HEROZ

What HEROZ does

HEROZ is a publicly traded Japanese AI company (TSE Standard, ticker 4382) founded in April 2009 by Hayashi Takahiro and Takahashi Tomohiro. Its core technology is proprietary deep learning and machine learning methodology originally developed for shogi AI — including the engines dlshogi and HYOEI, which took 1st and 3rd at the 36th World Computer Shogi Championship in May 2026 — and this methodology has been productized across the company's two main segments. The B2C segment centers on Shogi Wars, a Japan Shogi Association-certified online shogi platform with 8M+ registered users and 11.5B+ cumulative games, supplemented by Kishin Analytics (professional AI analysis), Doubutsu Shogi Wars, and Pokémon Battle Scope (a battle-analysis AI co-developed with The Pokémon Company and adopted for PJCS 2024–2026). The B2B segment is anchored by HEROZ ASK, an enterprise generative AI SaaS platform integrating Claude, GPT, and Gemini with MCP-based connections to Notion, Box, and Slack, sold on per-ID (¥900/month) and organization-wide share plans (¥100,000/month); it has reached 300+ enterprise customers and ¥100M ARR. Adjacent B2B offerings include custom AI development for Takenaka (structural design AI), Toyo Engineering (AI for U construction delay detection), Shizuogin Credit Guarantee (mortgage fraud detection), SMBC Nikko Securities (stock portfolio AI), and KSA International (export control AI), alongside BLOOMWORKS, an AI-augmented direct recruiting service with ¥80M ARR.

Revenue is generated through a hybrid model: B2C freemium mobile/PC games with in-app purchases; enterprise SaaS subscriptions (HEROZ ASK); professional services for custom AI development; subscription-based recruitment services (BLOOMWORKS, ¥300K–¥1.2M/month); and AI training programs delivered to enterprise clients. The company monetizes its B2C user base through premium memberships and in-app purchases while leveraging the same proprietary AI research to build B2B credibility via co-development partnerships with major IP holders (Pokémon, Bandai, Takenaka). With 2025 revenue of approximately ¥41.5B (~$268M USD) representing 35% YoY growth, HEROZ is positioned at the intersection of consumer gaming AI and enterprise AI deployment, with a stated long-term ARR target of ¥10B for the subscription products.

The company maintains dual distribution channels: self-serve SaaS signup via herozask.ai for SMB/mid-market customers, and direct enterprise field sales for large accounts in construction, finance, and entertainment. Group structure includes wholly-owned subsidiaries VarioSecure (security, now under management integration as of April 2026), AI2-Japan (NLP), Tifana.com, VOIQ (voice AI), and AKM Consulting (acquired April 2026 for ¥661M). Recent strategic moves include MCP support launch (May 2026), Kaggle-hosted Pokémon TCG AI Battle Challenge (June 2026), and the Kishin Chat Shogi LLM commentary service with Asahi Shimbun (February 2026).

Name

HEROZ

Legal name

HEROZ株式会社

Website

https://heroz.co.jp

Company type

Public

Founded year

2009

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

51–100 employees

Short description

HEROZ is a publicly traded Japanese AI company operating dual B2C (Shogi Wars gaming platform with 8M+ users) and B2B (HEROZ ASK enterprise generative AI SaaS, custom AI projects, BLOOMWORKS recruitment) segments, leveraging proprietary deep learning technology originally developed for shogi to serve enterprises across construction, finance, entertainment, and education.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Enterprise AI Software

NAICS

Custom Computer Programming Services (541511), Software Publishers (5132)

SIC

Services-Computer Programming Services (7371)

akta.pro primary industry

AI Application Enablement Platforms (Copilot/Agent Frameworks, SDKs) (HDAEANAJ)

akta.pro secondary industry

End-to-End Enterprise AI Platforms (MLOps & Model Lifecycle Management) (HDAEANAA)

Keywords

• Enterprise AI software
• Generative AI SaaS
• Shogi gaming platform
• AI consulting services
• HR technology solutions

