Name

ROBO GARAGE

Legal name

ROBO GARAGE CO., LTD.

Website

https://robo-garage.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

2003

Operating status

Operating

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Consumer Robotics Design and Development

NAICS

Small Electrical Appliance Manufacturing (335210)

SIC

Games, Toys & Children's Vehicles (No Dolls & Bicycles) (3944), Dolls & Stuffed Toys (3942)

akta.pro primary industry

Humanoid & General-Purpose Robots (HDAAAIAJ)

akta.pro secondary industries

Robotics Learning Platforms (EDAFANAB), Robot Hardware, Actuators & Components (sensors, grippers, motors) (HDAAAIAL)

Keywords

• Humanoid robot development
• Robot design services
• Consumer robotics
• Robotics education
• Space robotics research

Headquarters

HQ city

Kyoto

HQ country

Japan

HQ region

Asia

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

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

Distribution channels2 records

Marketing channels2 records

Core offering

ROBO GARAGE designs, engineers, and develops compact humanoid robots that it co-creates with major Japanese and global corporations such as Sharp (RoBoHoN), Panasonic (EVOLTA), JAXA/Toyota (KIROBO), and De Agostini Japan (ROBI). The studio also operates a children's robotics education program (ROBO GARAGE School) within the Human Academy network and offers commissioned development, brand ambassador, and speaking services via inquiry.

Product overview

ROBO GARAGE is a Japanese robotics company founded in April 2003 by robot creator Tomotaka Takahashi, offering a diverse portfolio of humanoid and specialized robots. The portfolio includes flagship consumer products such as RoBoHoN (a smartphone companion humanoid developed with Sharp Corporation and launched in 2016), KIROBO/MIRATA (a space-bound communication robot developed with JAXA, Toyota, and others for the International Space Station, launched in 2013), and ROBI (a DIY assembly humanoid entertainment robot sold via Deagostini Japan magazine kits). The EVOLTA series includes multiple challenge-specific variants (NEO, LE MANS, TRIATHLON, TOKAIDO) designed to demonstrate Panasonic EVOLTA battery performance through extreme endurance challenges. Additional humanoid and character robots in the portfolio include ROPID, CHROINO, NEON, SOTA, MANOI, the multi-model VISION series (4G, TRYZ, NEXTA), TETSUJIN 28GO, TACHIKOMA (Ghost in the Shell franchise), GUNWALKER, ENRYU T-52 (industrial/rescue), and others. The company also offers a robotics school education program for children. Services include development commissions, appearance bookings, lectures, and media coverage requests via an inquiry form.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• RoBoHoN (ロボホン) A compact humanoid robot smartphone companion developed by Tomotaka Takahashi in partnership with Sharp Corporation. Stands approximately 19 cm tall, weighs approximately 390 g, with 13 degrees of freedom. Features phone calls, email, camera, projector, app downloads, map display, walking, getting up from lying down, voice dialogue, and face recognition.
• KIROBO / MIRATA (キロボ／ミラタ) A 34 cm, 980 g humanoid communication robot with 20 degrees of freedom, developed under the JAXA Kibo Robot Project with Toyota, Dentsu, the University of Tokyo, JAXA, and ROBO GARAGE. Features voice recognition, natural language processing, speech synthesis, communicative gestures, face recognition, and a recording camera. Operated aboard the International Space Station and returned after extended mission.
• ROBI (ロビ) A 34 cm, approximately 1 kg humanoid entertainment robot sold as a 70-issue build-it-yourself magazine kit by De Agostini Japan. Features voice recognition with a 200-word vocabulary, communication, dancing, games, fortune-telling entertainment functions, timer, cleaning function, messaging, and TV on/off, channel, and volume control operations.
• EVOLTA (エボルタ) Endurance Demonstration Robots A series of approximately 17 cm humanoid robots made from plastic, carbon, and stainless steel, powered by two AA EVOLTA batteries, created by Tomotaka Takahashi for Panasonic to demonstrate battery longevity. Variants include EVOLTA (climbed a 530 m rope at the Grand Canyon in 6 hours 46 minutes), EVOLTA NEO, EVOLTA LE MANS, EVOLTA TRIATHLON, and EVOLTA TOKAIDO.
• ROBO GARAGE School (ロボット教室) A hands-on robotics education program for children, headed by founder Tomotaka Takahashi, delivered within the Human Academy network (Human Academy Robot School).
• Commissioned robot development, lectures, and brand ambassador appearances Engagement-based services offered to corporate clients via the ROBO GARAGE website 'OFFER' inquiry form, including development commissions (開発依頼), appearance requests (出演依頼), lecture requests (講演依頼), and media interviews (取材依頼).

Quantifiable outcome

• KIROBO successfully operated aboard ISS for extended mission, demonstrating space-grade reliability
• +1 more outcomes

Segments3 records

Ideal customer profiles4 records

Technology focussed Yes

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

AI capability6 records

Feature4 records

Partnerships

14 partnerships are on record, tiered core and supporting.

