KEY STATION
- Company typePrivate
- Founded2015
- HeadquartersTokyo, Japan
- Headcount11–50
- GTM typeB2B and B2C
- OfferingSoftware
What KEY STATION does
KEY STATION is a Japan-based key management and handover platform operated by Keeyls Inc. (キールズ株式会社), headquartered in Minato-ku, Tokyo. The company combines a distributed network of physical key station units installed at high-foot-traffic locations — train stations, commercial facilities, laundromats, and residential buildings — with a cloud-connected management system accessible via LINE and web. Users register through LINE, locate nearby stations, store physical keys in secured boxes, and generate one-time or master passwords to share with third parties (e.g., cleaning staff, family members, delivery personnel, guests) for unmanned key retrieval. The system maintains a real-time digital audit trail logging who retrieved which key and when, with zero theft or loss incidents claimed across over 1 million cumulative uses. Dedicated box deployments are available for enterprise customers requiring custom hardware installations at their premises.
The company monetizes through tiered pricing: a 48-hour pay-per-use plan at 500 JPY per session (auto-renewing at 500 JPY per additional 24 hours), a slot-type unlimited subscription at 3,000 JPY/month, and a box-type unlimited subscription at 5,000 JPY/month. Enterprise customers (hotels, property managers, car sharing operators, municipal governments, driving schools) receive dedicated hardware installations with custom pricing. Distribution occurs through a hybrid model — self-serve via the LINE app for individuals and SMBs, and inquiry-based direct sales for enterprise deployments. The physical distribution relies on partnerships with location hosts such as train stations and commercial facilities. The company serves a diversified customer base including home cleaning services (Bears), mobility operators (Toyota Mobility Service), hospitality operators (Minamoto Hotel Kamakura, OH), property managers (Anabuki Spaceshare), and municipal institutions (Naha City Hall).
The firm was founded in 2015, employs 11-50 people, and has raised approximately $439,477 in disclosed funding (2017-2019) from investors including bamboo-field, AirTrip, and Xymax. Operations remain Japan-domestic with primary concentration in the Tokyo metropolitan area and expanding footprints in Kamakura and Okinawa.
KEY STATION firmographics
Firmographics- Name
- KEY STATION
- Legal name
- Keeyls 株式会社（キールズ カブシキガイシャ）
- Website
- https://key-stations.com
- Company type
- Private
- Founded year
- 2015
- Operating status
- Operating
- Headcount range
- 11–50 employees
- Ownership category
- akta.pro rank
KEY STATION industry classification
Industry- Product category
- Key Management Platform
- NAICS
- Security Systems Services (except Locksmiths) (561621)
- akta.pro primary industry
- Remote Access, Guest & Temporary Credential Management (Airbnb/Short-Term Rental) (HSAHAEAF)
- akta.pro secondary industries
- Smart Lock Software Platforms & Mobile Apps (Access Control SaaS) (HSAHAEAG), Keyholding, Lock/Unlock & Premises Control Services (BPABAMAM)
Keywords
Where KEY STATION is headquartered
LocationHeadquarters
- HQ city
- Tokyo
- HQ country
- Japan
- HQ region
- Asia
Offices1 record
Markets served
KEY STATION business model
Business model- GTM type
- B2B and B2C
- Offering type
- Software
- Cost components
- Infrastructure, Personnel, Operations, Technology or R&D, Marketing or Sales
Revenue model
- Subscription - Unlimited Use Plans (Slot and Box Types): Monthly flat-rate subscription plans offering unlimited key check-in/check-out cycles within the subscription period. Two tiers exist: a slot-type plan (3,000 JPY/month per slot) for shared station use, and a box-type plan (5,000 JPY/month per box) for dedicated/corporate deployments. Both are billed monthly with a minimum 1-month contract period.
- 48-Hour Pay-Per-Use Plan: A pay-per-use plan charged at 500 JPY per 48-hour rental period, with automatic renewal at 500 JPY per additional 24 hours. Suitable for individual consumers with infrequent key handover needs. No monthly commitment required.
