What Startline does

Startline Co., Ltd. (株式会社スタートライン) is a Tokyo-headquartered, privately-held specialist firm founded in 2009 that helps Japanese enterprises meet their statutory disability employment quotas (法定雇用率) and supports individuals with disabilities in securing and retaining employment. Its core proposition is a diversified portfolio of in-house "employment support service" models—satellite offices (INCLU and INCLU ONE), indoor herb farms (IBUKI), coffee roasteries (BYSN), SNS operations (GOORUIT), response-quality work (RESQWO), office task creation (TASKI), vocational training (FITIME), and real-job training (GOOD THE GOOD)—each pairing disabled workers with Startline support staff stationed on-site. Since 2009 the company reports supporting 175+ companies and 1,000+ disabled workers.

The underlying methodology is a scientifically grounded framework built around Acceptance & Commitment Therapy (ACT), mindfulness, and behavioral analysis, developed in partnership with CBS Human Support Research Institute, and delivered through structured Employability Improvement Training (EIT研修) and the Work Sample MARS Edition (MWS) assessment tool. Startline also operates MyMylink, a proprietary job-matching site for disabled job seekers, and holds both a paid employment placement license (有料職業紹介許可番号13-ユ-306718) and a general worker dispatch license (派13-305964), enabling full-stack recruitment, placement, dispatch, and retention support.

The commercial model is B2B-led and contact-priced. Enterprises contract Startline to design, set up, and operate disability employment programs—either at the client's site via a supported satellite office, at a Startline-operated facility (farms, roasteries, training centers), or via consulting, manager/employee training, and recruitment support. Pricing varies by service model and headcount supported and is typically structured as multi-year managed-service contracts. The company operates from a Mitaka City headquarters with offices in Shibuya (Tokyo), a Kansai office in Osaka, and operations support sites in Toda, Kawagoe, Ebina, Sagamihara, and Adachi.

Name

Startline

Legal name

株式会社スタートライン

Website

https://start-line.jp

Company type

Private

Founded year

2009

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

101–250 employees

Short description

Startline (株式会社スタートライン) is a Tokyo-based private consultancy and managed-services provider that helps Japanese enterprises meet statutory disability employment quotas through satellite offices, indoor farms, roasteries, training, and consulting, serving 175+ companies and 1,000+ disabled workers since 2009.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Disability Employment Services

NAICS

Vocational Rehabilitation Services (62431), Vocational Rehabilitation Services (624310), Employment Services (5613), Services for the Elderly and Persons with Disabilities (624120)

SIC

Services-Social Services (8300), Services-Employment Agencies (7361), Services-Management Services (8741)

akta.pro primary industry

Disability Services & Independent Living Support (BPAGAEAG)

akta.pro secondary industries

Workforce Support Services & Case Management (Coaching, Wraparound) (EDAAAOAK), Interagency Coordination & Case Management (VR, DD, Medicaid Waivers) (EDAKANAM)

Keywords

• Disability employment services
• Workforce inclusion consulting
• Supported employment programs
• Vocational training services
• Diversity hiring solutions

Headquarters

HQ city

Mitaka

HQ country

Japan

HQ region

Asia

Offices8 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2B and B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

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

Revenue model

1. Consulting Services: Disability employment comprehensive consulting services provided to enterprise clients, including specialized support for special subsidiary company establishment.
2. Satellite Office Services (INCLU/INCLU ONE): Supported satellite office spaces where disabled employees work with Startline staff on-site support. Companies pay for the service enabling them to employ disabled workers.
3. Indoor Farm Employment Services (IBUKI): Indoor herb/farm-based disability employment facilities where companies can place disabled employees. Crops harvested can be used for company benefits/nobelty items.
4. Roastery Employment Services (BYSN): Coffee roastery-based disability employment services where disabled workers engage in coffee production, packaging, and related tasks.
5. Staffing/Dispatch Services: Dispatch of professional disability employment support personnel to client companies (licensed staffing agency: 派13-305964).
6. Job Placement Services: Disability-focused job placement/referral services through MyMylink job platform (有料職業紹介許可番号13-ユ-306718).

