestamps; and (3) Amazon affiliate commissions referred to as "otosaisen" (offerings), which the company uses to offset server infrastructure costs. Customer segments are families and individuals seeking ambient, pressure-free connection with elderly parents or distant loved ones, plus design-conscious and well-being-oriented consumers. Marketing relies on earned Japanese national media (Nikkei, Yomiuri Shimbun, ASCII, Lifehacker Japan), note.com content, a ZINE publication, and event-driven demand generation at SXSW 2026, SIGGRAPH Asia 2025, Inter BEE 2025, and WELL-BEING TECHNOLOGY 2026.

The company is privately held, bootstrapped (a 2017 Makuake crowdfunding round of approximately $55,821 is the only disclosed capital event), headquartered in Kyoto, and operates with 1–10 employees. Co-founder and representative Kiyohisa Takahashi leads a small executive team including CTO Makoto Kawakami and CXO Motoe Haller. Since the 2024 restart the company has accumulated 1.8M+ notifications, secured multiple Japanese innovation awards, and begun international expansion under the rebranded product name "INORI Clock."

Name

OQTA

Legal name

合同会社inoree

Website

https://oqta.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

2018

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1–10 employees

Short description

OQTA (inoree LLC) sells an IoT cuckoo clock and companion app that let registered users send anonymous, non-verbal emotional notifications to recipients via a warm bellows sound, serving Japanese families and long-distance relationships seeking pressure-free connection.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

SIC

Watches, Clocks, Clockwork Operated Devices/Parts (3873), Services-Prepackaged Software (7372)

akta.pro primary industry

Clocks & Desk/Travel Timepieces (CRAKADAI)

akta.pro secondary industry

Elder Care, Wellness & Home Health IoT (Fall Detection, Medical Alerts, Sleep/Wellness Sensors) (HSAPAQAJ)

Keywords

• IoT cuckoo clock
• Connected consumer devices
• Emotional communication technology
• Non-verbal messaging devices
• Wellness IoT products

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

Revenue model

1. OQTA HATO Hardware Sales: OQTA sells its physical IoT clock device (OQTA HATO), available in a Wi-Fi model. Hardware is sold individually on a waiting-list basis through email inquiry. The initial product concept involved gifting the device to a recipient, who places it in their home. Hardware sales represent the primary revenue stream from the physical product side.
2. OQTA App Premium Subscription: The OQTA smartphone app offers a premium membership tier (月額300円 税抜) that enables unlimited historical storage of button-press timestamps. Without premium, historical calendar data progressively disappears. This subscription provides recurring revenue from active users of the app.
3. Amazon Affiliate / 'Otosaisen' (Offerings) Revenue: OQTA operates an affiliate program where users contribute purchases through Amazon referral links, which the company describes as 'otosaisen' (offerings). These affiliate commissions are used to cover server infrastructure costs, allowing the service to continue without direct charges to users. This is a non-intrusive monetization approach.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion3 records

Distribution channels5 records

Marketing channels6 records

Core offering

OQTA designs, manufactures and sells an IoT-connected cuckoo clock (OQTA HATO / Heart Poppo / INORI Clock) paired with smartphone and browser apps that allow users to send non-verbal emotional notifications to loved ones across distance. When a sender taps the app, the recipient's clock chimes a warm bellows-based dove sound — a 'feeling before words' — and a web-based prayer map visualizes the transmission in real time. Revenue is generated from hardware unit sales (Wi-Fi model), an optional monthly premium app subscription for full history storage, and Amazon affiliate commissions used to cover server infrastructure.

Product overview

OQTA offers a unified IoT cuckoo clock product ecosystem centered on the OQTA HATO (also known as Heart Poppo or INORI Clock internationally). The product consists of a physical IoT clock device paired with smartphone applications (iOS, Android, and browser-based web version) that enable users to send emotional notifications via sound. When a user taps the app, the remote HATO clock emits a gentle dove sound, symbolizing 'feelings before words'. The companion inoree.world visualization tool displays the journey of these emotional messages on a global map.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Quantifiable outcome

• 77.8% of users reported feeling happy knowing someone had pressed the button for them (based on 118-user survey)
• +3 more outcomes

Named customers1 record

Segments3 records

Ideal customer profiles2 records

Technology focussed Yes

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature4 records

Partnerships

One partnership is on record.

• Rhythm Clock Industrial (リズム時計工業)coreTechnology or Integration · 26 June 2018Rhythm Clock Industrial is described as the only manufacturer in Japan producing the bellows mechanism used in the OQTA HATO clock. This is a critical manufacturing partnership for the physical product, as the bellows mechanism is what produces the distinctive warm, analog pigeon sound that differentiates OQTA from electronic alternatives. The relationship is characterized by exclusive manufacturing capability rather than a formal co-development partnership.

Scale indicators3 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Direct peers

• Rhythm Watch (リズム時計工業): The exclusive manufacturing partner for OQTA's bellows mechanism and Japan's leading clock maker. Most directly comparable as both companies produce IoT and traditional cuckoo/wall clocks for the Japanese consumer market, sharing manufacturing infrastructure for timepiece mechanisms.

Broad incumbents

• Seiko Group: One of Japan's most established clock and watch manufacturers with a broad portfolio spanning traditional timepieces, premium consumer clocks, and connected timekeeping products. Comparable as a heritage Japanese timepiece brand but at vastly larger scale and broader consumer reach than OQTA's niche.
• Citizen Watch: Major Japanese clock and watch manufacturer with global distribution and a heritage of integrating technology into timekeeping products. Comparable as a Japanese timepiece incumbent with stronger commercial scale but less focus on emotional/ambient consumer IoT use cases.
• Casio: Global Japanese electronics and watch company with deep expertise in mass-market consumer timepieces including connected watches (Pro Trek, G-Shock Connected). Comparable as a Japanese mass-market timepiece/consumer electronics brand but with broader portfolio and far greater scale.

Emerging players

• Withings: French consumer health and wellness IoT company producing connected scales, watches, and sleep/activity monitors. Comparable as a design-forward connected health device maker serving wellness-focused consumers, though focused on health metrics rather than emotional communication.
• Oura: Premium consumer wellness wearable (smart ring) combining hardware with subscription services for health insights. Comparable as a high-design consumer wellness IoT company with a hybrid hardware + subscription model targeting design-conscious health consumers.
• Whoop: Subscription-based wearable wellness company focused on recovery, sleep, and strain tracking for health-conscious consumers. Comparable in combining premium connected hardware with a recurring revenue model and a strong consumer wellness brand identity.

Others

• Big Health: Digital therapeutics company addressing sleep and mental health concerns via software (Sleepio, Daylight). Comparable as a technology company targeting consumer well-being and mental health outcomes, though delivered through software rather than physical devices.
• Calm: Consumer mental wellness app with subscription model offering meditation, sleep stories, and mindfulness content. Comparable in its positioning around emotional well-being and ambient mental health support, though purely digital where OQTA combines hardware.

Regional players

• Penguin Innovation (formerly Plusheart / Hacoa): Japanese maker of wood-encased smart speakers and connected home devices with a focus on natural materials and craft design. Comparable as a Japanese design-forward consumer IoT brand combining artisanal materials with connected technology, though focused on audio rather than emotional notification.

Market position

Strengths4 records

Weaknesses4 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• YouTubeyoutube.com/watch?v=G4ej1hsMbkM
• Xx.com/oqta_0801
• Facebookfacebook.com/oqta8

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Funding overview

Funding rounds1 record

Investors1 record

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 OQTA