What Digital Knowledge does

Digital Knowledge (デジタル・ナレッジ) is a Japanese e-learning specialist founded in 1995 as Japan's first dedicated e-learning solution company, headquartered in Akihabara, Tokyo. The firm develops and operates KnowledgeDeliver, a proprietary learning management system (LMS) built over 30 years of iterative development, alongside a portfolio of adjacent products: Teacher's Copilot (AI educational content generation agent), Knowledge ID MAP (next-generation AI textbook-generation and content-auditing platform), KnowledgeDeliver Skill+ digital badge issuance, Video+/Video+SS secure streaming, Analytics+ learning analytics, Auto Mentoring Service (AMS), an integrated LMS/EC e-commerce solution, VR-based practical training content, and Digital Student ID (mdoc-compliant). The technology stack combines .NET Framework, SQL Server, and integrations with Zoom (live classes), Salesforce (CRM), and Active Directory (SSO), with an ISMS/ISO 27001-certified cloud (DK Cloud) and on-premises deployment options.

The company serves approximately 3,000 enterprise, government, healthcare, and educational customers in Japan across verticals including higher education, healthcare, manufacturing, financial services, retail, food service, and public sector. Named customers include Toyota Motor Corporation, GovTech Tokyo, Tokyo Medical University Hospital, Sawai Seiyaku, Gakken (1.3 million healthcare learners across 3,000 hospitals), Matsuya Foods (5,000+ restaurant locations), Link Academy (~100,000 users), Digital Hollywood, Credit Saison, Brother Industries, Tadano, Tsubakimoto Chain, and SBI Graduate School. Documented customer outcomes include a 97% client retention rate, 90%+ course completion in certification programs, 2.5x LMS utilization growth during COVID, 1.5x enrollment growth at Digital Hollywood, and a ~1/6 reduction in manager workload at Matsuya Foods via VR training.

Digital Knowledge generates revenue through monthly and annual subscriptions for the cloud-based KnowledgeDeli (ナレッジデリ) ASP service, one-time licensing plus annual maintenance for on-premises deployments, custom development and system integration (HRIS, CRM, SSO), content development and video production services, and managed services including hosting, support, and 24/7 monitoring. The LMS/EC integrated solution adds a 10-20% transaction commission on e-commerce sales. Pricing examples include 300,000 JPY initial + 150,000 JPY/month for the LMS/EC bundle, with documented 13-month ROI on 3 million JPY of customisation investment. Go-to-market relies on direct enterprise sales through the Tokyo HQ and regional offices in Osaka (est. 2008) and Fukuoka (est. 2016), OEM/whitelabel partnerships (notably Cicom Brains since 2018, co-holder of Patent No. 7303505), system integrator channels, permanent demonstration centers in Akihabara and Higobashi, and digital marketing including content, SEO, and industry events.

Name

Digital Knowledge

Legal name

株式会社デジタル・ナレッジ

Website

https://digital-knowledge.co.jp

Company type

Private

Founded year

1995

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

101–250 employees

Short description

Digital Knowledge is a Japanese e-learning specialist founded in 1995 that develops KnowledgeDeliver, a proprietary LMS, and adjacent AI content tools, VR training, and digital credentialing solutions for 3,000+ enterprise, government, healthcare, and education customers across Japan.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Learning Management Systems

NAICS

Software Publishers (5132), Business Schools and Computer and Management Training (6114), Professional and Management Development Training (611430)

SIC

Services-Prepackaged Software (7372), Services-Educational Services (8200)

akta.pro primary industry

Online Learning Content & Course Publishing Platforms (BPAMAJAL)

akta.pro secondary industries

Higher Education Course Design & Online Program Development (EDAGAKAB), Corporate Learning & Training Content Development (EDAGAKAC), Learning Management Systems (LMS) & Digital Classrooms (EDAJAMAA)

Keywords

• Learning management system
• E-learning platform
• Corporate training software
• Educational technology
• Online learning solutions

