Know

What Know does

Know Inc. (ノウ株式会社) is a Tokyo-based multidisciplinary consulting and product development firm founded on December 28, 2018, operating from Nerima, Tokyo with registered capital of ¥2,000,000. The company runs a dual business model comprising (i) client-funded project services categorized across four lines — IDEATION, CREATE EVERYTHING, TECHNICAL DIRECTION, and BUSINESS DEVELOPMENT — covering the full lifecycle from problem framing and concept development through production, launch, and ongoing operations; and (ii) self-developed products and services built from real-life challenges identified through the firm's work. The client services portfolio spans enterprise and government engagements with logos including Asahi Kasei Homes, the Seibu Group (Ide Corporation, Seibu Real Estate, Seibu Holdings, Seibu Recreation), Citizen Watch, Panasonic AIS, Deloitte, and the Nerima Ward Tourism Center.

The company's flagship self-developed product is Multilingual Concierge, a RAG-based AI chatbot SaaS for hotels that automatically detects guest language (Japanese, English, Chinese, Korean) and generates responses grounded only in hotel-registered knowledge to prevent hallucination; pricing is ¥800,000 initial setup plus ¥30,000/month per property, deployable via web, in-room tablets, lobby screens, or LINE/WhatsApp. Beyond SaaS, the firm operates a portfolio of own ventures: _CONVENI (バーコンビニ), a station-tenant retail/community space at Shakujii-koen Station; Happarogi (いきるためのスパイス), a craft spice product for selective eating launched via READYFOR crowdfunding with stretch goal achieved; R, a sustainable living share-house/community space co-operated with ShareReal LLC; UMIMIRU, a beach/ocean monitoring web app deployed with Nihon Unisys; and OR, an ocean research media platform.

Revenue mechanics combine project-based professional services (strategy, design, production, IoT, event operations) with SaaS subscription fees (Multilingual Concierge) and direct consumer product sales (Happarogi, _CONVENI retail). Distribution is domestic Japan only, primarily Kanto region, sourced through direct enterprise outreach, website portfolio referrals, and partner networks. The company is bootstrapped with no disclosed funding rounds, no parent company, and a founder-led management structure (Fukatsu Yasuyuki).

Name

Know

Legal name

ノウ株式会社

Website

https://know-corp.jp

Company type

Private

Founded year

2018

Operating status

Operating

Short description

Know Inc. is a Tokyo-based multidisciplinary consulting and product development firm that provides end-to-end project services (ideation, design, production, operations) to enterprises and government, while also building a portfolio of self-developed products including Multilingual Concierge AI hotel SaaS, _CONVENI station retail, and Happarogi spice product.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Business Consulting Services

NAICS

Management Consulting Services (54161), Custom Computer Programming Services (541511), Software Publishers (5132), Computer Systems Design Services (541512)

SIC

Services-Management Consulting Services (8742), Services-Prepackaged Software (7372), Services-Computer Programming, Data Processing, Etc. (7370)

akta.pro primary industry

Integrated Full-Service Creative Agencies (MPAAAAAA)

akta.pro secondary industries

Technical Enablement & Adoption Services (Change Management, Adoption, Champions) (BPAEANAC), Full-Service Event Planning & Production (HSACAAAA)

Keywords

• Business consulting services
• Digital production services
• Multilingual chatbot software
• Sustainable community design
• Brand development services

Headquarters

HQ city

Tokyo

HQ country

Japan

HQ region

Asia

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

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

Revenue model

1. Professional Services / Project-Based Consulting: End-to-end project services from ideation through design, development, and operations. Covers strategy, web/app/video production, IoT, events, space design, and operational support for client projects.
2. SaaS Subscription — Multilingual Concierge: Initial setup and build fee of ¥800,000 per property or brand, plus ¥30,000 per month for ongoing operations including maintenance, support, and AI usage. Additional languages available by consultation.
3. Own Brand Products: Self-developed products including Multilingual Concierge SaaS, BarConveni retail/convenience concept, Happarogi spice product, UMIMIRU beach monitoring service, and OR ocean research web media.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion2 records

Distribution channels5 records

Marketing channels5 records

Core offering

know Inc. delivers end-to-end consulting and production services from ideation through design, development, and operations for enterprise and government clients, covering strategy, web/app/video production, IoT, events, space design, DX/UX, and business model design. In parallel, the company develops and operates its own products born from real-life challenges, including Multilingual Concierge (RAG-based AI multilingual hotel concierge SaaS), _CONVENI station retail, Happarogi craft spice, R sustainable living community, UMIMIRU ocean monitoring app, and OR ocean research web media.