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion2 records

Distribution channels4 records

Marketing channels6 records

Core offering

Startline is a Japanese disability employment support and consulting firm that operates multiple specialized employment service models for individuals with disabilities, including roastery-based (BYSN), indoor farm-based (IBUKI), satellite office (INCLU, INCLU ONE), SNS-focused (GOORUIT), in-office task (TASKI), and customer service quality (RESQWO) programs. The company provides comprehensive consulting, training, recruitment, and retention services to enterprise clients required to meet statutory disability employment quotas (2.2%+), alongside vocational training (FITIME) and supported employment programs for individuals.

Product overview

Startline is a disability employment support and comprehensive consulting company that offers a portfolio of specialized services including: satellite office support (INCLU, INCLU ONE), indoor farm employment (IBUKI), roastery employment (BYSN), and other disability employment services (TASKI, RESQWO, GOORUIT, Diverse Village). The company provides comprehensive consulting, training, retention support, and recruitment services for enterprises, alongside employment support and training for individuals through services like FITIME and GOOD THE GOOD. The portfolio also includes job matching via MyMylink and support for establishing special subsidiary companies.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• BYSN: ロースタリー型障害者雇用支援サービス - コーヒーをきっかけとしたコミュニケーションとオリジナルブレンドの開発
• IBUKI
• INCLU
• INCLU ONE
• Diverse Village
• RESQWO
• TASKI
• GOORUIT
• FITIME
• GOOD THE GOOD
• MyMylink

Products and services

• BYSN Roastery-type disability employment support service that enables disabled individuals to engage in coffee roasting, packaging, and original blend development within corporate offices, expanding communication opportunities.
• IBUKI Indoor farm-type disability employment service where herbs and leafy vegetables are produced and processed, with Startline support staff stationed on-site at farms across multiple locations (TODA FARM2, KAWAGOE FARM, IBUKI EBINA FARM, Adachi). Achieves 95.7% retention rate among disabled workers.
• INCLU Supported satellite office service in which Startline staff provide continuous on-site support for disabled workers' employment arrangements, enabling enterprises to host disabled employees at dedicated locations such as the Sagamihara facility.
• INCLU ONE Supported satellite office service available to enterprises from a single disabled worker onward, enabling diverse work styles and successful disability employment outcomes on a smaller scale than the standard INCLU model.
• Diverse Village New disability employment base expanding work options and supporting the quality and careers of disability employment through diverse business selections, including individual-member pathways.
• RESQWO Customer service quality improvement-type disability employment support service that simultaneously achieves disability employment and improvement in customer response quality for the client enterprise.
• TASKI Service that creates work opportunities for disabled employees to perform tasks independently, even from a single person, within regular corporate office spaces, expanding their scope of activity.
• GOORUIT Social media (SNS) work-specialized disability employment support service launched in 2024, focused on leveraging disabled workers' skills in social media operations and content-related tasks.
• MyMylink Job matching site for disabled persons operated under Startline's paid employment placement license, connecting companies with disabled job seekers for satellite office and other supported employment programs.
• FITIME Vocational training and employment support service launched in April 2020 under the Comprehensive Support Act for Disabled Persons, providing employment transition support and employment stabilization support for individuals with disabilities.
• GOOD THE GOOD Real job training station offering employment continuation support Type B for disabled individuals, launched in December 2025.
• Disability Employment Comprehensive Consulting Service (障害者雇用総合コンサルティングサービス) Comprehensive consulting service that proposes custom disability employment plans tailored to each company's individual needs, including support for special subsidiary company establishment.
• Manager and Disabled Employee Training (管理者向け・障害者向け研修) Training services for managers and disabled persons utilizing the ACT-based Employability Improvement Training (EIT) methodology, offering classroom, group work, e-learning, and practical training formats tailored to objectives.
• Retention Support Service (定着支援サービス) Support service focused on employee retention for disabled workers, helping client enterprises maintain stable long-term employment outcomes.
• Disability Recruitment Support Service (障害者採用支援サービス) Recruitment support service assisting client enterprises with hiring and onboarding disabled employees.
• Special Subsidiary Company Establishment Support (特例子会社設立支援) Support service for establishing special subsidiary companies (特例子会社) for corporate groups seeking consolidated disability employment strategies, demonstrated in cases such as the establishment of みらかキャスト株式会社 with H.U. Group Holdings.
• Professional Personnel Dispatch for Disability Employment (障害者職業生活サポートのプロフェッショナル人材の派遣) Dispatch service for professional personnel supporting professional work life for disabled persons, operated under Startline's general worker dispatch business license (一般労働者派遣事業許可番号 派13-305964).

