What HLAB does

HLAB (株式会社エイチラボ / 一般社団法人HLAB) is a Japan-based hybrid educational organization founded in 2011 by Ryosuke Kobayashi and peers from Hitotsubashi, Tokyo, and Harvard universities, structured as a for-profit operating company (株式会社エイチラボ, est. February 24, 2017) alongside a non-profit general incorporated association (一般社団法人HLAB, est. December 15, 2014). It delivers residential liberal-arts education to Japanese high-school and university students through a peer-mentorship, House System model adapted from Harvard freshman seminars and the Harkness-method discussion tradition. The product portfolio spans the annual HLAB Summer School (1-week residential programs in 8+ Japanese prefectures with ~160 participants in the 2026 cycle), SHIMOKITA COLLEGE (Japan's first independent residential college, 102 rooms in Shimokitazawa, opened December 2020 jointly with Odakyu Electric Railway and UDS, housing ~100 residents), the year-long Leadership Program for university-student organizers, the Liberal Arts HUT program co-developed with the U.S. Embassy, the Yanai Tadashi Foundation overseas scholarship (up to ~¥32M / 4 years per scholar for U.S. university admission), and B2B corporate human-resource development programs delivered via a five-step consultative process.

The underlying technology stack is intentionally low-tech at the pedagogy layer — small-group seminars, intergenerational dialogue, and residential community operations — augmented by conventional digital touchpoints including the my.HLAB member and donation portal, Google Forms application workflows, Peatix event pages, and METI's STEAM Library video courses. There is no public API, SDK, or AI/ML capability of note. The business model combines participant fees (Summer School ¥132,000–154,000 covering only ~25–30% of true ¥350–400k cost), recurring donations and supporter memberships (from ¥1,000/month), residential college rent (¥36,500–95,000+/month at SHIMOKITA; legacy THE HOUSE closed February 2021), B2B professional-services fees (corporate HR development, government-commissioned programs), and grant/sponsorship funding from entities including METI, the Yanai Tadashi Foundation, the Toyota Mobility Foundation, and SoftBank/Mitsui/Mitsubishi/Panasonic.

Customers span four segments: B2C high-school and university students (distributed, low individual value); B2G local governments (Onagawa, Obuse, Tokushima, Yusuhara, Gunma) and universities (Yamanashi Gakuin, KADOKAWA DWANGO Academy/N High); B2B corporations (SoftBank, Mitsui, Panasonic, Mitsubishi) purchasing residential and HR programs; and B2I institutional partners (U.S. Embassy, METI, Yanai Foundation, Schwarzman Scholars, Phillips Exeter Academy) co-developing and co-funding programs. The organization reports 4,300+ alumni across 150 universities, 5,200+ mentors in the Leaders' Community, and 16 consecutive years of Summer School operations.

Name

HLAB

Legal name

株式会社エイチラボ (HLAB, Inc.)

Website

https://h-lab.co

Company type

Private

Founded year

2011

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

HLAB is a Japan-based hybrid educational organization (for-profit + non-profit) founded in 2011 that delivers residential liberal-arts education to Japanese high-school and university students through Summer Schools, the SHIMOKITA COLLEGE residential college, a year-long Leadership Program, and B2B corporate HR development, using a peer-mentorship House System model adapted from Harvard.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Residential Liberal Arts Education

NAICS

Educational Services (611), Colleges, Universities, and Professional Schools (6113), Business Schools and Computer and Management Training (6114)

SIC

Services-Educational Services (8200), Services-Management Consulting Services (8742), Services-Social Services (8300)

akta.pro primary industry

Hybrid, Multi-Location & Multi-Country Study Abroad Programs (EDAIAAAE)

akta.pro secondary industries

Academic Program Housing (Study Abroad, Language Schools, Field Schools) (THAMAGAE), Faculty-Led & Custom Group Study Abroad Programs (EDAIAAAA), Online/Hybrid Lifelong Learning Platforms & Open Enrollment Programs (EDAAAEAL)

Keywords

• Residential liberal arts education
• Summer school programs
• Residential college services
• Corporate training programs
• Youth leadership development

Headquarters

HQ city

Tokyo

HQ country

Japan

HQ region

Asia

Offices3 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2B and B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

