Kepple
Kepple is a Japan-focused startup ecosystem media and data platform offering the proprietary KEPPLE DB startup database, a mobile portfolio management app, and editorial content serving investors, startups, and corporate innovation teams across Japan.
- Company typePrivate
- Founded2015
- HeadquartersTokyo, Japan
- Headcount11–50
- GTM typeB2B
- OfferingSoftware
What Kepple does
Kepple (株式会社ケップル, Kepple, Inc.) is a Japan-focused startup ecosystem media and data platform headquartered in Minato-ku, Tokyo. The company operates a multi-product suite centered on KEPPLE DB, a proprietary database aggregating Japanese startup information including business overviews, valuations, funding series, employee counts, and shareholder structures. KEPPLE complements this database with a mobile application (iOS and Android) that delivers database search and investment portfolio management tools to investors, alongside a media platform publishing startup news, funding announcements, and recurring series content such as Startup Spotlight, Open Innovation Frontlines, Investor Perspectives, and DeepTech Trend. The platform also distributes a weekly STARTUP NEWSLETTER and maintains an active X (Twitter) presence for ecosystem engagement.
Kepple serves three primary customer segments: startup investors (VCs, CVCs, and angels) seeking funding intelligence and portfolio tracking; startups seeking media visibility and investor connections; and corporate innovation teams engaged in open innovation and startup partnership discovery. Coverage spans multiple Japanese regions including Hokkaido, Hiroshima, Yamaguchi, Tokyo, and Osaka. Beyond media and data, the Kepple Group extends into investment business, fund operation support, open innovation support, and startup support services, positioning it as a multi-service startup ecosystem platform rather than a single-product publisher.
The business model is freemium and advertising-led. The KEPPLE app, newsletter, and core media content are free to users, with revenue generated primarily through advertising and sponsored content placements (visible on the homepage as promoted articles). Detailed pricing for premium tiers, enterprise data licensing, or B2B offerings is not publicly disclosed. Founded in 2015, Kepple employs 51–100 staff and operates as a privately held company with no disclosed parent entity, institutional investors, or funding rounds to date.
Kepple firmographics
Firmographics- Name
- Kepple
- Legal name
- Kepple, Inc.
- Website
- https://kepple.co.jp
- Company type
- Private
- Founded year
- 2015
- Operating status
- Operating
- Headcount range
- 11–50 employees
- Short description
- Kepple is a Japan-focused startup ecosystem media and data platform offering the proprietary KEPPLE DB startup database, a mobile portfolio management app, and editorial content serving investors, startups, and corporate innovation teams across Japan.
- Ownership category
- akta.pro rank
Where Kepple is headquartered
LocationHeadquarters
- HQ city
- Tokyo
- HQ country
- Japan
- HQ region
- Asia
Offices1 record
Markets served
Kepple business model
Business model- GTM type
- B2B
- Offering type
- Software
- Cost components
- Technology or R&D, Personnel, Marketing or Sales, Operations
Revenue model
- Media Content & Advertising: The media platform publishes news, funding information, and analysis articles about startups. Revenue is generated through advertising and sponsored content placements.
- KEPPLE App & Database Services: The mobile application provides startup database access and portfolio management tools for investors, supporting their investment activities.
- Newsletter Subscription: STARTUP NEWSLETTER delivers weekly funding information to subscribers, providing a curated digest of startup ecosystem developments.
Pricing tiers
| Model | Billing | Price |
|---|---|---|
| Freemium | Monthly | Free access to startup database and portfolio management tools |
Go-to-market motion1 record
Distribution channels3 records
Marketing channels5 records
Kepple product offering
Product offeringCore offering
Kepple operates a startup ecosystem visualization media platform that provides a proprietary database of Japanese startups (KEPPLE DB), a mobile application for investors and startups (KEPPLE App), and publishes industry news, articles, and reports covering the Japanese startup landscape. The platform aggregates startup and investor information, offers portfolio management tools for investors, and delivers curated content about the domestic startup ecosystem.
Product overview
KEPPLE operates as a startup ecosystem visualization media platform combining a proprietary startup database (KEPPLE DB), a mobile app for investors featuring database search and portfolio management capabilities, and a media platform publishing startup news, funding reports, and industry analysis content.
