Phone Appli

What Phone Appli does

Phone Appli Inc. (株式会社PHONE APPLI), founded in January 2008 and headquartered in Toranomon, Minato-ku, Tokyo, is a Japanese private SaaS company that develops and sells PHONE APPLI PEOPLE, a cloud-based communication portal aggregating enterprise contacts, business card data, employee profiles, skills, presence status, and office location information into a single searchable interface. The platform integrates natively with Microsoft Teams, Outlook, Microsoft 365, Salesforce, Sansan, Zoom, Cisco Webex Calling, and LINE WORKS, and is API-accessible. Supporting modules include PHONE APPLI PLACE (Wi-Fi/beacon-based location and seat management), PHONE APPLI THANKS (peer recognition cards), PHONE APPLI LINER and LINER W (LINE WORKS/LINE-to-Salesforce connectors), PHONE APPLI CLIENT (caller ID), PHONE APPLI PEOPLE for Salesforce, PHONE APPLI 1on1, and the standalone ManejaS manager support and engagement analytics product. AI features include AI-generated employee profiles, the PAP bot for natural-language expert search via Microsoft 365 Copilot, and turnover/absence prediction in ManejaS.

The company serves primarily large Japanese enterprises with 500+ employees undergoing digital transformation, with a horizontal segmentation approach spanning manufacturing, finance, energy, retail, telecommunications, and information services. As of early 2026, the PEOPLE series had 7,500+ contracted companies and 2.5M+ active users, with a disclosed 98%+ subscription renewal rate. Revenue is generated primarily through per-seat annual subscriptions, supplemented by Salesforce integration options, well-being consulting services, and implementation/customization professional services. Distribution combines direct enterprise field sales with a certified reseller channel led by Ricoh Japan, complemented by Microsoft Marketplace availability and co-marketing with partners including Cisco, Snow Peak Business Solutions, and SB C&S (SoftBank). The company is a Microsoft Gold Partner and has received the Microsoft Japan Partner of the Year award for four consecutive years (2022-2025), and has been certified as a Health Management Excellence Corporation for eight consecutive years.

Phone Appli is a privately held company with ¥398,365,710 in stated capital. Strategic investors include NTT DOCOMO Ventures (lead) and Salesforce Ventures from a 2017 round, and Salesforce from an earlier 2016 round. The company has not publicly disclosed revenue or valuation figures. Leadership includes founder and Representative Director (President & CEO) Yosuke Ishihara, who also appears as the founder-operator referenced in ownership commentary, alongside other Representative Directors and a head of Partner Alliance, ICT Sales, Tech Marketing, and Well-being Consulting departments.

Name

Phone Appli

Legal name

株式会社Phone Appli

Website

https://phoneappli.net

Company type

Private

Founded year

2008

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

101–250 employees

Short description

Phone Appli is a Japanese SaaS provider of PHONE APPLI PEOPLE, a cloud communication portal integrating contacts, presence, skills, and location data with Microsoft Teams, Salesforce, and other enterprise tools. It serves 7,500+ large Japanese enterprises across manufacturing, finance, energy, and telecommunications with subscription-based, per-seat annual contracts and channel-led distribution.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Enterprise Communication Software

NAICS

Custom Computer Programming Services (541511)

SIC

Services-Computer Programming, Data Processing, Etc. (7370), Services-Computer Programming Services (7371)

akta.pro primary industry

Custom Application Development (Web/Mobile/Desktop) (BPAEAFAA)

Keywords

• Enterprise communication software
• Contact management platform
• Employee engagement tools
• Microsoft Teams integration
• Business card management

Headquarters

HQ city

Tokyo

HQ country

Japan

HQ region

Asia

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Software

Cost components

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

Revenue model

1. SaaS Subscription (PHONE APPLI PEOPLE Series): Core revenue from cloud-based communication portal subscription services including PEOPLE, PLACE, THANKS, and related modules. Sold on per-user/per-seat subscription model typically with annual billing.
2. Professional Services (Well-being Consulting): Well-being management consulting services and office consulting to help organizations implement communication reforms and promote employee well-being.
3. Integration Options (Salesforce): Additional subscription fees for Salesforce integration options and specialized adapters like PHONE APPLI LINER W.
4. Enterprise Customization & Implementation: Implementation support and customization services for large enterprise deployments.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion3 records

Distribution channels3 records

Marketing channels6 records

Core offering

Phone Appli builds and sells the PHONE APPLI PEOPLE cloud communication portal, a SaaS platform that aggregates internal contacts, business card data, employee skills, presence status, and office location into a single searchable interface integrated with Microsoft Teams, Outlook, Salesforce, Sansan, Zoom, and Cisco Webex. The platform is sold on a per-seat subscription basis (typically annual billing, quote-based) and is augmented by add-on modules (PLACE, THANKS, LINER W, LINER, CLIENT, 1on1, PEOPLE for Salesforce) plus the standalone ManejaS manager-support tool and well-being consulting services.

