CEKAI

What CEKAI does

CEKAI is a Tokyo-headquartered creative studio founded in April 2013 by Kōta Iguchi (CEO) that operates as a "creative association" — a collective of independent creative professionals specializing in motion graphics, branding, advertising, video production, exhibition design, and experiential installations. The company serves global enterprise brands across fashion, luxury, technology, automotive, entertainment, sports, and cultural sectors, with a publicly visible portfolio that includes work for Louis Vuitton (Men's Fall-Winter 2025 Show Prelude), Nike (multiple engagements including 3D OOH for AirMax Day and Jordan Brand Spider-Verse 3DOOH), Levi's, UNIQLO, Ray-Ban, Samsung (CES 2024 and IFA 2023), HD Hyundai, Adobe (Summit 2025 Sphere Experience), HPE, Porsche, Mitsubishi Research Institute, KOKUYO, DNP, the Osaka-Kansai Expo, Tokyo National Museum, B.LEAGUE, and music acts including IVE, RM (BTS), RIP SLYME, HYUKOH, and JUSTICE. Beyond the Tokyo headquarters at 'cekaivillage' in Shibuya-ku, CEKAI operates regional offices in Los Angeles and New York under the CEKAI US entity.

The studio's core capability is human-led creative direction and production executed across multiple formats — 3D OOH advertising, music video direction, title design for film and television, corporate identity systems, brand campaigns, immersive theater, and large-scale exhibitions. Underlying technology is motion graphics design, visual branding, creative direction, and digital production; there is no proprietary software, no platform product, and no AI/ML capability disclosed. Notable works include the Tokyo 2020 Kinetic Sport Pictogram, the GAS BOOK 38 CEKAI monograph, and a 2026 solo motion graphics exhibition for founder Kōta Iguchi at GINZA Graphic Gallery.

CEKAI's business model is project-based professional services: each engagement is custom, quote-driven, and priced on scope and complexity, with no standardized public pricing. Go-to-market is sales-led, handled by in-house Business Producers who acquire clients through direct outreach, referrals, and portfolio-driven business development; the cekai.jp portfolio website is the primary marketing channel. Revenue, headcount, ownership details beyond the founder, and any institutional backing are not publicly disclosed — the firm appears to be a privately held, founder-controlled entity with no VC, PE, parent company, or public listing identified.

Name

CEKAI

Legal name

CEKAI Corp. / 世界株式会社

Website

https://cekai.jp

Company type

Private

Founded year

2013

Operating status

Operating

Short description

Tokyo-based creative studio founded in 2013 that delivers motion graphics, branding, video production, and experiential design for global enterprise brands including Louis Vuitton, Nike, Samsung, and Adobe; operates additional offices in Los Angeles and New York.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Headquarters

HQ city

Tokyo

HQ country

Japan

HQ region

Asia

Offices3 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

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

Revenue model

1. Creative Production Services: CEKAI generates revenue through project-based creative production services including motion graphics, branding, advertising visuals, event production, and digital content creation for corporate clients. Projects are custom engagements with pricing based on scope, complexity, and client requirements.

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels1 record

Marketing channels1 record

Core offering

CEKAI is a creative studio and association of independent creators that delivers end-to-end creative production services including motion graphics, branding, advertising visuals, event production, digital installations, music video direction, exhibition design, and corporate identity work for major international and Japanese enterprise clients. Projects are custom, scope-based engagements delivered by a collective of independent creative professionals assembled per engagement.

Product overview

CEKAI is a creative association/studio that functions as a unified creative services firm rather than a software product company. The company specializes in motion graphics, branding, advertising, video production, experiential installations, and digital content creation. Their portfolio includes diverse project categories such as 3D OOH (out-of-home advertising), brand campaigns for major clients (Nike, Levi's, Ray-Ban, Samsung, Louis Vuitton), exhibition design, title design, and music-related creative work. As a creative collective of independent professionals, they deliver end-to-end creative services rather than discrete software products or modules.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Creative Services End-to-end creative production services including motion graphics, branding, advertising visuals, video production, event production, digital installations, music video direction, exhibition design, and corporate identity work for major international and Japanese enterprise clients.

Named customers37 records

Segments1 record

Ideal customer profiles1 record

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Scale indicators2 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights4 records

Direct peers

• Buck: Boutique creative studio specializing in motion design, animation, and visual storytelling for global brands. Closely comparable to CEKAI in service mix (motion graphics, brand films, design) and enterprise client base across fashion, tech, and entertainment.
• Psyop: New York and LA-based creative studio producing motion graphics, animation, and visual effects for advertising and entertainment. Directly comparable to CEKAI in craft, delivery format, and blue-chip roster.
• North Kingdom: Swedish creative experience agency specializing in interactive, motion, and brand storytelling for global enterprise clients. Overlaps with CEKAI's experiential and motion capabilities and tier-one brand roster.
• Sid Lee: Creative agency network delivering brand strategy, motion, advertising, and experiential work for major global brands. Comparable to CEKAI in multi-format creative capability and Fortune 500 client base.
• B-Reel: Creative studio producing digital experiences, films, and brand platforms for major enterprise clients. Comparable to CEKAI across motion, branding, and digital creative with international office footprint.
• Giant Ant: Toronto-based motion design and animation studio serving major brands with design-driven content. Same boutique motion-graphics DNA as CEKAI, comparable project-based model serving enterprise advertisers.
• Tool of North America: Boutique commercial production and motion design studio directing commercials and visual content for global brands. Operates with comparable boutique scale and overlap with CEKAI's motion and brand-film work.
• WOW Inc. Japan-based visual design and motion studio delivering graphics, branding, and creative direction for major Japanese and international brands. The most directly comparable Japanese peer to CEKAI in craft and category.

Broad incumbents

• Pentagram: Largest independent design consultancy with global partner-led practice spanning brand identity, environmental design, and motion. Overlaps with CEKAI in branding and visual identity work at the high end of the market.
• Hakuhodo: One of Japan's largest advertising and creative agencies offering integrated communications, branding, and content production. Represents the Japanese incumbent alternative to CEKAI for enterprise creative mandates.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat2 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/cekai

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 CEKAI