- Custom Dedicated Box Deployment for Enterprise: For enterprise customers requiring dedicated key stations (e.g., property managers, hotels), the company conducts site surveys, installs proprietary hardware, and charges ongoing subscription fees. Additional costs include hardware fitting parts for the key station unit.
Pricing tiers
| Model | Billing | Price |
|---|---|---|
| Subscription | Monthly | Slot-type unlimited use plan for shared station access |
| Subscription | Monthly | Box-type unlimited use plan for dedicated/corporate deployments |
| Usage-based | Pay-as-you-go | 48-hour pay-per-use plan for individual consumers |
Go-to-market motion1 record
Distribution channels3 records
Marketing channels5 records
KEY STATION product offering
Product offeringCore offering
KEY STATION is a cloud-connected key management and handover platform operated by Keeyls Inc. (キールズ株式会社). It combines a network of physical self-service key station lockers installed at train stations, commercial facilities, and residential buildings with a LINE-integrated digital management layer. Users register via LINE, locate nearby key stations, store keys in secured slots/boxes, and share one-time or master passwords with recipients to enable unmanned, auditable key exchange for homes, vehicles, hotel rooms, and facilities.
Product overview
KEY STATION is a single, unified key management platform that enables remote key handover and tracking through a network of physical key stations installed at public locations (stations, commercial facilities, apartment buildings). The core KEY STATION service is supported by multiple pricing plans including Slot Type Unlimited Plan (3,000 yen/month), Box Type Unlimited Plan (5,000 yen/month), and 48-Hour Plan (500 yen per use). For enterprise clients, Corporate Dedicated KEY STATION offers customized on-site installation. The service integrates with LINE for user registration and communication, and employs a password-based access system for secure key handover. Key features include real-time key status monitoring, retrieval history tracking, and unmanned 24-hour operation via call center support.
Differentiator
Problem solved
Functional benefit
Products and services
- KEY STATION Platform
Quantifiable outcome
- Over 1 million cumulative key handovers with zero theft or loss incidents
- +2 more outcomes
Companies that use KEY STATION
Customer profileNamed customers8 records
Segments5 records
Ideal customer profiles5 records
KEY STATION technology and API
TechnologyTechnology focussed Yes
API detail
- Has API
- No
- API docs
- API detail
Core technology
AI maturity
App detail
Integration3 records
Feature4 records
KEY STATION partnerships and signals
Strategic signalPartnerships
Six partnerships are on record, tiered minor.
- Bears (ベアーズ)minorHome cleaning service provider Bears is listed as a customer logo on the KEY STATION website, indicating they use the service for staff key handover at client homes.
- Toyota Mobility Service (トヨタモビリティサービス)minorToyota Mobility Service is listed as a customer logo, indicating use of KEY STATION for vehicle key management and handover in car sharing or corporate mobility contexts.
- Naha City Hall (那覇市役所)minorNaha City Hall is listed as a customer using KEY STATION for facility key management across school buildings, reducing the administrative burden on teachers and staff.
- Minamoto Hotel Kamakura (源ホテル鎌倉)minorMinamoto Hotel Kamakura is listed as a hospitality customer using KEY STATION for hotel key management and guest access.
- Anabuki Spaceshare (穴吹スペースシェア)minorProperty management company Anabuki Spaceshare uses KEY STATION for key management during property viewings and interior work access.
- Location Host Partners (Train stations, commercial facilities, laundromats)minorKEY STATION installs its hardware units at third-party high-traffic locations including train stations, commercial facilities, and laundromats. These location hosts enable the distributed physical network that underpins the service.
Scale indicators3 records
Recent moves6 records
Expansion highlights5 records
KEY STATION competitors and assessment
Company assessmentDirect peers
- Keycafe: Keycafe operates smart key management lockers with cloud software for property managers, hotels, and real estate agents—the closest global analog to KEY STATION's physical-station-plus-cloud-software model.