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

Revenue model

1. Summer School Participant Fees: Direct fees paid by high-school students attending ~1-week residential programs (Tokyo: ¥154,000 incl. tax; Miyagi-Onagawa: ¥132,000 incl. tax in 2026). Fees cover lodging, meals, insurance, and program costs; actual program cost is ¥350-400k per participant, with the gap funded by donations/sponsorships.
2. Residential College Rent (SHIMOKITA COLLEGE / NODE GROWTH / THE HOUSE): Monthly rent paid by residents of operated residential colleges. Examples: NODE GROWTH Shonandai from ¥36,500+/month; THE HOUSE Naka-Meguro private rooms ¥95,000+, shared ¥50,000. Operating-partner model with Odakyu and UDS at SHIMOKITA COLLEGE.
3. Donations / Supporter Membership: Monthly supporter membership from ¥1,000 and one-time donations via my.HLAB portal (credit card). Used to cross-subsidize Summer School participation and scholarships so participants pay roughly 25-30% of true program cost.
4. Corporate Human-Resource Development Programs: Customized retreat + online training programs for corporations and schools/municipalities, built on the peer-mentorship and house-system methodology. Examples include a 2-night/3-day kickoff for U.S.-bound scholarship students and "Beyond HLAB" programs for young professionals.
5. Cross-Border Educational Programs (HLAB × Exeter): One-time tuition for collaborative residential programs such as the 9-night/10-day HLAB × Phillips Exeter Academy program at ¥250,000 (tax excluded), covering lodging, meals, and transportation during the program.
6. Consulting Services for Educational Institutions: Program design, public-relations, and operational consulting for schools, municipalities, and corporations (e.g., design of international dormitories for Yamanashi Gakuin University, scholarship program design for the Yanai Foundation).

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion5 records

Distribution channels5 records

Marketing channels8 records

Core offering

HLAB runs residential liberal arts education programs for Japanese high-school and university students centered on a peer-mentorship "House System" imported from Harvard freshman seminars and Harkness-method discussions. The portfolio includes a flagship ~1-week Summer School delivered across multiple Japanese regions, Japan's first standalone residential college (SHIMOKITA COLLEGE in Shimokitazawa, Tokyo), a yearlong Leadership Program for university-student organizers, an overseas-study scholarship operated with the Yanai Tadashi Foundation, and customized corporate human-resource development programs. Programs are designed around cross-generational and cross-national diversity, leveraging a 4,300+ alumni network across 150 universities and a 5,200-person mentor base.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• HLAB Summer School: Yearly residential liberal-arts summer program for high-school students, launched 2011, now operating in Tokyo and Miyagi-Onagawa.
• SHIMOKITA COLLEGE
• HLAB Leadership Program
• Liberal Arts HUT
• HLAB Overseas Scholarship
• NODE GROWTH Shonandai
• THE HOUSE by HLAB
• HLAB × Exeter