Headquarters

HQ city

Tokyo

HQ country

Japan

HQ region

Asia

Offices4 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Software

Cost components

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

Revenue model

1. LMS Software Licensing & Subscription: Digital Knowledge generates primary revenue through licensing its proprietary LMS platform KnowledgeDeliver. They offer multiple deployment models: ASP/cloud-based (ナレッジデリ), on-premises, and packaged solutions. Pricing includes both initial setup costs and recurring monthly/annual subscription fees. The company also generates revenue from optional add-on modules such as Video+SS, digital badge system, AI features, live streaming integration, face recognition, and OJT management.
2. Custom Development & System Integration: Revenue from custom development services tailoring KnowledgeDeliver to client-specific workflows, UI/UX requirements, and third-party system integrations (HRIS, Active Directory, CRM). This includes external system integration (API, CSV automation) for large-scale enterprise deployments.
3. Learning Content Development & Production: Revenue from developing custom video content, interactive course materials, and curriculum design. Includes video production services, VR content creation, and conversion of existing materials into e-learning formats.
4. Operational Support & Managed Services: Ongoing operational support services including hosting (DK Cloud), system maintenance, user support center operations, and monthly usage reporting. ISMS-certified data center with 24/7 monitoring ensures enterprise-grade reliability.
5. E-Commerce Transaction Fees: For the LMS/EC integrated solution, Digital Knowledge charges a sales commission of 10-20% per transaction plus standard payment processing fees from the payment gateway provider. This applies to clients running commercial e-learning marketplaces and online schools.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion2 records

Distribution channels6 records

Marketing channels9 records

Core offering

Digital Knowledge develops and licenses KnowledgeDeliver, a proprietary Learning Management System (LMS), delivered as ASP/cloud-hosted software, on-premises packages, or OEM/white-label for partners. The company also builds custom e-learning content, provides VR training content, AI-powered content generation (Teacher's Copilot, Knowledge ID MAP), digital badge credentialing, e-commerce-integrated learning platforms, and ongoing operational/managed services. End-to-end support spans system construction, courseware production, and ongoing operations for schools, enterprises, and government agencies in Japan.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• KnowledgeDeliver LMS (ナレッジデリバー) Proprietary learning management system supporting multi-device responsive design, video streaming, adaptive learning, LTI integration, Zoom live streaming, automated mentoring (AMS), OJT management modules, and SSO. Sold as cloud/ASP, on-premises, packaged, or OEM to schools, universities, enterprises, government agencies, and education businesses.
• KnowledgeDeli (ナレッジデリ) ASP-based hosted LMS service providing full-service LMS operations including server hosting, system operation, support, and optional add-on modules. Targeted at organizations wanting managed LMS delivery without operating their own servers.
• Teacher's Copilot (教育用AIエージェント) AI-driven content generation service that converts existing teaching materials, lectures, and documents into multiple variations of educational content (slides, narration scripts, quizzes, language learning materials). Includes 24/7 AI-powered inquiry response and pronunciation evaluation. Sold as standalone CMS subscription or as LMS add-on.
• Knowledge ID MAP (ナレッジIDマップ) AI platform that generates atomic skills databases, classifies content by KSA (Knowledge/Skills/Attitude) model, and auto-generates textbook text, video slides, narration scripts, and LMS quiz questions (CSV). Includes content auditing mode with AI compliance checks. For educational content producers and curriculum developers.
• KnowledgeDeliver Skill+ (Digital Badge Solution) Open Badge (1EdTech Consortium) compliant digital credentialing system for issuing, managing, and displaying skill certificates and learning achievements. Sold to educational institutions, training organizations, and enterprises for verifiable skill credentialing.
• Video+ and Video+SS Video content creation and streaming service with interactive quiz embedding, content protection (capture prevention, access logging, real-time blocking, external output blocking, simultaneous connection limits, device registration), and multi-device playback speed control (0.6x to 2x). Sold to commercial education businesses protecting paid video content.
• VR Education Content Service (教育用VRコンテンツ制作サービス) Custom VR-based practical training solutions for safety education, customer service skills, and complaint handling that cannot be easily replicated through traditional e-learning or OJT. Sold to enterprises in food service, manufacturing, and other industries with practical training needs.
• Analytics+ (学習ビッグデータ分析サービス) Learning analytics service that analyzes educational big data to visualize learner trends and behaviors, with optional Robot menu providing actionable recommendations for learner intervention. Sold to large-scale deployments with thousands of learners.
• Digital Student ID (デジタル学生証) International standard mdoc-compliant digital student identification system integrated with LMS, enabling attendance verification via QR code, push notifications, classroom response (clicker) functionality, and LMS synchronization. Sold to universities and educational institutions.
• LMS/EC Integrated Solution (LMS/EC統合ソリューション) Combined e-commerce and LMS platform enabling course sales, registration, payment processing (credit card, convenience store, invoice), and learner progress tracking. Sold to commercial online schools, qualification exam prep schools, and education businesses. Initial fee 300,000 JPY+ plus 150,000 JPY/month+ plus 10-20% sales commission.
• e-logbook (臨床研修ログブック) Clinical training record management system enabling digital logging of practical training (履修) data, real-time recording and approval of clinical training content, and smart-device-based operation. Used by dental schools and clinical training programs at university hospitals.
• Custom Learning Content Development & Production Service Professional service producing custom video content, interactive courseware, VR training scenarios, and curriculum design tailored to client requirements. Includes conversion of existing materials into e-learning formats. Sold to enterprises and educational institutions needing customized training content.