- Akerun (Photosynth): Photosynth's Akerun is a Japanese smart lock and access control platform for offices, hotels, and residences. It represents the native Japanese competition to KEY STATION's access management proposition, though via smart locks rather than physical handover boxes.
- Candy House (SESAME): Candy House's SESAME is a Japanese-origin smart lock product line enabling smartphone-based key sharing for homes and short-term rentals. It competes in adjacent use cases (guest access, short-term rental key management) to KEY STATION.
- Latch: Latch provides smart access management for multifamily and hospitality buildings, including keyless entry, guest access, and delivery management—comparable to KEY STATION's enterprise property management and hospitality verticals.
- RemoteLock: RemoteLock offers cloud-based access control for vacation rentals, commercial properties, and multifamily, integrating smart locks with property management software—closely aligned with KEY STATION's short-term rental and enterprise focus.
Broad incumbents
- Brivo: Brivo is an established cloud access control platform for commercial real estate, multifamily, and enterprise. As a broad incumbent it overlaps with KEY STATION's enterprise access-management positioning but at significantly larger scale.
- ASSA ABLOY: ASSA ABLOY is the global leader in locks and access solutions, offering mechanical and electronic key management for hospitality, real estate, and institutions. Represents the broad incumbent category against which KEY STATION competes for property and hotel key workflows.
- Salto Systems: Salto provides electronic access control solutions for hospitality, commercial, and residential markets, including keyless mobile credentials. As a broad incumbent it competes with KEY STATION in hospitality and property management key workflows.
Emerging players
- igloohome: igloohome provides smart locks and key boxes designed for short-term rentals, property managers, and Airbnb hosts—an emerging player in unattended guest access that overlaps with KEY STATION's hospitality use case.
- Kisi: Kisi offers cloud-managed physical access control for offices and commercial real estate, with mobile credentials and remote management—adjacent to KEY STATION's enterprise and property management use cases.
Market position
Strengths4 records
Weaknesses4 records
Competitive moat4 records
Key risks5 records
Key highlights5 records
Customer concentration
KEY STATION social profiles
Digital presenceKEY STATION financial estimates
Financial estimateRevenue estimate
Valuation estimate
KEY STATION leadership team
Management profileNumber of profiles
Profiles3 records
KEY STATION funding detail
Funding detailFunding overview
Funding rounds3 records
Investors3 records
Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
KEY STATION 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 KEY STATION
What does KEY STATION do?
KEY STATION is a cloud-connected key management and handover platform operated by Keeyls Inc. (キールズ株式会社). It combines a network of physical self-service key station lockers installed at train stations, commercial facilities, and residential buildings with a LINE-integrated digital management layer. Users register via LINE, locate nearby key stations, store keys in secured slots/boxes, and share one-time or master passwords with recipients to enable unmanned, auditable key exchange for homes, vehicles, hotel rooms, and facilities.
Is KEY STATION a public or private company?
KEY STATION is a private company. It is classified as unknown and is currently operating.
When was KEY STATION founded?
KEY STATION was founded in 2015. It employs 11 to 50 people.
Where is KEY STATION based?
KEY STATION is headquartered in Tokyo, Japan, in the Asia region.
How does KEY STATION make money?
Three revenue lines are on record. Subscription - Unlimited Use Plans (Slot and Box Types) is the primary driver. The others are 48-Hour Pay-Per-Use Plan and custom Dedicated Box Deployment for Enterprise.
Who are KEY STATION's main competitors?
Direct peers on record are Keycafe, Akerun (Photosynth), Candy House (SESAME), Latch and RemoteLock. Broad incumbents are Brivo, ASSA ABLOY and Salto Systems. Emerging players are igloohome and Kisi.
Does KEY STATION have an API?
No public API is recorded for KEY STATION.
What industry is KEY STATION in?
KEY STATION's product category is Key Management Platform. Its primary akta.pro industry code is HSAHAEAF, Remote Access, Guest & Temporary Credential Management (Airbnb/Short-Term Rental), with a secondary code of HSAHAEAG, Smart Lock Software Platforms & Mobile Apps (Access Control SaaS). Its NAICS code is 561621.