Tsubota Lab

What Tsubota Lab does

Tsubota Lab (株式会社坪田ラボ, TSE Growth ticker 4890) is a Keio University School of Medicine spin-off founded in 2012 that researches and develops pharmaceutical and medical device treatments for myopia, dry eye, presbyopia, keratoconus, and brain/CNS diseases such as depression and dementia. The company operates an academic-originated R&D model, maintaining eight disclosed pipelines spanning early-stage research to clinical trials, and pursues a 'T-type strategy' that simultaneously maximizes value from existing pipelines ('deepening') and discovers new therapeutic seeds ('exploration'). Tsubota Lab does not sell products directly to end users; instead, it generates revenue through co-development contracts with pharmaceutical and medical device partners who fund development in exchange for commercialization rights, supplemented by post-launch royalties on partner-distributed products.

Its commercialized portfolio includes the JINS VIOLET+ lens and JINS PROTECT MOIST moisture eyewear (with JINS Inc.), the violet-light LED notebook computer LAVIE NEXTREME Infinity (with NEC Personal Computers), Clear Vision Junior / Junior EX supplements and Rohto Eye Vision (with Rohto Pharmaceutical), and the SMTube tear-volume diagnostic device (with Echo Denki). A new display-side technology, ReLight Tech, was presented at SID Display Week in June 2026, and a direct-to-consumer cosmetics brand 'aeonia' was launched in April 2026 using the ROBOT PAYMENT SubscPay platform — representing an initial move outside the partner-led distribution model. The company targets global expansion into Asia, America, and Europe through its partner network, while its headquarters remain on the Keio University Shinanomachi Campus in Shinjuku, Tokyo, with 17 employees and ¥825M in paid-in capital as of March 2025.

Name

Tsubota Lab

Legal name

株式会社坪田ラボ

Website

https://tsubota-lab.com

Company type

Public

Founded year

2012

Operating status

Ipo

Headcount range

1–10 employees

Short description

Tsubota Lab is a Keio University School of Medicine spin-off that researches and develops pharmaceutical and medical device treatments for myopia, dry eye, presbyopia, and brain diseases, monetizing discoveries through co-development contracts and royalties with pharmaceutical and medical device partners.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Headquarters

HQ city

Tokyo

HQ country

Japan

HQ region

Asia

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

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

Revenue model

1. Co-development Contract Revenue: Revenue generated from co-development contracts with partner companies who evaluate and co-develop pharmaceutical and medical device products. Partners provide development funding in exchange for commercialization rights.
2. Royalty Revenue: Post-commercialization royalties from partner companies who successfully bring products to market. Revenue is reinvested into new research creating a continuous value creation cycle.

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels1 record

Marketing channels2 records

Core offering

Tsubota Lab is a Keio University-originated pharmaceutical and medical device research and development venture that creates treatments and products for myopia, dry eye, presbyopia, and brain/CNS diseases. It develops validated scientific assets and jointly commercializes them through partner companies via co-development contracts and royalty agreements. End products reaching consumers (eyewear lenses, supplements, LED notebooks, diagnostic devices) are manufactured and sold by partner firms using Tsubota Lab's proprietary science.

Product overview

Tsubota Lab is a Keio University-affiliated venture company developing pharmaceutical and healthcare products for myopia, dry eye, presbyopia, and brain/CNS diseases. The company operates through a T-type strategy combining 'exploitation' (maximizing value of existing pipelines) and 'exploration' (discovering new seeds). Their product portfolio consists of co-developed products with partner companies including: eyeglass lenses (JINS VIOLET+), eye moisturizing devices (JINS PROTECT MOIST), violet light LED computers (NEC), dietary supplements for myopia (Clear Vision Junior by Rohto), digital eye care products (Rohto Eye Vision by Rohto), and tear measurement diagnostic devices (SMTube by Echo Electric). The company generates revenue through joint development contracts and royalty agreements with partner companies.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• JINS VIOLET+ Eyeglass lenses that selectively transmit beneficial violet light while blocking harmful UV and blue light, co-developed with JINS Inc. for myopia prevention and eye-care consumers.
• JINS PROTECT MOIST Moisture-retaining eyewear device with side water tanks that users fill via dropper to moisturize the area around the eyes, co-developed with JINS Inc. for dry eye sufferers.
• Violet Light LED Notebook Computer (LAVIE NEXTREME Infinity) World's first notebook computer equipped with violet light LED in the display area emitting 360-400nm wavelength violet light, co-developed with NEC Personal Computers for myopia-prevention-focused display technology.
• Clear Vision Junior / Clear Vision Junior EX Dietary supplement containing chlorella extract expected to inhibit myopia progression through suppression of eye-axis elongation and refractive index, developed and sold by Rohto Pharmaceutical for myopia prevention in children.
• Rohto Eye Vision Self-care product targeting digital eye fatigue in children caused by smartphone and tablet use, developed and sold by Rohto Pharmaceutical.
• SMTube (Strip Meniscometry Tube) Diagnostic medical device that enables simple, accurate, rapid, and minimally invasive evaluation of tear fluid volume, developed and sold by Echo Denki (Echo Electric Co., Ltd.) for dry eye diagnosis.

