What Galaxy does

GalaxyBooks株式会社 (GalaxyBooks Inc.) is a Japan-based POD (Print-on-Demand) self-publishing company headquartered in Osaka, founded in 2016 as a legal entity (operations began in 2012 within akippa株式会社, formerly株式会社Galaxy Agency). The company enables individual authors to publish books from a single copy using its proprietary POD platform, having released over 1,000 titles and built a community of 1,000+ published authors since 2013. Its three core services are GalaxyBooks (the publishing platform), BatonBooks (a book donation program routing published titles to childcare facilities, schools, hospitals, and welfare organizations across Japan), and WriterFarm (post-publish author support including PR, networking events, and study sessions). The company also distributes audiobooks through Audiobook.jp and Audible (launched January 2021) and operates a proprietary mascot IP (Piyokushii) with merchandise and a 2024 picture book release.

The business model is direct-to-consumer book sales primarily through Amazon Japan, supplemented by limited-edition merchandise via the company's BASE storefront. Revenue is generated on a one-time per-sale basis across book and audiobook transactions, with no subscription or licensing model disclosed. Pricing is not publicly disclosed for standard publishing services; the only disclosed price point is 2,750 yen for a 300-copy limited picture book. Marketing is community-led, relying on author events, YouTube content, social media, and charitable BatonBooks initiatives for brand awareness. Distribution is exclusively domestic (Japan) with one noted international geography (Taiwan) and a customer base spanning individual authors, corporate clients, and government/education recipients of donated books.

GalaxyBooks underwent an M&A in 2017, an MBO in 2018, business rehabilitation in 2019, a third-party share allocation capital raise from Media Do Holdings in January 2020, and a corporate rename to GalaxyBooks株式会社 in June 2021. Representative Director Masaya Kado has led the company throughout. The company has received three consecutive years (2022–2024) of Health Management Excellence Corporation recognition from Japan's Ministry of Economy, Trade and Industry and Japan Health Council. Operational status remains active with regular author events and book donations continuing through 2026.

Name

Galaxy

Legal name

GalaxyBooks株式会社

Website

https://galaxyinc.co.jp

Company type

Private

Founded year

2016

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

51–100 employees

Short description

Galaxy (GalaxyBooks株式会社) is an Osaka-based POD self-publishing company operating a platform that has published over 1,000 titles by 1,000+ authors, supported by community events, a book donation program (BatonBooks), and author support services (WriterFarm) in Japan.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Book Publishing Services

NAICS

Book Publishers (51313)

SIC

Books: Publishing Or Publishing & Printing (2731), Book Printing (2732)

akta.pro primary industry

E-book Retail & Reading Platforms (Stores, Apps, Devices) (MPAJAMAA)

akta.pro secondary industries

Children’s Activity & Workbook Publishing (MPAJAFAG), Audiobook Self-Publishing & Production Services (Narration, Studio, ACX-style) (MPAJAJAJ)

Keywords

• Self-publishing services
• Print on demand
• Book publishing
• Author support services
• Book donation program

Headquarters

HQ city

Osaka

HQ country

Japan

HQ region

Asia

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Supply Chain, Marketing or Sales, Operations

Revenue model

1. Publishing Revenue (GalaxyBooks): Revenue from selling self-published books through Amazon and direct sales. Authors publish via POD model with GalaxyBooks handling distribution.
2. BatonBooks Social Contribution Program: Book donation service connecting authors with childcare facilities and social welfare organizations. Revenue model based on volume of donations facilitated.
3. Audiobook Sales: Sales of audiobook versions of published works through Audiobook.jp and Audible platforms.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion2 records

Distribution channels5 records

Marketing channels5 records

Core offering

GalaxyBooks is an Osaka-based publishing company that runs a print-on-demand self-publishing platform enabling individual authors to publish books (1,000+ titles since 2013). It pairs publishing with author community/support services (WriterFarm) and a social-contribution book-donation program (BatonBooks) that gifts titles to childcare, welfare, and educational facilities.

