Epea

What Epea does

Epea Co.,Ltd. (株式会社エペア) is a privately held Japanese electronics company headquartered in Kyoto that designs, assembles, and sells CO2 sensors and companion data-logging software under the EPEA-CO2-NDIR product family. The company was originally active in general sensor development and pivoted in 2020 to focus on COVID-19 countermeasure products, specifically indoor CO2 concentration monitors used to assess ventilation quality in enclosed spaces. Beyond its sensor business, Epea also operates two climbing gym retail locations (Rocher Momoyama in Kyoto and Rocher Maxima in Uji), which appear to predate the COVID-19 pivot.

The core technology is dual-wavelength Non-Dispersive Infrared (NDIR) sensing using commercially sourced MH-Z series sensor modules (MH-Z14B in the premium NDIR-08, MH-Z19B/C in the NDIR-04/05/07). The hardware uses Arduino Nano-compatible microcontrollers (with the old bootloader) and exposes the ATMega328P-PU pins on select models, enabling expert users to modify and extend functionality via the Arduino IDE. The companion CO2Viewer software suite ships in three forms: a Windows Store application (Windows 10/11), an Android mobile app (CO2ViewerMobile), and a Web Serial API browser version for Chrome/Edge. The software supports CO2 display, manual and automatic calibration (24-hour minimum-value correction to 400ppm ambient baseline), and data export to CSV (~130,000 records) or SQLite for downstream analysis. An M5Stack breakout board (NDIR-06) extends the ecosystem into the maker/embedded segment.

Epea's business model is direct-to-consumer hardware sales priced under 10,000 yen per unit, distributed through the company website (epea.co.jp) and Amazon Japan, where the NDIR-04 achieved a No.1 rating per the Sakura Checker review platform. Software is currently free (freemium model with potential future advertising), distributed via Windows Store and Google Drive. The customer base spans Japanese consumers seeking COVID-era ventilation monitoring and technical/expert users building custom embedded applications, with no named enterprise customers or disclosed B2B contracts. No external funding rounds, parent company, or institutional investors are disclosed; the company appears to be founder-operated under Representative Director Kitamura Yoshitake, with no revenue or headcount figures publicly available.

Name

Epea

Legal name

株式会社エペア

Website

https://epea.co.jp

Company type

Private

Operating status

Operating

Short description

Epea is a Kyoto-based Japanese manufacturer of affordable NDIR CO2 sensors and companion data-logging software, serving Japanese consumers and technical/expert users seeking indoor ventilation monitoring. Products are sold direct via the company website and Amazon Japan at price points under 10,000 yen.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Air Quality Monitoring Equipment

NAICS

Automatic Environmental Control Manufacturing for Residential, Commercial, and Appliance Use (334512), Small Electrical Appliance Manufacturing (335210)

SIC

Electric Housewares & Fans (3634), Laboratory Analytical Instruments (3826)

akta.pro industry

PRIMARYHSAHAGAG

Indoor Air Quality (IAQ) Environmental Monitoring (VOC/CO2/PM2.5)

Home & Personal Services/Home Security, Alarm & Smart Home Services/Environmental & Water Leak Detection/Prevention Systems

SECONDARYHSAOANAH

Smart Air Quality Sensors, Purifiers & Humidifier/Dehumidifier Integration

Home & Personal Services/Plumbing, Electrical & HVAC Services/Smart Home Electrical & HVAC Integration Services

Keywords

• CO2 sensor hardware
• NDIR CO2 measurement
• Indoor air quality monitoring
• Ventilation monitoring devices
• CO2 data logging software

Headquarters

HQ city

Kyoto

HQ country

Japan

HQ region

Asia

Offices3 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Hardware or Manufacturing

Cost components

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

Revenue model

1. CO2 Sensor Hardware Sales: Sale of assembled CO2 sensor devices (EPEA-CO2-NDIR series) as standalone monitors or PC-connected units. Products are priced under 10,000 yen and represent the primary revenue stream since pivoting to COVID-19 countermeasures in 2020.
2. Software Licensing: CO2Viewer software for Windows (available via Windows Store and direct download) and Android mobile app. Software is currently free but may include ads in future.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion2 records

Distribution channels4 records

Marketing channels4 records

Core offering

Epea manufactures and sells assembled CO2 sensor devices in the EPEA-CO2-NDIR series (models 04 through 08) based on dual-wavelength NDIR technology, designed for monitoring indoor CO2 concentrations to assess ventilation quality. The company also develops companion CO2Viewer software for Windows, Android, and web browsers (Chrome/Edge) that displays CO2 levels, performs manual and automatic calibration, and exports data to CSV and SQLite. Products are targeted at general consumers concerned about COVID-19 ventilation as well as expert/technical users who can modify the Arduino Nano-compatible hardware.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• EPEA-CO2-NDIR-04
• EPEA-CO2-NDIR-05
• EPEA-CO2-NDIR-06
• EPEA-CO2-NDIR-07
• EPEA-CO2-NDIR-08 (Ndir08)
• CO2Viewer (Windows Store Edition)
• CO2ViewerMobile

Quantifiable outcome

• 50ppm baseline measurement accuracy with 5% of reading
• +1 more outcomes

Segments2 records

Ideal customer profiles2 records

Technology focussed Yes

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Integration4 records

Feature4 records

Partnerships

One partnership is on record.

• AmazoncoreChannel Partner/ Reseller/ Distributor · 9 August 2025Epea operates Amazon Seller Central for product sales on Amazon Japan marketplace. The company utilizes Amazon's API for internal order and inventory management. Products including NDIR-04 achieved top ratings on Amazon Japan.

Scale indicators1 record

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Direct peers

• Inkbird: Inkbird is a direct peer selling consumer and prosumer CO2 monitors with companion apps for home and light-commercial IAQ monitoring, often at aggressive sub-$100 price points.
• Kaiterra: Kaiterra (Laser Egg) is a direct peer building NDIR-based consumer and prosumer CO2/IAQ monitors with cloud dashboards and enterprise-grade air-quality monitoring software.
• TFA Dostmann: TFA Dostmann is a direct peer producing consumer-grade CO2 monitors and IAQ devices distributed across European retail, mirroring Epea's sub-$100 NDIR positioning.
• Aranet (SAF Tehnika): Aranet is a direct peer — SAF Tehnika's Aranet brand sells NDIR-based CO2 monitors with companion software for indoor air-quality and ventilation monitoring, targeting both consumers and businesses across global markets.
• Awair: Awair is a direct peer offering smart indoor air-quality monitors with a software app, data logging, and integration with building systems for commercial and consumer segments in the US and abroad.
• Qingping (Cleargrass): Qingping is a direct peer offering connected CO2 and air-quality monitors with a mobile app and developer SDK, competing head-to-head in the low-cost smart IAQ sensor niche.
• ThermoPro: ThermoPro is a direct peer marketing consumer indoor air-quality monitors (CO2, PM, temperature, humidity) with mobile app connectivity, targeting similar SMB and home-user buyers.
• Elitech: Elitech sells CO2 data loggers and monitors for cold-chain and IAQ use cases, overlapping with Epea's positioning as an accessible, screen-equipped NDIR CO2 monitor.

Broad incumbents

• Netatmo (Legrand): Netatmo, now part of Legrand, sells a smart indoor air-quality sensor (CO2, temperature, humidity) integrated into a broader smart-home platform, making it a broad incumbent in the same IAQ category Epea addresses.

Others

• Sensirion: Sensirion is a leading manufacturer of NDIR and photoacoustic CO2 sensor modules used by many IAQ device makers; comparable as the technology supplier whose components Epea's NDIR products are built around.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

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 Epea