Differentiator
Problem solved
Functional benefit
Brands
- KEPPLE DB: Proprietary startup database offering company information, valuation series, employee counts, shareholders, and other aggregated data on startups.
- KEPPLEアプリ
Products and services
- KEPPLE App
- KEPPLE DB
- KEPPLE Newsletter
- KEPPLE Media Online media publication producing news articles, in-depth features, and industry reports covering Japanese startups, venture capital activity, and the broader startup ecosystem.
Companies that use Kepple
Customer profileNamed customers3 records
Segments4 records
Ideal customer profiles3 records
Kepple technology and API
TechnologyTechnology focussed Yes
API detail
- Has API
- No
- API docs
- API detail
Core technology
AI maturity
App detail
Feature3 records
Kepple partnerships and signals
Strategic signalScale indicators3 records
Recent moves6 records
Expansion highlights6 records
Kepple competitors and assessment
Company assessmentBroad incumbents
- TechCrunch: Global startup media brand (owned by Yahoo/Verizon Media) covering funding, product launches, and ecosystem news — broadly comparable to KEPPLE's media business, but operating globally and at significantly larger scale.
- Bloomberg: Global financial data, news, and analytics platform serving investors and corporates — adjacent incumbent covering private markets intelligence that overlaps with KEPPLE's investor-facing data and workflow tooling.
Direct peers
- Crunchbase: Global startup and funding database serving investors, startups, and corporates — directly comparable to KEPPLE DB as a structured-data product with both free and paid tiers and investor workflow tooling.
- The Bridge: Japanese tech and startup media outlet covering funding rounds, ecosystem trends, and founder interviews — directly comparable to KEPPLE's editorial/news coverage of the Japanese startup ecosystem.
- CB Insights: Market intelligence platform covering startups, funding, and emerging tech with enterprise data subscriptions — comparable to KEPPLE in combining startup data with corporate strategy and open innovation use cases.
- PitchBook: Private capital markets data platform used by VCs, PE firms, and corporates for deal sourcing, valuation, and portfolio management — overlaps KEPPLE's investor-side database and portfolio management value proposition.
- Speeda (Uzabase): Japanese business intelligence platform with a deep startup and corporate database used by investors and corporates — the closest domestic peer to KEPPLE DB given overlapping Japanese startup data coverage and enterprise data subscriptions.
- INITIAL (Uzabase): Japanese startup database from Uzabase aggregating funding, valuation, and shareholder data — directly comparable to KEPPLE DB's structured startup data offering for Japanese investors and corporates.
Market position
Strengths4 records
Weaknesses4 records
Competitive moat4 records
Key risks6 records
Key highlights6 records
Customer concentration
Kepple social profiles
Digital presenceKepple financial estimates
Financial estimateRevenue estimate
Valuation estimate
Kepple leadership team
Management profileNumber of profiles
Kepple funding detail
Funding detailFunding overview
Funding rounds
Investors
Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Kepple M&A and investment
M&A and investmentM&A
Investments2 records
M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Frequently asked questions about Kepple
What does Kepple do?
Kepple operates a startup ecosystem visualization media platform that provides a proprietary database of Japanese startups (KEPPLE DB), a mobile application for investors and startups (KEPPLE App), and publishes industry news, articles, and reports covering the Japanese startup landscape. The platform aggregates startup and investor information, offers portfolio management tools for investors, and delivers curated content about the domestic startup ecosystem.
Is Kepple a public or private company?
Kepple is a private company. It is classified as unknown and is currently operating.
When was Kepple founded?
Kepple was founded in 2015. It employs 11 to 50 people.
Where is Kepple based?
Kepple is headquartered in Tokyo, Japan, in the Asia region.
How does Kepple make money?
Three revenue lines are on record. Media Content & Advertising is the primary driver. The others are KEPPLE App & Database Services and newsletter Subscription.
Who are Kepple's main competitors?
Broad incumbents on record are TechCrunch and Bloomberg. Direct peers are Crunchbase, The Bridge, CB Insights, PitchBook, Speeda (Uzabase) and INITIAL (Uzabase).
Does Kepple have an API?
No public API is recorded for Kepple.