Headquarters

HQ city

Tokyo

HQ country

Japan

HQ region

Asia

Offices2 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2B and B2C

Offering type

Software

Cost components

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

Revenue model

1. B2C Consumer Mobile Apps (Shogi Wars, etc.): Freemium mobile and PC games (将棋ウォーズ, どうぶつしょうぎウォーズ, CHESS HEROZ, BackgammonAce) generating revenue through in-app purchases and premium memberships. Shogi Wars has 800万+ cumulative members.
2. HEROZ ASK SaaS Subscriptions: Enterprise generative AI SaaS sold on per-ID and organization-wide share-plan models. Share plan at ¥100,000/month for full-feature organization-wide use. 300+ companies adopted as of early 2026. Annual Recurring Revenue for ASK reached ¥100M milestone.
3. B2B Custom AI Development Projects: Custom AI solution development for enterprise clients across construction (Takenaka Corporation, Toyo Engineering), finance (Shizuogin, SMBC Nikko Securities), entertainment (Pokémon, Bandai), and other industries. Projects include AI for U, AI building research, AI cross-section estimation, mortgage fraud detection, and Pokémon Battle Scope. Revenue recognized as project-based professional services.
4. BLOOMWORKS Recruitment SaaS: Direct recruiting service charging fixed monthly fees (¥300,000-1,200,000/month) with unlimited submissions, combining professional recruiters with AI tools. ARR reached ¥80M.
5. AI Training Programs: Generative AI training programs provided to enterprise clients (e.g., School TOMAS), using a 4-phase proficiency program for internal AI adoption. Revenue recognized as professional services.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion4 records

Distribution channels6 records

Marketing channels12 records

Core offering

HEROZ develops and sells AI software and SaaS products built on its proprietary HEROZ Kishin deep learning framework. B2B offerings center on HEROZ ASK, an enterprise generative AI SaaS integrating Claude, GPT, and Gemini with Model Context Protocol support, plus custom AI development for industries such as finance, construction, and entertainment, alongside BLOOMWORKS HR/recruitment SaaS. B2C offerings include Shogi Wars, a Japan Shogi Federation-certified online shogi platform with 8M+ members, plus Kishin Analytics professional AI analysis and Pokémon Battle Scope battle analysis AI co-developed with The Pokémon Company.

Product overview

HEROZ operates a dual-segment AI business combining B2C consumer gaming products and B2B enterprise AI solutions. The B2C segment includes the shogi platform 将棋ウォーズ (8M+ members, 1.15B games), its companion analysis service 棋神アナリティクス (professional AI analysis), どうぶつしょうぎウォーズ (simplified shogi), and Pokémon Battle Scope (jointly developed battle analysis AI for Pokémon card game championships). The B2B segment centers on HEROZ ASK, a generative AI SaaS platform for enterprise customers, which is offered alongside an AI training program (HEROZ ASK AI研修), and BLOOMWORKS, an AI-powered HR/recruitment service. Enterprise AI projects include: AI for U (construction risk detection with Toyo Engineering), AI建物リサーチ and AI断面推定 (structural design AI with Takenaka), and various financial AI products (mortgage fraud detection, FX analytics, stock portfolio). HEROZ Kishin is the overarching brand for the company's core AI technology — deep learning and machine learning optimization methods originally developed for shogi AI, now applied across all products. The company also developed the WCSC-winning shogi AI '氷彗' and 'dlshogi', and offers Kishin Chat, an LLM-powered shogi commentary service with The Asahi Shimbun.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• HEROZ ASK: Enterprise generative AI SaaS service for business applications including document search, summarization, translation, and AI agents
• BLOOMWORKS
• 将棋ウォーズ (Shogi Wars)
• 棋神アナリティクス (Kishin Analytics)
• HEROZ Kishin
• Pokémon Battle Scope