Product overview

Know Inc. operates a dual business model: it develops and operates its own SaaS products and services, and provides client-facing design/production/consulting services. Its primary own product is Multilingual Concierge (Hotel Concierge), a RAG-based AI chatbot SaaS for hotels offering 24-hour multilingual support. Beyond SaaS, Know has developed self-owned ventures including Happalogi spice products, _CONVENI (バーコンビニ) station retail space, the R sustainable living community platform, UMIMIRU ocean monitoring web app, and OR web media. On the client services side, Know offers IDEATION (concept/strategy consulting), CREATE EVERYTHING (production services across web, apps, video, events, IoT), TECHNICAL DIRECTION (technical advisory), and BUSINESS DEVELOPMENT (new business execution) — covering the full lifecycle from ideation to operations.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• Multilingual Concierge: AI-powered multilingual hotel concierge service using RAG-based chat technology to answer guest inquiries in Japanese, English, Chinese, Korean and other languages 24/7.
• _CONVENI（バーコンビニ）
• いきるためのスパイス / Happarogi（ハッパローギ）
• R（アーーーーール）
• UMIMIRU（ウミミル）
• OR（オーシャンズ・リサーチ）

Products and services

• Multilingual Concierge A RAG-based AI chatbot SaaS for hotels that automatically detects guest language and responds in the same language using only the hotel's registered official information, providing 24-hour multilingual front-desk support with knowledge base management and hallucination prevention.
• IDEATION Consulting Service Consulting service accompanying clients from the stage where ideas are not yet organized, covering project/business organization, issue verbalization and hypothesis building, and concept/approach design.
• CREATE EVERYTHING Production Service Production services covering web/app/video/event production, team composition and direction, and post-release improvement and operational design, including IoT devices and installation/production services.
• TECHNICAL DIRECTION Advisory Service Technical advisory and direction for organizations lacking in-house web/system decision-makers, bridging production companies, organizing requirements and specification decisions, and designing with operations in mind.
• BUSINESS DEVELOPMENT Service New business and initiative development service that goes beyond planning to actual implementation, covering prototyping, verification, improvement, and post-launch operational support.
• _CONVENI (バーコンビニ) Community-oriented station tenant retail space at Shakujii-koen Station West Exit repurposing a former convenience store into a 'third place' connecting the station with local daily life through curated regional products, pop-up events, and farmers market activities.
• Happarogi (いきるためのスパイス) A custom craft spice product developed for families dealing with selective eating, particularly children with developmental traits, born from founder Fukatsu's personal experience with his autistic twins. Achieved crowdfunding stretch goal via READYFOR.
• R (Sustainable Living Experiment Space) A sustainable living experimental community combining share house, co-working, community space, and cafe facilities using recycled materials from demolition, co-operated with ShareReal LLC.
• UMIMIRU (ウミミル) A web application using fixed-point observation devices to monitor beach and ocean conditions for marine debris tracking, deployed in partnership with Nihon Unisys for nationwide beach installations as part of Project Ikaku.
• OR (Ocean's Research) A web media platform that researches ocean-related social issues and solutions, provides information on marine debris reduction activities, data analysis support via AI image recognition, and PR/creative support for ocean conservation projects.

Quantifiable outcome

• Multilingual Concierge: significantly reduces multilingual front desk workload by handling 24/7 guest inquiries automatically
• +3 more outcomes