Quantifiable outcome

• 90%+ course completion rate achieved in certification e-learning programs (e.g., Japan Clinical Engineering Association: 90% completion rate)
• +7 more outcomes

Named customers18 records

Segments7 records

Ideal customer profiles5 records

Technology focussed Yes

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Integration8 records

AI capability13 records

Feature11 records

Partnerships

Four partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• JV-CampuscoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 26 June 2026LOI (Letter of Intent) signed for business alliance to bring Japanese higher education to the world. JV-Campus and gacco collaboration aims to internationalize Japanese university education through digital learning platforms.
• N-AcademyBIZ (Subsidy Program)minorOthers · 25 June 2026N-AcademyBIZ e-learning service designated as eligible for the 'Digitalization and AI Introduction Subsidy 2026' government subsidy program, enabling customers to receive financial support for LMS deployment.
• サイカム・ブレインズ株式会社 (Cicom Brains Inc.)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerLong-term strategic partnership since 2018 where Cicom Brains uses KnowledgeDeliver as the LMS foundation for Business Masters®, their enterprise training video library platform serving ~40,000 users. Joint development led to Patent #7303505 for learning plan management functionality. Cicom Brains also uses OEM-supplied content from Digital Knowledge. Deep co-development relationship with joint product roadmap alignment.
• Google (Google Mandiant / Google Threat Intelligence Group)minorOthersThird-party security researchers who identified and disclosed the CVE-2026-5426 vulnerability in KnowledgeDeliver LMS. Google Mandiant and Google Threat Intelligence Group published warning about systemic risk from shared secrets in deployment templates affecting the broader ecosystem of KnowledgeDeliver installations.

Scale indicators7 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Broad incumbents

• Blackboard: Long-established LMS platform serving universities and K-12 globally, including Japan. Comparable as a direct competitor in higher education LMS and a broad incumbent with overlapping course delivery, analytics, and integration capabilities.
• D2L (Brightspace): Cloud LMS platform serving higher education and corporate learning globally. Comparable as a direct competitor in enterprise and academic LMS with subscription pricing, integrations, and adaptive learning features overlapping Digital Knowledge's KnowledgeDeliver offering.
• Canvas by Instructure: Global cloud-native LMS serving K-12 and higher education with similar LMS subscription model. Comparable as direct competitor in Japanese higher education deployments and as a scale incumbent in the EdTech LMS category where Digital Knowledge operates.
• Udemy Business: Global online learning marketplace with enterprise B2B arm providing curated course content and an LMS-style delivery layer. Comparable as a broad incumbent in corporate L&D content distribution that competes with both Digital Knowledge's LMS platform and its content development services.

Direct peers

• Moodle: Open-source LMS widely adopted by universities and enterprises worldwide. Comparable as a directly competing LMS solution with similar open/extensible architecture, customization model, and target customers in education and corporate training.
• Schoo: Japanese online learning platform providing video-based business and professional skills courses to enterprises and consumers. Comparable as a domestic Japanese e-learning competitor with overlapping corporate training and B2C content distribution focus.
• manebi: Japanese LMS provider focused on corporate e-learning with video, testing, and reporting capabilities. Comparable as a directly competing Japanese B2B LMS vendor with similar ASP/SaaS deployment model serving enterprise training buyers.

Emerging players

• gacco: Japan-based MOOC platform offering university and corporate courses online. Comparable as a Japanese online learning platform with overlap in higher-education content delivery; recent JV-Campus LOI directly links gacco to Digital Knowledge's internationalization ambitions.
• LearnDash: WordPress-based LMS plugin serving SMB and enterprise course creators. Comparable as an LMS product layer with similar course delivery, quiz, and certification features, though targeting a different deployment stack than Digital Knowledge's enterprise cloud.

Regional players

• Sakai Project: Open-source LMS originally developed at Stanford and adopted widely in Japan (Apereo Foundation). Comparable as an open-source direct competitor in Japanese universities and academic institutions serving similar course management and collaboration use cases.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat6 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles2 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 Digital Knowledge