Products and services

• HEROZ ASK Enterprise generative AI SaaS that integrates Claude, GPT-5.4, and Gemini models with Model Context Protocol (MCP) connectivity to Notion, Box, and Slack. Provides AI document search, summarization, translation, meeting minutes (audio-to-text), OCR, slide generation, code interpreter, deep research, AI agents, and template-based assistants. Targets SMB through enterprise customers across finance, construction, manufacturing, education, and IT industries. Deployed at 300+ companies as of early 2026; ARR reached ¥100 million.
• Shogi Wars (将棋ウォーズ) Japan Shogi Federation-certified online shogi gaming platform (iOS, Android, PC web) with world-champion Kishin AI for opponent matching and player advice. Features matchmaking for all skill levels, premium subscription model, themed avatars, and the new Tsumebato mate-solving battle mode. Has 8M+ registered members and 1.15B+ cumulative games played over 14 years.
• Kishin Analytics (棋神アナリティクス) Professional-grade shogi AI analysis service providing simultaneous browser-based analysis using dlshogi (deep learning shogi AI, WCSC 36 3rd place) and Suishogi (YaneuraOu-based). Generates position evaluation scores, win probability, and recommended next moves. Used by serious shogi players and analysts. WCSC 36 models (HYOEI and dlshogi) planned for integration.
• Pokémon Battle Scope Real-time battle analysis AI co-developed with The Pokémon Company for Pokémon Trading Card Game tournaments. Processes battle states during live matches, predicts optimal next moves, and displays winning probability visual overlays. Adopted for Pokémon Japan Championships 2024, 2025, and 2026, including support for the Pokémon Champions rules in 2026.
• BLOOMWORKS AI-powered direct recruiting SaaS combining HEROZ's proprietary AI methodology with professional recruiter execution. Subscription model at ¥300,000–1,200,000/month with unlimited job postings, KPI design, persona design, job description optimization, interview training, and progress analytics. Targets companies reducing reliance on traditional recruitment agencies. ARR reached ¥80 million.
• Kishin Chat (棋神チャット) Shogi LLM real-time natural-language commentary service developed in collaboration with The Asahi Shimbun. Verbalizes and explains professional shogi games in plain language for viewing audiences on the 囲碁将棋TV-Asahi Shimbun YouTube channel. Debuted February 26, 2026 during the A-Class Ranking Tournament.
• Doubutsu Shogi Wars (どうぶつ将棋ウォーズ) Online multiplayer platform for Doubutsu Shogi (animal chess), a simplified shogi variant for all ages, featuring the strongest Doubutsu Shogi AI (Lion King) advisory function. Includes themed piece sets, technique collections, and skill-tier matchmaking.
• AI for U Construction delay risk detection AI system that analyzes 3D CAD models of underground plant construction projects at the design stage to identify hazard zones and potential schedule overruns. Co-developed with Toyo Engineering Corporation.
• AI Cross-Section Estimation (AI断面推定®) AI system that automatically searches similar past cases and estimates required structural member cross-section dimensions in construction design. Co-developed with Takenaka Corporation leveraging 20+ years of structural calculation data. Registered trademark AI断面推定®.
• AI Building Research (AI建物リサーチ) AI system for construction that automatically searches similar past building cases to support optimal structural planning. Co-developed with Takenaka Corporation.
• Mortgage Loan Fraud Detection AI System Real-time mortgage loan fraud detection AI built with Shizuogin Credit Guarantee (Shizuoka Bank Credit Guarantee) that flags loan applications with non-purchase intent to prevent fraudulent use of home mortgage loans.
• AI Stock Portfolio Diagnostic AI-powered service that suggests optimal stock combinations based on user profile and market data, developed with SMBC Nikko Securities Inc.
• AI Stock Price Monitoring Service AI service that monitors user-held stocks and notifies optimal trading timing, developed with SMBC Nikko Securities Inc.
• TradeCalt FX AI-powered FX trading style visualization tool that analyzes FX user trading patterns and presents trading habits as diagnostic reports and improvement prescriptions.
• HEROZ ASK AI Training (生成AI研修プログラム) 4-phase generative AI training program (Basic Understanding → Live Demo → Task Practice → Sustained Feedback) delivered by HEROZ AI business consultants to enterprise clients. Validated at School TOMAS with 200+ participants achieving 90%+ satisfaction (January–March 2026).