Quantifiable outcome

• 95.7% retention rate at IBUKI indoor farm employment service
• +2 more outcomes

Named customers8 records

Segments3 records

Ideal customer profiles2 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature3 records

Partnerships

Four partnerships are on record, tiered minor and core.

• 株式会社アカルク (Akaruku Co., Ltd.)minorStrategic or Co-development Partner · 19 June 2024LGBTQ+ diversity consulting company co-hosting 'LGBTQ+ and Disability Employment' seminar with Startline and Asmarq. Founded 2020 with vision of creating workplaces where diverse people can work comfortably. Provides approximately 100+ training sessions annually.
• 株式会社アスマーク (Asmarq Co., Ltd.)minorStrategic or Co-development Partner · 19 June 2024Marketing research company with data on 10,000+ LGBTQ+ individuals, co-hosting diversity and disability employment seminar. Provides statistical data and market research insights for the joint seminar program.
• CBSヒューマンサポート研究所 (CBS Human Support Research Institute)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerResearch institute specializing in disability characteristics, ACT (Acceptance & Commitment Therapy), mindfulness skills, and cognitive behavioral analysis. Provides research-based training methodology used in Startline's EIT training programs.
• (一社)減災・復興支援機構 (Disaster Reduction and Recovery Support Organization)minorStrategic or Co-development PartnerOrganization providing guidance on disaster prevention training and safety measures. Works with Startline on IBUKI and satellite office safety protocols and emergency response planning.

Scale indicators4 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Broad incumbents

• Pasona Group Inc. Japanese HR services company offering staffing, placement, outsourcing, and diversity-focused employment programs including disability employment support. Overlaps with Startline's placement and consulting offerings but operates at much larger scale across general HR services.
• Goodwill Industries International: Largest global non-profit provider of disability employment services, offering training, placement, and supported employment across North America. A much larger broad incumbent offering overlapping capability but as part of a much wider portfolio of social services and retail operations.
• Recruit Holdings Co., Ltd. Japan's largest HR services conglomerate. Operates major staffing brands (Recruit Staffing, RGF Staffing) that compete with Startline's placement and dispatch services for disability employment, though without Startline's disability-specific specialization and managed service infrastructure.
• Persol Holdings Co., Ltd. Major Japanese staffing company offering temporary staffing, placement, and HR consulting. Competes with Startline's worker dispatch and job placement services for disability employment, but as part of a much broader general HR services portfolio without disability specialization.

Direct peers

• LITALICO Inc. Japan's largest listed disability services company, providing vocational training (LITALICOワークス), job placement (LITALICO仕事ナビ), and after-school programs for children with disabilities. Directly comparable in serving both disabled individuals and enterprise customers seeking disability employment compliance support.
• Kaien Co., Ltd. Japanese company specializing in employment support for people with developmental disabilities through training programs and workplace integration services. Operates similar satellite office and managed employment service models targeting enterprise clients seeking to meet disability hiring requirements.
• Specialisterne Foundation: Global social enterprise that assesses, trains, and employs people with autism in IT and consulting roles at major corporations. Directly comparable managed services model of placing disabled workers in enterprise environments with ongoing support staff.
• auticon: Global IT consulting firm employing autistic professionals as technology consultants on client projects. Operates a directly comparable business model of managed services placing disabled talent in enterprise engagements with ongoing support and accommodation.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat6 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights5 records

Customer concentration

• Facebookja-jp.facebook.com/startline802

Compliance1 record

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 Startline