Product overview

PHONE APPLI offers a suite of modular cloud-based communication and workplace tools centered on its flagship platform PHONE APPLI PEOPLE. The PEOPLE series forms the core — a communication portal that aggregates contacts, business card data, employee profiles, skills, presence, and location data from multiple external systems (Microsoft Teams, Outlook, Salesforce, Sansan, Zoom) into a single unified interface. Supporting modules include PHONE APPLI PLACE (location/floor management via Wi-Fi and beacons), PHONE APPLI THANKS (peer recognition/greetings cards), PHONE APPLI LINER W and PHONE APPLI LINER (LINE WORKS and LINE-to-Salesforce adapters), PHONE APPLI CLIENT (caller ID screen pop), PHONE APPLI PEOPLE for Salesforce (Salesforce-native version), and PHONE APPLI 1on1 (structured 1-on-1 meeting tool). ManejaS is a standalone manager support product offering engagement surveys, management feedback, personality diagnostics, and turnover/absence prediction. The company also provides consulting services for well-being/health management and professional profile photography. The company pursues a platform-plus-modules strategy, with PEOPLE as the central hub connecting most modules and external tools.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• PHONE APPLI PEOPLE The flagship communication portal platform for large enterprises, aggregating internal contacts, business card data, employee skills, presence status, and location into a single searchable interface. Integrates with Microsoft Teams, Outlook, Salesforce, Sansan, Zoom, and Cisco Webex. Supports AI profile generation and natural-language expert search via PAP bot (Microsoft Copilot plugin).
• PHONE APPLI PLACE Free-address seat/desk management module that uses Wi-Fi and Bluetooth beacons to locate employees within office spaces in real time, supporting hybrid work, ABW environments, and emergency safety confirmation.
• PHONE APPLI THANKS Peer-to-peer gratitude and recognition module where employees send thanks cards with points to colleagues, visibly recognizing contributions, promoting cross-team appreciation, and improving organizational engagement and well-being.
• ManejaS (マネジャス) Survey-based manager support and enablement tool featuring engagement surveys, management feedback, personality tendency diagnostics, and AI-powered turnover/absence detection, providing managers with guided action recommendations to reduce burden and improve team health.
• PHONE APPLI LINER W Connector adapter linking LINE WORKS on the business side with customer-facing LINE accounts, with Salesforce as the unified data layer. Enables 1-to-1 and broadcast messaging, call logging, and Salesforce-based customer interaction history management.
• PHONE APPLI LINER Connector adapter linking LINE official accounts and SMS with Salesforce, enabling businesses to manage LINE-based customer communications directly within Salesforce CRM for unified customer interaction records.
• PHONE APPLI PEOPLE for Salesforce Salesforce-native version of the PEOPLE contact management platform, combining internal organizational directory and contact management with external business card data, delivered on the Salesforce cloud platform.
• PHONE APPLI CLIENT Caller ID and screen-pop application that displays the caller's name and details on screen when a call is received, enabling smooth customer service response without manual caller lookup.
• Well-being Company Survey Free organizational well-being assessment tool that measures employee happiness and organizational culture through structured surveys, providing organizations with a diagnostic baseline for their well-being initiatives.
• Well-being Management Consulting (ウェルビーイング経営コンサルティング) Consulting services supporting organizations in implementing substantive health management and well-being initiatives aligned with business vision, alongside office consulting and profile photography services.
• PHONE APPLI PICS Professional photographer-provided employee profile photo shooting service, enabling organizations to populate their communication portal with consistent, high-quality employee portraits that improve recognition and collaboration.
• PHONE APPLI 1on1 Structured 1-on-1 meeting support tool provided as a companion to PHONE APPLI PEOPLE, enabling hosts (managers) and guests (employees) to conduct regular 1-on-1 sessions with pre-meeting condition check-ins, speaking-ratio analysis, and a manager dashboard for tracking implementation rates.