Products and services

• HLAB Summer School (リベラルアーツ・サマースクール) HLAB's flagship ~1-week residential liberal arts program for high-school students combining Liberal Arts Seminars, Forum (guest lectures), Free Interaction (intergenerational dialogue), Workshop, and a small-group House System modeled on Harvard freshman seminars. Delivered annually across multiple Japanese regions including Tokyo, Miyagi-Onagawa, Obuse (Nagano), Tokushima, and others; Tokyo 2026 fee ¥154,000 incl. tax (capacity ~90); Miyagi-Onagawa 2026 fee ¥132,000 incl. tax (capacity ~72).
• SHIMOKITA COLLEGE (シモキタカレッジ) Japan's first independent residential college, operated jointly with Odakyu Electric Railway and UDS in Shimokitazawa, Tokyo. Houses ~100 high-school, university, and working-professional residents for two-year programs (three-month for high-school Boarding Program) featuring peer-mentorship, Liberal Arts Seminars, Forums, and region-engaged projects.
• Leadership Program (リーダーシップ・プログラム) Yearlong university-student program in which participants plan, fundraise, and operate HLAB's Summer School over ~6 months across seven role tracks (Admissions, Event, Media, Creative, Finance, Program Design, Training). Designed to develop leadership, peer-mentorship, and project-management skills among domestic and international students; free to participate with subsidized transportation, lodging, and meals.
• Liberal Arts HUT (powered by アメリカ大使館 & HLAB) One-day in-person (and seasonal online) English-language liberal-arts program for junior-high and high-school students, co-developed with the U.S. Embassy. Provides U.S.-university-student-led seminars, info sessions, and roundtable sessions to introduce American university-style learning and study-abroad pathways.
• HLAB × Phillips Exeter Academy Program 9-night/10-day residential cross-border program co-hosted with Phillips Exeter Academy across Kyoto, Hiroshima, and Tokyo. Designed for ~15 Japanese high-school students and 10 Exeter students using Harkness-method discussions around peace, culture, and global citizenship, culminating in group-produced video presentations. Fee ¥250,000 (tax excluded).
• Yanai Tadashi Foundation Overseas Scholarship (柳井正財団海外奨学金) Scholarship program operated in cooperation with the Yanai Tadashi Foundation to support Japanese high-school students matriculating at top U.S. universities. HLAB designs the program, participates in selection, and runs the mentor community; provides up to ~32 million yen (~USD 280k) over four years per scholar.
• Corporate Human Resource Development (総合教育ソリューション) B2B offering adapting HLAB's peer-mentorship and liberal-arts methodology for corporate training. Covers new-hire onboarding, junior/mid-career leadership development, vision-making, cross-generational mentoring, and community building through residential retreats and online training programs for corporations, schools, and municipalities.
• Good Life on Earth (UTokyo One Earth Guardians × Toyota Mobility Foundation × HLAB) Idea-to-implementation program co-run with the University of Tokyo One Earth Guardians program and the Toyota Mobility Foundation, supporting high-school and first/second-year university students' climate- and life-focused ideas with mentoring from UTokyo faculty, research-lab access, and funding. HLAB provides operational support and SHIMOKITA COLLEGE residency opportunities for selected participants.
• HLAB STEAM Library Content (METI Future Classroom) Two video-based educational units produced for Japan's METI "Future Classroom" STEAM Library: "Consensus Building through Conflicting Opinions" (using the Onagawa post-disaster reconstruction case) and "Solving Climate Change through Human-Centered Innovation" (supervised by UTokyo Associate Professor Komatsuzaki). Targeted at high-school classroom adoption and independent student inquiry.

Quantifiable outcome

• 4,300+ alumni across 150 universities since 2011
• +5 more outcomes

Named customers16 records

Ideal customer profiles4 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Integration3 records

Feature4 records

Partnerships

21 partnerships are on record, tiered minor, flagship and major.