Quantifiable outcome

• 2 AI systems ranked 1st and 3rd at 36th World Computer Shogi Championship (WCSC 36, 2026)
• +7 more outcomes

Named customers15 records

Segments5 records

Ideal customer profiles4 records

Technology focussed Yes

API detail

Has API

Yes

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Integration4 records

AI capability17 records

Feature10 records

Partnerships

15 partnerships are on record, tiered core, major, moderate and minor.

• Kaggle Inc.coreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 16 June 2026Kaggle hosts the Pokémon TCG AI Battle Challenge co-organized with HEROZ and Pokémon. Kaggle is the world's largest data science platform with 90+ countries participating. This competition positions HEROZ as a leader in AI agent development.
• Matsuo Institute (株式会社松尾研究所)coreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 16 June 2026Co-organizer of Pokémon TCG AI Battle Challenge alongside HEROZ and Pokémon. 松尾研究所, led by AI pioneer 松尾豊, focuses on AI research and social implementation through industry-academia collaboration. Partnership strengthens HEROZ's academic credibility and AI research capabilities.
• Google (for Gemini model integration)majorTechnology or Integration · 13 May 2026HEROZ ASK integrates Gemini models alongside Claude and ChatGPT. Multi-model AI platform strategy provides enterprise customers with flexibility to use the most suitable model for their use case.
• Notion, Box, Slack (via MCP Protocol)majorTechnology or Integration · 1 May 2026HEROZ ASK MCP integration enables AI agents to connect with Notion, Box, Slack. MCP (Model Context Protocol) allows AI to autonomously use enterprise tools. Expands HEROZ ASK's value by integrating with existing enterprise workflows.
• OpenAImajorTechnology or Integration · 8 April 2026HEROZ ASK integrated latest OpenAI models including GPT-5.4, GPT-5.4 mini, and GPT-5.4 nano. Partnership enables HEROZ to offer multi-model AI (Claude, GPT, Gemini) through HEROZ ASK enterprise platform.
• KSA International Co., Ltd. (株式会社KSAインターナショナル)majorStrategic or Co-development Partner · 6 April 2026HEROZ and KSA International (Kyoto-based customs/shipping company, founded 1946) are co-developing AI solutions for export control — specifically classification determination and transaction screening. Project aims to standardize trade compliance using AI to reduce classification errors (source of ~70% of export regulation violations per METI data).
• AKM Consulting Co., Ltd. (AKMコンサルティング株式会社)moderateGTM or Marketing Partner · 1 April 2026AKM Consulting is a group company of HEROZ. Co-hosted seminar on back-office DX using HEROZ ASK. Partnership for joint go-to-market of AI solutions to shared enterprise customers.
• AnthropicmajorTechnology or Integration · 5 March 2026HEROZ ASK integrated Claude Opus 4.6 (Anthropic's latest model with industry-leading performance). Partnership enables HEROZ to offer Anthropic's models through HEROZ ASK enterprise platform with Japanese enterprise support.
• Shikigaku Inc. (株式会社識学)moderateStrategic or Co-development Partner · 21 January 2026Three-way co-hosted webinar with HEROZ and Stratejit on AI×organizational management. Shikigaku provides organizational management theory, combined with HEROZ's AI technology for enterprise AI adoption frameworks.
• Stratejit Inc. (株式会社ストラテジット)majorTechnology or Integration · 14 January 2026HEROZ and Stratejit co-host webinars on MCP server-enabled AI agents. Stratejit's JOINT platform enables AI workflow automation. Partnership enables HEROZ ASK MCP integration with enterprise systems. Also co-hosted webinar on AI organizational management.
• School TOMAS Co., Ltd. (株式会社スクールＴＯＭＡＳ)moderateImplementation/ SI/ Consulting Partner · 1 January 2026HEROZ provided a 4-phase generative AI training program to School TOMAS employees (200+ participants, 90%+ satisfaction). Training designed for practical AI adoption in educational operations. Proof of concept for HEROZ's enterprise AI training services.
• Nihon Kogakuin / VisionCraft (日本工学院 / ビジョンクラフト)moderateStrategic or Co-development Partner · 14 November 2025HEROZ provided technical assistance to VisionCraft R&D program at 日本工学院 for AI crane machine (Assist Catcher) development. Represents first concrete outcome of industry-academia partnership. HEROZ assisted with requirements definition, game flow design, and AI control programming.
• The Pokémon Company (株式会社ポケモン)coreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 25 February 2024HEROZ and The Pokémon Company co-developed Pokémon Battle Scope — a battle analysis AI for Pokémon card game tournaments. PBS was adopted for PJCS 2024, 2025, and 2026 official events. AI predicts optimal moves and provides real-time battle analysis for viewer engagement. Also co-hosting Pokémon TCG AI Battle Challenge on Kaggle platform.
• Vario Secure Inc. (バリオセキュア株式会社)minorOthersHEROZ group company. Customer of HEROZ ASK (using it for inquiry response and draft answer generation).
• AI2 Inc. (株式会社エーアイスクエア)minorOthersHEROZ group company. Customer of HEROZ ASK (using it to create company policy and SaaS specification AI assistants).