Quantifiable outcome

• 7,500+ companies using PEOPLE series
• +3 more outcomes

Named customers15 records

Segments3 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed Yes

API detail

Has API

Yes

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Integration12 records

AI capability8 records

Feature10 records

Partnerships

Eight partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• 日本microsoft株式会社 (Microsoft Japan)coreTechnology or Integration · 28 November 2025PHONE APPLI is a Microsoft gold partner and has been recognized with Microsoft Japan Partner of the Year award for 4 consecutive years (2022-2025). The company develops solutions integrated with Microsoft 365, Teams, Outlook, and was selected for the Modern Workplace for Frontline Workers category. PHONE APPLI PEOPLE is listed on Microsoft Marketplace.
• SB C&S (SoftBank)minorChannel Partner/ Reseller/ Distributor · 5 March 2024Distribution partner for ConnecTalk cloud PBX/FMC service integration with PHONE APPLI PEOPLE, announced March 2024.
• リコージャパン株式会社 (Ricoh Japan)coreChannel Partner/ Reseller/ Distributor · 15 March 2022Primary sales channel partner participating in PHONE APPLI STRATEGY for PARTNER events. Ricoh Japan's MA (Managed Appliance) division implements PHONE APPLI solutions for customers.
• ユニアデックス株式会社 (Unexdex)minorStrategic or Co-development Partner · 10 February 2022IT system integrator co-hosting seminars on online-era communication updates. Partners on digital transformation initiatives.
• シスコシステムズ合同会社 (Cisco Systems)coreTechnology or IntegrationCisco integration partner for Webex Calling and unified communications solutions. Joint seminars and events conducted. PHONE APPLI provides web phone directory functionality integrated with Cisco CUCM.
• SalesforcecoreTechnology or IntegrationPHONE APPLI offers Salesforce integration through PHONE APPLI PEOPLE for Salesforce and LINE WORKS adapters (LINER, LINER W). Listed on Salesforce AppExchange.
• スノーピークビジネスソリューションズ (Snow Peak Business Solutions)minorGTM or Marketing PartnerJoint marketing partner for camping office tours and well-being themed events. Co-hosts office experience tours showcasing flexible workstyles.
• NTTコミュニケーションズ株式会社 (NTT Com)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerMajor customer using THANKS for ~25,000 employees post-merger. Joint co-development of well-being and engagement practices. PHONE Com featured at Go Together project.

Scale indicators8 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Direct peers

• Sansan: Sansan is the dominant Japanese business card management and contact SaaS platform (Eight is its consumer arm). It directly overlaps with PHONE APPLI's business card digitization and unified directory capabilities, and is even an integration partner — competing for the same Japanese enterprise communication/contact management wallet.
• atgo: Japanese office seat/workspace management SaaS using QR codes and sensors for free-address and ABW environments — directly overlaps with PHONE APPLI PLACE module. Targets the same hybrid-work-focused enterprise customers in Japan.
• Eight (Sansan): Sansan's consumer-facing business card app with enterprise Eight Team edition — competes with PHONE APPLI's business card management and unified directory features in the Japanese market, particularly for SMB and individual professional segments.

Broad incumbents

• Microsoft Viva: Microsoft's employee experience platform, embedded in Microsoft 365, covering employee communication, engagement, learning, and knowledge management. Directly competes with PHONE APPLI PEOPLE for the same Microsoft 365 enterprise customer base and represents the most significant competitive threat to PHONE APPLI's core positioning.
• Cybozu: Major Japanese office collaboration SaaS provider (Kintone, Garoon, Cybozu Office) serving thousands of Japanese enterprises. While broader in scope, it competes for the same horizontal enterprise communication/workflow budget that PHONE APPLI addresses.
• Slack (Salesforce): Enterprise messaging and communication platform owned by Salesforce, deeply integrated with Salesforce CRM (where PHONE APPLI also integrates). Competes for the same enterprise internal communication use case that PHONE APPLI PEOPLE addresses.
• Zoom Workplace: Zoom's expanded collaboration suite including chat, phone, whiteboard, and AI Companion. Already an integration partner of PHONE APPLI, it also competes in the unified communication space for the same Japanese enterprise customers.

Emerging players

• TeamSpirit: Japanese HR/payroll SaaS platform serving SMB and enterprise customers with attendance, expense, and HR management. Adjacent to PHONE APPLI's well-being/HCM ambitions and could evolve into a more direct competitor in the Japanese employee experience space.
• Lattice: US-based employee engagement and performance management SaaS with strong surveys and 1:1 tools — overlaps directly with PHONE APPLI's ManejaS and 1on1 modules. While geographically distant, both target enterprise HR buyers and could converge on the same employee experience category.
• Culture Amp: Global employee engagement survey and people analytics platform — competes with ManejaS in the engagement survey/manager support category. Targets enterprise HR customers with deeper analytics depth.

Market position

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/phoneappli

Compliance3 records

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles7 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds2 records

Investors3 records

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 Phone Appli