• Sharp CorporationcoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2016Co-development of RoBoHoN, a compact humanoid robot phone approximately 19cm tall with 13 degrees of freedom, featuring call, mail, camera, projector, and voice dialogue capabilities. RoBoHoN was launched in the first half of 2016.
• Human AcademysupportingGTM or Marketing Partner · 1 January 2014Educational partnership for the Human Academy Robot School, providing robotics education for children. ROBO GARAGE serves as advisor to this program.
• JAXA (Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency)coreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 August 2013Kibo Robot Project partner for the KIROBO robot mission to the International Space Station. KIROBO was launched to ISS in summer 2013 and conducted communication experiments with astronaut Koichi Wakata in the Japanese experiment module Kibo.
• De Agostini JapancoreChannel Partner/ Reseller/ Distributor · 1 January 2013Publisher and distributor of ROBI robot as a 70-issue magazine series with parts and assembly kit. ROBI features voice recognition with 200 words, entertainment functions including dancing, games, and fortune-telling.
• Toyota Motor CorporationcoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2009Co-development partner in the Kibo Robot Project for KIROBO robot development. Toyota contributed to the development of the companion robot for the International Space Station.
• Dentsu Inc.supportingStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2009Advertising agency partner in the Kibo Robot Project for the development of KIROBO companion robot for the International Space Station.
• The University of TokyosupportingStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2009Research partner in the Kibo Robot Project contributing to the development of KIROBO robot for the International Space Station.
• Vstone Co., Ltd.supportingTechnology or Integration · 1 January 2009Technical collaborator in the Kibo Robot Project contributing to the development of KIROBO robot for ISS.
• CrosseffectsupportingTechnology or Integration · 1 January 2009Technical collaborator in the Kibo Robot Project contributing to the development of KIROBO robot for ISS.
• Yukai EngineeringsupportingTechnology or Integration · 1 January 2009Technical collaborator in the Kibo Robot Project contributing to the development of KIROBO robot for ISS.
• Futaba CorporationsupportingTechnology or Integration · 1 January 2009Component supplier and technical collaborator in the Kibo Robot Project contributing to KIROBO development.
• Mitsubishi Heavy IndustriessupportingTechnology or Integration · 1 January 2009Technical collaborator in the Kibo Robot Project contributing to KIROBO robot development for ISS.
• HOYA ServicesupportingTechnology or Integration · 1 January 2009Technical collaborator in the Kibo Robot Project contributing to KIROBO robot development.
• Panasonic CorporationcoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2008Creator of the EVOLTA robot, which demonstrated battery longevity by climbing a 530m rope at Grand Canyon in 6 hours 46 minutes. The robot is approximately 17cm tall and powered by 2 AA EVOLTA batteries.

Recent moves5 records

Expansion highlights4 records

Broad incumbents

• Honda Robotics (ASIMO): Honda's humanoid robotics program pioneered bipedal humanoids (ASIMO). Highly comparable technology and category focus on advanced humanoid robot engineering, though backed by an automaker's resources.
• SoftBank Robotics: SoftBank's humanoid/social robot division (Pepper, NAO) is the most well-known large-scale peer in companion humanoid robotics. Comparable on product category (humanoid companion robots) and target use cases (consumer/business communication), though SoftBank operates at significantly larger scale.
• Sony (AIBO / Robotics): Sony's AIBO and broader robotics program produces consumer companion robots with AI and voice interaction. Comparable as a major Japanese consumer electronics incumbent entering the home robot market with sophisticated engineering and brand resources.
• Aldebaran / United Robotics Group: Developer of NAO and Pepper humanoid platforms with research, education, and retail deployments. Comparable in humanoid companion/communication robotics market with multi-region reach.

Direct peers

• Toyota Research Institute (Humanoid Robotics): Toyota co-developed the KIROBO robot with ROBO GARAGE/JAXA and continues to invest in humanoid and partner robotics. Directly comparable as a co-developer and as a major investor in compact humanoid platform technology.
• Hanson Robotics: Creator of Sophia and other expressive humanoid social robots featuring face recognition, NLP, and conversational AI. Closely comparable on small-scale humanoid companion robots targeting consumer/enterprise brand use cases.
• Vstone Co., Ltd. Japanese robotics firm that built the mechanical platform for KIROBO alongside ROBO GARAGE. Directly comparable as a Japan-based small/mid humanoid and social robotics developer and collaborator.
• Yukai Engineering: Tokyo-based social robot creator (Qoobo, Bocco) and a technical collaborator on KIROBO. Highly comparable as a small Japanese studio building emotional/companion consumer robots with similar hardware and AI modalities.

Emerging players

• Figure AI: US-based general-purpose humanoid robot developer targeting industrial and consumer applications. Comparable category (humanoid robotics) though focused on different end markets and at significantly larger funding scale.
• 1X Technologies: Norwegian humanoid robot developer (Neo) targeting home assistance. Comparable as a humanoid platform play with consumer-facing ambitions, though operating with substantially more capital and in a different geography.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses4 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/robogarage

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 ROBO GARAGE