Named customers13 records

Segments3 records

Ideal customer profiles2 records

Technology focussed Yes

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

AI capability4 records

Feature4 records

Partnerships

Twelve partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• 伊藤東凌 (Toryo Ito)coreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2025Zen monk and meditation instructor (Deputy Head of Ryozen-in Temple, Kennin-ji, Kyoto) who co-created the Sauna Meditation experience program at Toshimaen Niwa no Yu with Know Inc. Ito designed and recorded the audio meditation program for the experience. He has instructed over 200,000 people in zazen meditation globally.
• 橋本健太郎 / ハシケン84ken (Kentaro Hashimoto)minorStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2025Sauna culture practitioner and specialist who provided sauna expertise for the Toshimaen Niwa no Yu Sauna Meditation co-produced with Know Inc. and Ito Toryo.
• AFFORDANCE Inc.minorImplementation/ SI/ Consulting Partner · 1 January 2025Package design partner for Happarogi spice product (いきるためのスパイス ハッパローギ). Also collaborated on BarConveni store graphic design.
• 白石農園 (Shiraishi Farm)minorStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2025A 350-year-old farming family in Otsuka, Nerima, who partnered with Know Inc. on the plastic-free vegetable stand initiative using edible ink on produce, as part of Know's own social/sustainability projects.
• ADDReC Inc.minorChannel Partner/ Reseller/ Distributor · 1 January 2023ADDReC commissioned Know Inc. to design DX for Corrugated House — a unique guest accommodation — preserving the architectural philosophy while delivering a modern guest experience. Know's DX design enables ADDReC to offer a differentiated hospitality product.
• 日本ユニシス株式会社 (Nihon Unisys)coreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2021Partnership for UMIMIRU (ウミミル) beach monitoring service — Nihon Unisys collaborates with Know Inc. to deploy UMIMIRU fixed-point observation devices at beaches and coastal areas nationwide. Know handles product planning and production; Nihon Unisys provides operational infrastructure as a partner in the service.
• 合同会社シェアリアル (ShareReal LLC)coreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2020Joint venture partner on the 'R' sustainable living experiment share house project. ShareReal handles share house operations; Know provides concept development, graphic/web design, and area management operations.
• 株式会社ロフトワーク (Loftwork)coreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2019Joint production partnership on the LIFE RELAY PROJECT with Panasonic at Fujisawa SST smart town. Know handled content planning, mockup production, exhibition fabrication, and pilot experiment support. Loftwork led overall project management and design direction.
• 日本財団 (Japan Foundation)coreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2019Co-organizer of Project Ikaku (プロジェクト・イッカク) alongside JASTO and Levenes (リバネス), which produced the UMIMIRU beach monitoring app and OR ocean research web media.
• JASTOcoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2019Co-organizer of Project Ikaku alongside the Japan Foundation and Levenes, producing UMIMIRU and OR ocean research media.
• 株式会社リバネス (Levenes)coreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2019Co-organizer of Project Ikaku alongside the Japan Foundation and JASTO, producing UMIMIRU and OR ocean research media.
• 西武鉄道株式会社 (Seibu Railway)minorStrategic or Co-development PartnerCollaborator on multiple regional projects including PLAY!高架下 (under-elevated-space provisional utilization) and BarConveni at Shakujii Park Station. Seibu Railway provides space and coordination support for community-activating initiatives.

Scale indicators2 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Direct peers

• Whistle: Japanese SaaS provider of AI-powered hotel concierge and guest communication tools. Directly competes with Know's Multilingual Concierge for the same hotel-chain buyers with overlapping multilingual chatbot functionality.
• Asilla: Japanese AI vendor specializing in behavior-recognition and applied AI solutions including hospitality/retail use cases. Overlaps with Know on enterprise AI deployment into Japanese physical-operations customers.
• PARTY: Tokyo creative agency producing integrated brand, digital, and experience design work for major Japanese corporates. Comparable in producing multidisciplinary creative deliverables (web/video/events/IOT) for premium enterprise clients.
• Takram: Tokyo-based design innovation and consulting firm working at the intersection of design, technology, and business strategy for Japanese enterprise clients. Comparable in size, multidisciplinary offering, and premium-client positioning.
• NOSIGNER: Tokyo-based design strategy consultancy with practice areas spanning product, brand, and social innovation. Comparable in boutique scale, multidisciplinary offering, and premium Japanese enterprise clientele.
• Loftwork: Japanese multidisciplinary creative firm offering ideation, design, technology, and community-driven project execution — closely mirrors Know's integrated model. Already an active Know partner on Panasonic's Fujisawa SST initiative, reinforcing direct comparability on capability and customer set.

Broad incumbents

• Sun Asterisk: Full-stack digital transformation firm offering strategy, design, engineering, and operated services. Comparable to Know's integrated service stack and similar target customer base of Japanese enterprises seeking DX support.
• Hakuhodo: Japan's second-largest advertising agency with broad creative, digital, and consulting capabilities. Serves as the incumbent alternative for Japanese enterprise clients seeking integrated creative + technology + consulting work at much larger scale.
• Relic: Japanese DX and new-business consulting firm covering ideation through prototype and operation. Operates at larger scale than Know but overlaps on the integrated ideation-to-launch service model for enterprise and government clients.

Emerging players

• Hmcomm: Japanese applied AI company providing voice recognition and conversational AI products to enterprise customers. Comparable as a domestic Japanese AI SaaS vendor competing for the same enterprise AI-budget pool.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

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 Know