• Impact Startup Association (一般社団法人インパクトスタートアップ協会)minorOthers · 16 January 2025エイチラボ (HLAB, Inc.) joined as a 5th-term regular member of the Impact Startup Association (ISA), an industry body promoting startups that balance social-issue resolution with sustainable growth (founded Oct 2022; 206 corporate regular members as of announcement).
• Masason Foundation (公益財団法人孫正義育英財団)minorStrategic or Co-development Partner · 23 September 2023In September 2023, Masason Foundation scholars short-stayed at SHIMOKITA COLLEGE during the foundation's Japan summer program, gaining exposure to multi-generational residential learning and exploring AI, programming, medical/welfare, and environmental topics.
• SoftBank Corp. (ソフトバンク株式会社)flagshipStrategic or Co-development Partner · 7 February 2022First corporate "residential partnership": SoftBank employees live at SHIMOKITA COLLEGE while participating in peer-mentorship programming, 1-on-1 sessions, and project-management opportunities. Combines HR development, branding, and recruiting benefits for SoftBank with a deepened community for SHIMOKITA COLLEGE residents.
• KADOKAWA DWANGO Academy — N High School (N高等学校) and N Junior High (N中等部)majorStrategic or Co-development Partner · 12 August 2020Co-developed the 3-week / 9-session online "Virtual College" program (Aug 17 – Sep 4, 2020) for N High / N Junior High students, featuring liberal-arts seminars and self-analysis workshops to prepare students for university decisions during the COVID-19 period.
• IMPACT Foundation Japan (一般社団法人IMPACT Foundation Japan)minorImplementation/ SI/ Consulting Partner · 21 July 2020Co-organized a July 21, 2020 online event on pro-bono career paths in regional/social issues, featuring HLAB COO Shuta Takada and Asuhe-no-Kibou representative Daiki Goto. Operated under the Tohoku Economic and Industrial Bureau's post-disaster pro-bono dispatch project.
• U.S. Embassy in Japan (在日米国大使館)majorGTM or Marketing Partner · 1 November 2019Co-host of the "Liberal Arts HUT powered by U.S. Embassy & HLAB" program for Japanese middle/high-school students (in-person at TOKYO GLOBAL GATEWAY 2020, online 2021-2024). Includes seminars by American university students and Info Sessions for study-abroad aspirants.
• Phillips Exeter AcademyflagshipStrategic or Co-development Partner · 5 April 2019Co-host of the 9-night/10-day "HLAB × Exeter" cross-border residential program (Kyoto, Hiroshima, Tokyo) targeting Japanese and American high-school students, focused on Harkness-method dialogue, peace studies, and cultural exchange. Co-branded educational-program design business.
• Yamanashi Gakuin University (山梨学院大学)majorStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 April 2019HLAB supported the launch and ongoing operations of YGU HOUSE international dormitory at Yamanashi Gakuin University starting April 2019, including RA (Resident Assistant) system design and program development under the METI "Future Classroom" demonstration project.
• NODE GROWTH Shonandai / UDS (Good Design Award co-recipient)majorStrategic or Co-development Partner · 4 October 2018NODE GROWTH Shonandai (Fujisawa, Kanagawa) won the 2018 Good Design Award; HLAB contributed the residential-education soft design and Residential Assistant (RA) system, UDS handled architecture/operations. Located 1 min walk from Shonandai Station, near Keio SFC.
• UDS Corporation (UDS株式会社)flagshipStrategic or Co-development Partner · 23 February 2018Real-estate design/operations partner since Feb 2018. Co-developed NODE GROWTH Shonandai (2018 Good Design Award) and SHIMOKITA COLLEGE; HLAB contributes residential-education soft design (RA system, community design, programming) while UDS handles design/build/operations.
• Yanai Tadashi Foundation (一般財団法人柳井正財団)flagshipStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 June 2016HLAB serves as operating partner for the Yanai Foundation's overseas-study scholarship program (up to ~32M yen / 4 years per scholar for U.S. undergraduate admission). Supports scholarship program design, selection process, and mentor community; first cohort of 37 scholars selected in April 2017, second cohort of 30 in May 2018.
• Mitsui & Co., Ltd. (三井物産株式会社)majorStrategic or Co-development PartnerMulti-year partnership at SHIMOKITA COLLEGE including a Mitsui × SHIMOKITA COLLEGE program and a joint overseas-university-targeted internship program. Also co-hosted a Summer School in Ehime with HAKUHODO and Earth hacks Inc.
• Panasonic Corporation (パナソニック株式会社)minorStrategic or Co-development PartnerCo-hosted "Career in an Uncertain Era" (不確実な時代におけるキャリアの歩み方) workshop at SHIMOKITA COLLEGE for career-awareness programming aimed at SHIMOKITA COLLEGE residents.
• Odakyu Electric Railway Co., Ltd. (小田急電鉄株式会社)flagshipStrategic or Co-development PartnerThree-party developer (with UDS and HLAB) of SHIMOKITA COLLEGE as part of the "Shimokita Linear Street" redevelopment. Anchors the multi-city "NODE CAMPUS PROJECT" for distributed residential-college rollout.
• Toyota Mobility Foundation (一般財団法人トヨタ・モビリティ基金)majorStrategic or Co-development PartnerCo-funder (with the University of Tokyo One Earth Guardians program and HLAB) of the "Good Life on Earth" / "Make a Move Project" idea-competition supporting high-school and university students' climate-change ideas. Provides research mentoring and implementation grants; HLAB contributes operational support and SHIMOKITA COLLEGE residency for selected participants.
• Onagawa Town (女川町) and Onagawa Town Board of EducationflagshipStrategic or Co-development PartnerCo-host and co-funder of HLAB MIYAGI-ONAGAWA Summer School since 2015. Onagawa town offers full scholarships to 5 Onagawa high-school students each year. Cooperating partners include NPO Ashihenoki-bou and Ippan Shadan Hojin Machi to Co.
• Mitsubishi Corporation (三菱商事株式会社)minorStrategic or Co-development PartnerListed as a co-sponsor (in application) of HLAB TOKYO 2026 Summer School, alongside Nihon Keizai Shimbun as a supporting organization (in application).
• Earth hacks Inc. (アースハックス株式会社)minorStrategic or Co-development PartnerCo-hosted an Ehime Summer School together with Mitsui & Co. and HAKUHODO, blending HLAB's residential liberal-arts program design with Earth hacks' environmental-action focus.
• Tokyu Corporation / Tokyu Fudosan (via SHIMOKITA redevelopment district)minorOthersTokyu Fudosan / WeWork 4-chome Yotsuya is a recurring venue partner for Liberal Arts HUT After-school Sessions (Jan 8-10, 2020).
• Schwarzman Scholars (Tsinghua University)minorGTM or Marketing PartnerCo-hosted a panel discussion and networking event in Tokyo on May 18, 2019, on the role of community in study-abroad experiences, featuring HLAB alumni selected as 2019 Schwarzman Scholars. Approximately 100 students attended.
• University of Tokyo — One Earth Guardians育成プログラム (GLE)majorStrategic or Co-development PartnerHLAB is the operating partner for the University of Tokyo's One Earth Guardians "Good Life on Earth" (GLE) program (with Toyota Mobility Foundation). HLAB provides kickoff-camp design, operational support, and offers SHIMOKITA COLLEGE residency for selected participants; program has run 5+ cohorts since 2022.

