What Impress does

Impress Corporation (株式会社インプレス) is a Tokyo-headquartered Japanese media and publishing company founded in 1992 and operating as a subsidiary of Impress Holdings Corporation. The company runs three integrated business segments: net media and services (the Watch series of 19+ specialized web media properties covering IT, consumer electronics, digital cameras, gaming, automotive, drones, AI, manga, and hobbies, plus Watch Video); publishing and electronic publishing (notably the できる / Dekiru how-to book series with 75 million+ cumulative copies sold and the monthly デジタルカメラマガジン with 60,000 circulation); and business media targeting IT and digital marketing professionals (IT Leaders, Web担当者Forum, Think IT, クラウド Watch, DIGITAL X). It is self-described as having the largest access volume among domestic IT/consumer electronics web media properties in Japan.

Impress generates revenue through five primary streams: web advertising across consumer and B2B media properties (banner ads, native articles, email, sponsored content); book and magazine publishing distributed through retail and online channels; custom publishing and content production services for enterprise clients (manuals, promotional booklets, white papers, branded media) — with disclosed customers including Microsoft Japan, KDDI, Adobe Japan, Lenovo Japan, UiPath, Casio, NEC Personal Computers, and Chiba Bank; event sponsorship and seminars (Web担当者Forum Meeting, AI×EC Day, CloudNative Days, IoT Security Forum, Drone Journal Conference, Impress Academy); and structured lead generation services with tiered pricing (minimum ¥350,000 packages, ¥7,000–¥20,000 per lead by attribute match rate) plus private seminar support starting at ¥4.5M. The company sells both via direct enterprise sales and self-serve online channels, reaching IT professionals, consumer electronics enthusiasts, DX/IT vendors, and general consumers learning digital skills. JICDAQ brand-safety and invalid-traffic certification (January 2026) and third-party auditing via Japan ABC support advertiser trust.

Underlying technology is a web-based digital media publishing platform spanning 19+ specialized content management systems, an e-book and digital publishing infrastructure, and a video streaming service (Watch Video). Notable proprietary assets include the Dekiru content library (75M+ copies), established email subscriber lists (Web担当者Forum: 135,796; Think IT: 65,456; クラウド Watch: 49,962), and third-party-verified audience metrics. Recent strategic activity centers on AI-category coverage (AI Watch launch), brand-safety certification, productization of B2B lead generation and event services, and build-out of adjacent platforms including Impress Business Library (vendor matching) and Impress Research Institute (market reports on ebooks, drones, EC, data centers).

Name

Impress

Legal name

株式会社インプレス

Website

https://impress.co.jp

Company type

Private

Founded year

1992

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

101–250 employees

Short description

Impress Corporation is a Tokyo-headquartered Japanese media and publishing company operating 19+ specialized web media properties, a how-to book franchise (75M+ cumulative copies), B2B business media, custom publishing, and event/lead-generation services for enterprise technology vendors and IT/consumer-electronics audiences across Japan.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Digital Media Publishing

NAICS

Advertising Agencies (54181), Periodical Publishers (513120)

SIC

Services-Advertising Agencies (7311), Services-Advertising (7310), Miscellaneous Publishing (2741)

akta.pro primary industry

Large-Format & Specialty Printing (Signage, Posters, Displays) (MPAJALAD)

Keywords

• Digital media publishing
• Technology news websites
• B2B business media
• Custom publishing services
• Lead generation advertising

Headquarters

HQ city

Tokyo

HQ country

Japan

HQ region

Asia

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2B and B2C

Offering type

Digital Commerce or Content

Cost components

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

Revenue model

1. Advertising Revenue: Web advertising through multiple media properties including banner ads, native articles, email advertising, and sponsored content. Consumer media includes Impress Watch, PC Watch, AV Watch, and others. Business media includes IT Leaders, Web担当者Forum, クラウド Watch.
2. Book and Magazine Publishing: Traditional and digital book publishing including the できる series (75 million copies), technical books, and magazines such as デジタルカメラマガジン (60,000 circulation). Revenue from book sales through bookstores and online retailers.
3. Custom Publishing Services: Custom publishing and content creation services for corporate clients including manuals, promotional booklets, white papers, and branded content. Pricing varies by project scope.
4. Event Sponsorship and Lead Generation: Corporate event sponsorship opportunities and targeted lead generation services. Pricing starts at ¥350,000 for minimum lead packages, with tiered pricing based on target attribute match rates (¥7,000-¥20,000 per lead).

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion3 records

Distribution channels5 records

Marketing channels7 records

Core offering

Impress Corporation operates a diversified media and publishing portfolio spanning consumer-facing web media properties (the Watch series including Impress Watch, PC Watch, AI Watch and 19+ specialized sites), B2B business media (IT Leaders, Web担当者Forum, Think IT, クラウド Watch), book and magazine publishing (the できる how-to series with 75M+ cumulative copies, デジタルカメラマガジン magazine), custom publishing services for enterprise clients, lead generation, event sponsorship, and market research through Impress Research Institute.

