GESHER
GESHER is a Tokyo-based advisory and digital marketing firm founded in 2020 that helps Japanese enterprises internationalize by sourcing overseas startups for M&A, alliances, and investment, while providing digital marketing services including LinkedIn, domestic, and overseas campaigns.
- Company typePrivate
- Founded2020
- HeadquartersTokyo, Japan
- Headcount11–50
- GTM typeB2B
- OfferingServices
What GESHER does
GESHER, Inc. (株式会社ゲシェル) is a Tokyo-based advisory and digital marketing firm founded in 2020 by Yohei Harada. The company operates two integrated service lines: Sourcing & Advisory (covering Sourcing 2.0, Alliance, Investment, and M&A support for Japanese companies pursuing partnerships with overseas startups) and Marketing DX (LinkedIn Marketing, Japan Domestic Marketing, Overseas Marketing, and HR Marketing). Its primary customers are Japanese enterprises seeking internationalization and overseas startups seeking Japan market entry, with a multicultural team where roughly 50% of employees are foreign nationals from 10+ countries and an average age of 31.
The company's technology stack centers on the GESHER Station ecosystem, which includes the SOS (Startup Outlook Score) platform — an AI- and data-driven decision intelligence tool that evaluates startups across three layers (GESHER Filter for objective scoring, AI Filter for multi-dimensional growth/market/risk analysis, and Client Fit for corporate strategy alignment). Adjacent platform assets include GESHER Times, a global business media platform publishing insights on overseas startups for a Japanese audience, and HELLO Startup DB, a curated startup database. Revenue is generated primarily through professional services fees on a quote-based, project-and-success-fee model, with M&A and investment deals contributing transaction-based revenue.
The go-to-market motion is enterprise field sales, led by COO Koji Arie and the Corporate Marketing Division, with lead generation supported by GESHER Times content, LinkedIn activity, PR, and conference participation. Strategic positioning is reinforced by a capital and business partnership with Dai Nippon Printing (DNP) signed February 2025, and the company has promoted over 100 cross-border projects since founding. Recent corporate moves include establishing a Board of Directors in May 2025, a January 2026 rebranding to an "Autonomous Organization" framework ("The Tsumiki Way" / "International 2.0"), and the March 2026 appointment of Koji Arie as Executive Officer and COO.
GESHER firmographics
Firmographics- Name
- GESHER
- Legal name
- GESHER, Inc.
- Website
- https://gesher.co.jp
- Company type
- Private
- Founded year
- 2020
- Operating status
- Operating
- Headcount range
- 11–50 employees
- Short description
- GESHER is a Tokyo-based advisory and digital marketing firm founded in 2020 that helps Japanese enterprises internationalize by sourcing overseas startups for M&A, alliances, and investment, while providing digital marketing services including LinkedIn, domestic, and overseas campaigns.
- Ownership category
- akta.pro rank
Where GESHER is headquartered
LocationHeadquarters
- HQ city
- Tokyo
- HQ country
- Japan
- HQ region
- Asia
Offices1 record
Markets served
GESHER business model
Business model- GTM type
- B2B
- Offering type
- Services
- Cost components
- Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Technology or R&D, Others
Revenue model
- Sourcing & Advisory Services: Professional consulting services for M&A support, investment advisory, alliance facilitation, and sourcing services for Japanese companies seeking overseas partnerships and startups. Revenue derived from project-based fees and transaction success fees for M&A and investment deals.
- Marketing DX Services: Digital marketing transformation services including LinkedIn marketing, Japan domestic marketing, overseas marketing, and HR recruitment marketing. Revenue from consulting and campaign management fees.
Pricing tiers
| Model | Billing | Price |
|---|---|---|
| Other | Multi-year contract | Professional consulting and advisory services - custom pricing based on project scope |
Go-to-market motion1 record
Distribution channels3 records
Marketing channels5 records
GESHER product offering
Product offeringCore offering
GESHER provides two professional service lines for Japanese enterprises: (1) Sourcing & Advisory — supporting overseas-startup collaborations, alliances, investments, and M&A transactions; and (2) Marketing DX — digital marketing transformation services covering LinkedIn, Japan domestic, overseas, and HR recruitment marketing. The firm also operates an Innovation Platform (GESHER Times media, HELLO Startup DB) and a proprietary SOS AI-driven startup evaluation tool to support these engagements.
Product overview
GESHER operates as a Global Engagement company providing two core service lines: (1) Sourcing & Advisory encompassing Sourcing 2.0, Alliance, Investment, and M&A services for Japanese companies seeking overseas startup partnerships; and (2) Marketing DX covering LinkedIn Marketing, Japan Domestic Marketing, Global Marketing, and HR Marketing. The company also maintains an Innovation Platform comprising GESHER Times (global business media) and HELLO Startup DB (startup database). Additionally, GESHER Station offers SOS (Startup Outlook Score), an AI-driven startup evaluation platform.
Differentiator
Problem solved
Functional benefit
Products and services
- Sourcing & Advisory End-to-end advisory support for Japanese companies' internationalization, covering overseas-startup collaboration (Sourcing 2.0), strategic alliances, investment facilitation, and M&A support — from market research and strategy formulation through execution.
- Marketing DX Digital marketing transformation services for Japanese enterprises covering LinkedIn marketing, Japan domestic marketing, overseas marketing, and HR recruitment marketing — integrating strategy, design, and technology to turn data into sustained, outcome-driven marketing operations.
- GESHER Times Proprietary global business media platform delivering first-hand information about overseas startups and international business to Japanese companies, used as both a thought-leadership channel and a top-of-funnel demand-generation asset.
- HELLO Startup DB Curated startup database platform providing Japanese companies with structured access to global startup information for international partnerships, investments, or M&A opportunities.