Scale indicators9 records

Recent moves7 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Others

• OpenAI: OpenAI provides GPT models that HEROZ ASK integrates alongside Claude and Gemini via Azure OpenAI Service. Comparable as a foundation-model infrastructure provider for HEROZ ASK rather than a direct competitor — but OpenAI's enterprise product roadmap (ChatGPT Enterprise, Operator agents) is a directional competitor in the AI coworker category.
• Anthropic: Anthropic develops the Claude family of foundation models — HEROZ ASK integrates Claude Opus 4.6 and is one of Anthropic's Japanese enterprise channel partners. Comparable as an upstream model-layer participant in the enterprise AI stack rather than a direct competitor.

Broad incumbents

• Salesforce (Agentforce): Salesforce's Einstein and Agentforce capabilities are enterprise AI platforms that compete with HEROZ ASK's AI coworker and agent functionality. As a global CRM incumbent with bundled AI, Salesforce represents the largest competitive threat to mid-market and enterprise ASK deployments.
• Appier: Appier is a Taiwan-headquartered, Japan-relevant AI SaaS company serving marketing and customer engagement across Asia-Pacific. It is comparable to HEROZ as a publicly listed Asia-region AI SaaS company with a multi-product portfolio spanning analytics, engagement, and predictive AI.
• Microsoft (Copilot / M365 Copilot): Microsoft Copilot is a global incumbent enterprise AI assistant integrated across the Microsoft 365 stack — comparable to HEROZ ASK as a multi-model, multi-tool workplace AI offering. Represents both a competitive threat to ASK deployments and a potential platform-level partnership channel via Azure OpenAI.
• C3.ai: C3.ai is a U.S.-listed enterprise AI platform serving industrial and cross-industry customers — comparable to HEROZ ASK as a vertical-agnostic enterprise AI application layer delivered via subscription and project engagements.

Direct peers

• BrainPad Inc. BrainPad is a TSE-listed Japanese data analytics and AI consulting firm that combines bespoke consulting work with proprietary products (e.g., BLAZE). It closely mirrors HEROZ's hybrid B2B AI consulting + B2B SaaS model in the Japanese market.
• PKSHA Technology: PKSHA Technology is a Tokyo Stock Exchange-listed Japanese AI company offering enterprise AI products (NLP, recommendation, computer vision) across finance, mobility, and education verticals. It is the closest direct peer to HEROZ in scale and positioning as a publicly traded Japanese enterprise AI platform with a similar 'AI for X' verticalization strategy.

Emerging players

• Abeja: Abeja is a Tokyo-based AI company focused on retail and manufacturing verticals with deep learning expertise. It is comparable to HEROZ as a Japanese enterprise AI company targeting multiple verticals, though its specialization is more concentrated on visual inspection and retail analytics.
• Sakana AI: Sakana AI is a Tokyo-headquartered generative AI research lab with strong Japanese enterprise and government partnerships. It overlaps with HEROZ as another flagship Japanese AI brand with multi-model architecture expertise, though Sakana operates more upstream in foundation model research rather than enterprise application.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/HEROZ_PR
• Facebookfacebook.com/HEROZ

Compliance3 records

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles5 records

Subsidiaries5 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds4 records

Investors8 records

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A3 records

Investments3 records

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about HEROZ