Product overview

Impress Corporation operates a diversified media portfolio spanning consumer-focused digital news websites, B2B professional media platforms, and publishing services. The core Watch media series (including Impress Watch, PC Watch, AI Watch, and 21 other specialty sites) provides technology news and reviews. The publishing division includes the 'できるシリーズ' how-to books (75 million+ copies) and digital magazines. B2B services encompass IT Leaders, Web担当者Forum, Think IT, and cloud-focused media, supported by research (Impress Research Institute) and training services (Impress Academy). Custom publishing and business matching (Impress Business Library) extend the company's reach into enterprise content solutions.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Impress Watch
• PC Watch Long-running PC-focused news website launched in July 1996, covering consumer products, technology trends, and industry commentary for PC enthusiasts.
• AKIBA PC Hotline! Akihabara-focused technology news site since 1998, providing PC parts, new products, shop information, and deals.
• Watch Video Video streaming service featuring programs hosted by popular writers demonstrating products, hands-on reviews, and event coverage.
• AI Watch Comprehensive AI information site covering latest AI trends, generative AI basics, and practical business applications for beginners.
• できるシリーズ (Dekiru Series) Bestselling computer how-to book series with over 75 million cumulative copies sold, providing step-by-step visual instruction for PC and digital device beginners.
• デジタルカメラマガジン (Digital Camera Magazine) Monthly digital camera magazine providing latest camera reviews, photography techniques, and digital photo workflow guidance; 60,000 circulation, ¥1,300 per issue.
• インプレスブックス (Impress Books) Book and magazine sales portal showcasing Impress publications across IT, PC, digital products, and technology topics.
• IT Leaders B2B media targeting CIOs and IT executives, providing IT implementation insights, DX case studies, and IT talent development content.
• クラウド Watch (Cloud Watch) Daily cloud services and products news site launched in 2010 (evolved from Enterprise Watch), targeting cloud computing professionals.
• Web担当者Forum Digital marketing practice site for corporate web managers covering website building, operations, utilization, and marketing strategies.
• Think IT Technology information site for IT engineers covering OSS and essential tech knowledge, active since 2004.
• DIGITAL X Digital transformation media platform addressing challenges in creating new business mechanisms through IoT, AI, and cloud technologies.
• インプレス総合研究所 (Impress Research Institute) Impress think tank conducting market research reports on ebooks, drones, EC, data centers, and commissioned research studies.
• Impress Business Library Business matching platform connecting product/service buyers with vendors for evaluation and comparison.
• インプレスアカデミー (Impress Academy) Seminar service leveraging Impress expertise for business problem-solving and career development at practical levels.
• カスタム出版サービス (Custom Publishing Service) Custom publishing service creating promotional booklets, manuals, and owned media using Impress editorial expertise for enterprise clients.

Quantifiable outcome

• Multiple media properties achieve hundreds of thousands to millions of monthly page views, enabling significant advertising reach

Named customers13 records

Segments4 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed Yes

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

AI capability2 records

Feature3 records

Partnerships

Two partnerships are on record, tiered core.

• JICDAQ (Japan Institute for Promotion of Digital Economy and Society)coreOthers · 15 January 2026Impress obtained JICDAQ certification for Brand Safety and Invalid Traffic countermeasures, demonstrating commitment to advertising quality standards and brand safety for advertisers.
• Japan Audit Bureau of Circulations (Japan ABC)coreOthers · 15 January 2026Impress undergoes third-party verification through Japan ABC, an industry organization for advertising and circulation auditing, to validate advertising metrics and publication data.

Scale indicators13 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Broad incumbents

• Gartner: Gartner is a global research and advisory firm producing IT research, conferences, and peer networks for enterprise technology buyers. Impress Research Institute and Impress event business have comparable research-plus-events monetization, though Gartner operates at vastly larger scale and pricing tiers.
• Shogakukan: Shogakukan is a major Japanese publishing conglomerate producing books, magazines, and digital content across consumer and professional segments. It overlaps with Impress's publishing and digital media operations but operates at significantly larger scale across broader content categories.
• ZDNet (Red Ventures): ZDNet is a global B2B technology media property covering enterprise IT, cloud, and digital transformation. While larger and global in scope, it competes with Impress's IT Leaders and Cloud Watch properties for Japanese IT decision-maker attention and advertising share.
• IDG Communications: IDG is a global technology media, events, and research company producing branded content (CIO, Computerworld, PCWorld) for enterprise IT and consumer audiences. It is comparable to Impress's integrated media + events + research business model across B2B and consumer tech verticals.
• Kadokawa Corporation: Kadokawa is one of Japan's largest diversified media and publishing conglomerates producing books, magazines, web media, games, and education content. While much larger and broader than Impress, it overlaps on book publishing and web media operations, with greater scale and digital transformation capabilities.

Direct peers

• TechTarget: TechTarget is a global B2B technology media company operating vertical-specific web properties, lead generation, and vendor channel programs targeting enterprise IT buyers. It is directly comparable to Impress's B2B business media division (IT Leaders, Think IT, Cloud Watch) and lead generation services business model.
• Nikkei BP: Nikkei BP is a major Japanese B2B technology publisher producing magazines, web media, events, and books across IT, electronics, and business management. It directly competes with Impress in business media, publishing, and event/conference businesses targeting Japanese enterprise IT decision-makers.
• ASCII Corporation: ASCII is a Japanese technology media and publishing company operating web properties and magazines covering IT, consumer electronics, and digital content. It competes with Impress's Watch media network and publishing division for Japanese tech-media audience and advertising revenue.
• ITmedia: ITmedia is a leading Japanese technology media network operating multiple specialized web properties covering enterprise IT, consumer electronics, and digital transformation. It directly competes with Impress's Watch media network for IT/CE audience and B2B advertising budgets in Japan.

Emerging players

• Maker Media (Make: / Maker Faire): Maker Media produces the Make: brand of DIY/maker publications, online content, and Maker Faire events. It shares Impress's event-driven, niche-audience enthusiast model in hobby/electronics verticals, with overlapping coverage of consumer technology enthusiasts and maker communities in Japan.

Market position

Strengths2 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Xtwitter.com/impress_watch
• Facebookfacebook.com/impress.watchheadline

Compliance2 records

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles1 record

Subsidiaries3 records

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 Impress