- SOS (Startup Outlook Score) by GESHER Station AI- and data-driven decision intelligence platform for startup sourcing and evaluation. Replaces traditional experience-based assessment with a structured, transparent, repeatable scoring system across three layers: GESHER Filter (objective criteria), AI Filter (growth, market, and risk analysis), and Client Fit (alignment with enterprise investment strategies).
Companies that use GESHER
Customer profileNamed customers4 records
Segments3 records
Ideal customer profiles2 records
GESHER technology and API
TechnologyTechnology focussed No
API detail
- Has API
- No
- API docs
- API detail
Core technology
AI maturity
App detail
AI capability4 records
Feature1 record
GESHER partnerships and signals
Strategic signalPartnerships
Five partnerships are on record, tiered minor and core.
- Fathom EntertainmentminorTheatrical distribution partner for 'Legends of the Lost Ark' documentary. GESHER Media produced the film; Fathom Entertainment handles US theatrical distribution.
- Myriad PicturesminorDocumentary production partnership for 'Legends of the Lost Ark'. Myriad Pictures partnered with Gesher Media for the cinematic documentary.
- Dai Nippon Printing Co., Ltd. (DNP)coreCapital and business partnership agreement signed February 2025. GESHER provides sustainable digital advertising services using Scope3 methodology in Japan for DNP. Strategic alliance combining DNP's printing/marketing infrastructure with GESHER's international network and marketing expertise.
- Cabinet Office Japan (SSEAYP)minorCorporate sponsor for the 49th Ship for Southeast Asian and Japanese Youth Program (SSEAYP). GESHER employees designed apparel and merchandise for the Japanese delegation.
- Specified Nonprofit Organization 116-activity (FC LIGAR)minorOfficial partnership signed January 2025. Co-hosted experiential education events combining soccer and design to foster cross-cultural understanding among youth. Supports GESHER's TSUMIKI brand concept and International 2.0 vision.
Scale indicators3 records
Recent moves8 records
Expansion highlights6 records
GESHER competitors and assessment
Company assessmentBroad incumbents
- HAKUHODO: One of Japan's largest advertising agencies with deep relationships with major Japanese corporates — overlapping with GESHER's Marketing DX arm at a vastly larger scale.
- FreakOut Holdings: Japan-listed digital marketing platform company providing programmatic, digital, and overseas marketing services — direct competitor in the overseas / digital marketing segment GESHER targets.
- Septeni Holdings: Public Japanese digital advertising and marketing group; overlapping with GESHER's LinkedIn marketing, digital advertising, and overseas marketing offerings for Japanese enterprise clients.
- Recruit Holdings: Global Japanese information services and HR/marketing platform conglomerate; operates matching platforms (Indeed, HR marketing) that overlap with GESHER's HR Marketing and global partnership facilitation offerings.
- Deloitte Tohmatsu: Big 4 advisory firm in Japan providing consulting, M&A advisory, and digital transformation services — competes with GESHER's Sourcing & Advisory and Marketing DX lines at much larger enterprise scale.
- DENTSU: Global advertising and marketing services giant with a large Japan franchise; competes with GESHER's Marketing DX services for enterprise marketing budgets but with a much broader portfolio.
Direct peers
- World Innovation Lab (WiL): Venture firm and corporate venture partner that helps Japanese corporates identify and invest in global tech startups, overlapping directly with GESHER's alliance, investment, and M&A advisory practice.
- Borderless: Japan-based cross-border M&A and advisory firm focused on SMEs and mid-market cross-border transactions, mirroring GESHER's M&A support and internationalization advisory work.
- Plug and Play Japan: Operates a corporate innovation and startup matching platform in Japan, connecting Japanese corporates with global startups — the closest direct analogue to GESHER's Sourcing & Advisory arm.
Emerging players
- Zeroth: AI-focused startup studio and investor active in Asia; comparable in its emphasis on AI-driven startup evaluation and ecosystem building, intersecting with GESHER's SOS platform positioning.
Market position
Strengths5 records
Weaknesses5 records
Competitive moat4 records
Key risks6 records
Key highlights7 records
Customer concentration
GESHER social profiles
Digital presenceGESHER financial estimates
Financial estimateRevenue estimate
Valuation estimate
GESHER leadership team
Management profileNumber of profiles
Profiles2 records
GESHER funding detail
Funding detailFunding overview
Funding rounds1 record
Investors2 records
Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
GESHER 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 GESHER
What does GESHER do?
GESHER provides two professional service lines for Japanese enterprises: (1) Sourcing & Advisory — supporting overseas-startup collaborations, alliances, investments, and M&A transactions; and (2) Marketing DX — digital marketing transformation services covering LinkedIn, Japan domestic, overseas, and HR recruitment marketing. The firm also operates an Innovation Platform (GESHER Times media, HELLO Startup DB) and a proprietary SOS AI-driven startup evaluation tool to support these engagements.
Is GESHER a public or private company?
GESHER is a private company. It is classified as founder individual operated bootstrapped and is currently operating.
When was GESHER founded?
GESHER was founded in 2020. It employs 11 to 50 people.
Where is GESHER based?
GESHER is headquartered in Tokyo, Japan, in the Asia region.
How does GESHER make money?
Two revenue lines are on record. Sourcing & Advisory Services are the primary driver. The others are marketing DX Services.
Who are GESHER's main competitors?
Broad incumbents on record are HAKUHODO, FreakOut Holdings, Septeni Holdings, Recruit Holdings, Deloitte Tohmatsu and DENTSU. Direct peers are World Innovation Lab (WiL), Borderless and Plug and Play Japan. Zeroth is listed as an emerging player.
Does GESHER have an API?
No public API is recorded for GESHER.