Scale indicators14 records

Recent moves9 records

Expansion highlights8 records

Regional players

• SEVEN SEAS (Global Education Co., Ltd.): Japan-based global education and study abroad program operator focused on high-school students. Comparable to HLAB in its domestic-Japan base, high-school-student focus, and partnerships with overseas schools and U.S.-style programs.
• International Christian University (ICU): Tier-1 Japanese liberal arts university founded on U.S. residential college principles, with English-track liberal arts curriculum and a residential campus. The model of small seminars, residential learning, and international student body is a clear structural parallel to HLAB's educational philosophy.
• Akita International University (AIU): Japanese public liberal arts university modeled on U.S. residential college traditions, with all-English curriculum and small seminar-style classes. The closest domestic academic analog to HLAB's residential liberal-arts model, though operating as a degree-granting university rather than a short-format program provider.

Direct peers

• WISE (Worldwide Initiative for Student Education): Japanese non-profit sending high-school students on international experiential programs with scholarship support. Closest domestic peer to HLAB in combining residential programs, scholarship administration, and a community-of-alumni model.
• United World Colleges (UWC): Network of international residential schools and colleges built around the IB curriculum and peer-led learning. Comparable to HLAB in combining residential liberal arts education, scholarship administration, and an explicit mission-driven community of students from diverse backgrounds.
• AFS Intercultural Programs: Global nonprofit running intercultural exchange, gap-year-style, and study abroad programs with university student mentors. Operates a hybrid model mixing residential experiences, scholarship administration, and alumni/mentor community - structurally very similar to HLAB's Summer School + Leadership Program approach.
• Rustic Pathways: U.S.-based provider of high-school and gap-year service-learning and cross-border programs. Comparable to HLAB in its residential experiential model, donor-subsidized scholarships, and focus on high-school and university-age students.

Broad incumbents

• CIEE (Council on International Educational Exchange): One of the largest U.S.-based study abroad and exchange program providers. Comparable to HLAB in operating international experiential learning programs with strong cross-border university partnerships, though at significantly greater scale and global breadth.

Emerging players

• THINK Global School: Traveling high school where students rotate through countries on a residential, peer-led curriculum. Compares to HLAB on the residential experiential model, international mobility, and small-cohort design, though operates as a full degree program rather than short-form programs.
• Global Citizen Year: U.S.-focused gap-year fellowship sending high-school graduates into international immersive programs with mentor support. Comparable in residential experiential design, scholarship-supported access, and a peer-mentorship-led model.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat6 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/HLABinc
• YouTubeyoutube.com/user/HLABvideo
• Facebookfacebook.com/HLABinc
• Instagraminstagram.com/hlabinc

Compliance1 record

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles9 records

Subsidiaries1 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 HLAB