Named customers1 record

Segments2 records

Ideal customer profiles1 record

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature1 record

Partnerships

Five partnerships are on record, tiered core.

• JINS Inc.coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerJINS collaborated with Tsubota Lab to develop JINS VIOLET+ lenses featuring proprietary light environment design with violet light transmission technology for myopia prevention, and JINS PROTECT MOIST for dry eye care.
• Rohto Pharmaceutical Co., Ltd.coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerRohto Pharmaceutical developed Clear Vision Junior/EX supplements containing astaxanthin for myopia progression inhibition, and Rohto Eye Vision for digital device-related eye fatigue in children.
• NEC Personal Computers, Ltd.coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerDeveloped world's first violet light LED-equipped notebook computer featuring violet light emission at 360-400nm wavelength, in collaboration with Tsubota Lab's research on light environment and myopia.
• Echo Denki Co., Ltd.coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerEcho Denki developed SMTube (Strip Meniscometry Tube), a diagnostic medical device for simple, accurate, and rapid tear fluid measurement with minimal invasiveness.
• Keio University School of MedicinecoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerFounding academic institution and ongoing research partner. Origin of the company's scientific discoveries and pipeline development. CEO Kazuo Tsubota serves as professor at Keio University.

Scale indicators4 records

Recent moves7 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Direct peers

• Santen Pharmaceutical: Japan's leading specialty ophthalmology pharmaceutical company, focused on prescription drugs for eye diseases including glaucoma, dry eye, and retinal disorders. Comparable to Tsubota Lab as a Japanese-headquartered ophthalmology R&D organization targeting similar disease areas.
• Senju Pharmaceutical: Japanese specialty ophthalmology pharmaceutical company developing prescription and OTC eye care products. Overlaps with Tsubota Lab in dry eye, myopia, and other ocular surface disease research and development.
• Menicon: Japanese contact lens manufacturer with a strong focus on myopia management and orthokeratology. Comparable to Tsubota Lab as a Japan-based company developing solutions for myopia progression and other refractive conditions.
• Nidek: Japanese manufacturer of ophthalmology and optometry equipment, including diagnostic devices. Comparable to Tsubota Lab's SMTube diagnostic device business and broader eye-care medical device development.

Broad incumbents

• Rohto Pharmaceutical: Major Japanese OTC eye care and pharmaceutical company. A current Tsubota Lab partner for supplements and digital eye care products, but also a peer in the broader eye-care consumer health and pharmaceutical market.
• HOYA Corporation: Global Japanese technology company with significant ophthalmology and lens manufacturing operations, including eyeglass lenses and contact lenses. Comparable as a Japan-based eye-care technology and lens developer addressing myopia and presbyopia.
• Alcon: Global leader in eye care spanning surgical, vision care, and pharmaceuticals. Comparable as a broad incumbent pursuing many of the same ophthalmology indications (myopia management, dry eye, presbyopia) that Tsubota Lab is developing.
• Bausch + Lomb: Major global eye health company with portfolio across contact lenses, pharmaceuticals, and surgical devices. Overlaps with Tsubota Lab's interest areas including dry eye, myopia, and ophthalmology devices.
• Otsuka Pharmaceutical: Diversified Japanese pharmaceutical company with ophthalmology and CNS pipelines, including depression treatments. Relevant as a Japanese-headquartered competitor pursuing both eye-care and brain/CNS disease areas that Tsubota Lab is also developing.

Emerging players

• JINS Holdings: Japanese eyewear retailer and now product developer, currently a Tsubota Lab commercial partner for JINS VIOLET+ and JINS PROTECT MOIST. Comparable as a Japanese eyewear company now developing health-focused lens and accessory products for myopia and dry eye.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• YouTubeyoutube.com/@tsubota-lab
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/tsubota-laboratory-inc

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles7 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds1 record

Investors1 record

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 Tsubota Lab