What Smart Innovation does

Smart Innovation is a privately held, Silicon Valley-based open innovation intermediary founded in 2018 that matches Japanese corporations seeking external innovation with international startups seeking to enter the Japan market. The company positions itself as the "first and best marketplace" to connect corporate innovation demand with curated startup supply, claiming access to thousands of startups aligned to corporate strategy from its Silicon Valley base.

Its core product is the Open Innovation Matching Platform, supplemented by a modular set of services: market research, go-to-market strategy and lighthouse account planning, execution support including sales enablement and advisor matching, corporate-side research and trend analysis, deep-dive startup validation and proof-of-concept support, partnership advisory, and professional English-Japanese translation. The offering is human-mediated rather than technology-mediated — the core "technology" is bilingual facilitation, curated sourcing, and cultural translation rather than a software platform.

The business model is professional services on a custom, quote-based engagement structure. Revenue is generated from corporations paying for research, validation, and partnership support, and from startups paying for Japan market entry services including market research, GTM planning, and execution support. The company operates direct enterprise field sales to both corporate decision-makers and startup founders, supported by bilingual content marketing (English/Japanese website, blog, and email newsletter). No funding rounds, headcount, customer logos, or revenue figures are publicly disclosed; the company appears to operate as a small, founder-led consultancy rather than a venture-backed scale business.

Name

Smart Innovation

Legal name

Smart Innovation

Website

https://smart-innovation.biz

Company type

Private

Founded year

2018

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1–10 employees

Short description

Smart Innovation is a Silicon Valley-based open innovation intermediary that matches Japanese corporations seeking external innovation with international startups seeking to enter the Japan market, delivering curated matchmaking, research, validation, and go-to-market support on a professional services basis.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Open Innovation Consulting Services

NAICS

Computer Systems Design Services (541512)

SIC

Services-Computer Integrated Systems Design (7373)

akta.pro primary industry

Innovation & Design Thinking Programs (EDAMAHAD)

Keywords

• Open innovation matchmaking
• Startup market entry
• Corporate innovation consulting
• Japan market entry services
• Startup-corporate partnerships

Headquarters

HQ city

San Francisco

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

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

Revenue model

1. Professional Consulting Services: The company generates revenue through professional services fees for their open innovation consulting and matchmaking services. They charge corporations for research, validation, and partnership support services, and charge startups for market entry support including market research, go-to-market planning, and execution support in the Japan market.

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels2 records

Marketing channels3 records

Core offering

Smart Innovation operates an open innovation matchmaking and consulting service that connects Japanese corporations seeking innovation with startups (primarily sourced from its Silicon Valley ecosystem). The company provides end-to-end support including startup identification, business and technology evaluation, proof-of-concept planning, partnership formation, and for startups, Japan market entry services such as market research, target customer lists, go-to-market strategy, and execution support.

Product overview

Smart Innovation operates as an open innovation marketplace and consulting service that connects corporations seeking innovation with start-ups. The company is based in Silicon Valley and engages with thousands of start-ups aligned with corporate strategy. The core offering is the Open Innovation Matching Platform, supported by a suite of service modules including Market Research Services, Go-to-Market Strategy Services, Execution Support Services, Research Services for Corporations, Validation Services, Partnership Services, and Professional Translation Services. Together, these services enable corporations to evaluate start-ups from business and technology perspectives while helping start-ups enter the Japan market.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Open Innovation Matching Platform A matchmaking service connecting corporations seeking innovation with innovative start-ups, facilitating seamless interactions between start-ups and corporations seeking research and support in the latest innovation and technology. For corporations, it provides startup identification, evaluation, and partnership facilitation; for startups, it provides Japan market entry and business growth support.
• Startup Japan Market Entry Services An integrated service offering for start-ups seeking to enter or expand in the Japan market, combining market research, target customer lists, custom meet-ups, professional translation, go-to-market strategy, consulting and planning, lighthouse account strategy, partner recommendations, sales enablement support, and advisory services.
• Corporate Innovation Research and Validation Services A service offering for corporations seeking to identify and evaluate startups, providing market and industrial trend analysis, startup information organized by technology and business use case, deep-dive investigation of startups, and planning and support for proof-of-concept (PoC) implementations.
• Corporate Partnership Formation Services A service offering for corporations to formalize startup partnerships, providing recommendation of partner formation and strategy, advisory service, and implementation support.
• Professional Translation Services A bilingual service facilitating communication between start-ups and corporations, supporting Japanese and English interactions throughout the open innovation engagement lifecycle.

Segments2 records

Ideal customer profiles2 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Scale indicators2 records

Recent moves5 records

Expansion highlights4 records

Direct peers

• Plug and Play Tech Center: Global startup accelerator and corporate innovation platform with a Japan presence. Comparable as a corporate-startup matchmaking intermediary serving Japanese enterprises with Silicon Valley startup deal flow.
• Samurai Incubate: Japan-headquartered startup accelerator and venture fund that supports startups entering the Japan market and runs corporate innovation programs. Comparable on the startup-market-entry and corporate-innovation dimensions.
• Creww: Japan's largest open innovation platform that matches startups with Japanese corporates for pilots and partnerships. Closest direct peer given the identical US-Japan open innovation matchmaking model, though Creww is platform-led rather than services-led.
• Open Network Lab (Digital Garage): Digital Garage-affiliated accelerator that supports Japanese and global startups with corporate partnerships. Comparable as a Japan-rooted bridge between startups and Japanese corporates.

Broad incumbents

• Techstars: Global accelerator network with corporate innovation programs. Comparable as a broad incumbent offering startup-corporate matchmaking as part of a wider accelerator portfolio, though not Japan-specialized.
• Deloitte (Innovation practice): Global professional services firm with a large Japan presence and dedicated corporate innovation and open innovation consulting practices. Comparable as a larger, well-capitalized incumbent offering open innovation matchmaking as part of a broader portfolio.
• KPMG Ignite (Japan): Big-four-affiliated innovation consultancy serving Japanese corporates on open innovation and startup partnerships. Comparable as a larger professional services incumbent competing for the same corporate open innovation mandates.

Regional players

• Plug and Play Japan: Japan entity of Plug and Play running corporate-startup programs with Japanese enterprises. Comparable as a regional cross-border open innovation intermediary.
• Leave a Nest: Japan-based deep tech ecosystem builder connecting startups, corporates, and researchers. Comparable on the Japan corporate-startup facilitation dimension, with a stronger deep-tech focus.

Emerging players

• 500 Global: Global venture firm and accelerator with a dedicated Japan program supporting Japanese-market entry for portfolio startups. Comparable on the cross-border startup-corporate matchmaking axis, though structured as an investor rather than a services firm.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat3 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/smart-innovation-llc

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles1 record

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

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 Smart Innovation