Product overview

GalaxyBooks株式会社 operates a publishing platform business consisting of three main services: GalaxyBooks (self-publishing platform for authors), BatonBooks (book donation service for social contribution), and WriterFarm (author support and community building). The company also offers audiobook distribution through Audiobook.jp and Audible, and has released a picture book featuring their mascot character Piyokushī. The mission is 'helping each other to create the future' and vision is 'creating people through social contribution'.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• GalaxyBooks: Publishing service: 最高のラストパス、その1冊が人生を変える (The best last path, one book changes your life). Core publishing division handling book publication.
• BatonBooks
• WriterFarm

Products and services

• GalaxyBooks Core self-publishing service using a print-on-demand model that lets aspiring and established authors publish books from a single copy, covering writing assistance through distribution via Amazon and direct channels. Over 1,000 titles published since 2013.
• BatonBooks Book-donation/social-contribution service that connects published GalaxyBooks titles with childcare facilities, welfare councils, schools, and hospitals across Japan as a community-building and CSR offering.
• WriterFarm Author support service offering PR support, author networking/exchange events, online study sessions, live-streaming guest opportunities, and promotional support that extends beyond the act of publishing.
• Audiobook (オーディオブック) Audiobook distribution service allowing authors to release their works in audio format through third-party platforms including Audiobook.jp and Audible.
• ひよこの夢さがし (Piyokushi's Dream Search) Limited-edition picture book featuring the company's mascot character Piyokushī, aimed at children and adults around a dream-finding theme. Sold as 300 signed limited copies at 2,750 yen.

Quantifiable outcome

• Over 1000 titles published since 2013
• +2 more outcomes

Named customers7 records

Segments3 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature2 records

Partnerships

Two partnerships are on record, tiered minor.

• bookbit（ブックビット）minorStrategic or Co-development PartnerBusiness partnership with the reading output SNS app bookbit (読書アウトプットSNSアプリ) in April 2022. GalaxyBooks titles (1200+ titles) are promoted through the bookbit platform to readers interested in learning through books.
• 株式会社コーンminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartnership for strengthening book promotional video content (書籍宣伝動画) in February 2020. Cone provides video production services for GalaxyBooks author promotional materials.

Scale indicators3 records

Recent moves7 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Direct peers

• Smashwords: E-book self-publishing and distribution platform serving independent authors worldwide. Direct comparator to GalaxyBooks' e-book distribution function, with a similar author-support orientation but focused exclusively on digital formats.
• BookBaby: Self-publishing services company offering POD, editing, design, and distribution to individual authors. Closely comparable to GalaxyBooks in offering the full author-services stack (production, distribution, support) rather than just POD fulfillment.
• Lulu Press: Self-publishing platform offering POD books, e-books, and author services globally. Comparable to GalaxyBooks as a multi-format self-publishing service for individual authors, though Lulu operates at much greater scale and without a localized community ecosystem.
• Kindle Direct Publishing (KDP): Amazon's self-publishing platform offering POD and e-book publishing. KDP is the dominant self-publishing service in Japan and competes directly with GalaxyBooks for the same individual author segment, with effectively unlimited scale and built-in Amazon marketplace distribution.
• note.com: Japanese creator-publishing platform operated by Kakaku.com that allows individual writers to monetize content directly with readers. Comparable to GalaxyBooks in targeting Japanese individual authors/publishers, though note.com emphasizes serial online content over finished POD books.
• IngramSpark: Global POD and distribution service from Ingram Content Group offering single-copy publishing and bookstore-channel distribution. Direct functional comparator to GalaxyBooks' POD publishing service with broader international reach but no author community focus.
• Draft2Digital: Book distribution and self-publishing services platform aggregating retailer distribution for independent authors. Comparable to GalaxyBooks' distribution layer, with stronger international e-book distribution infrastructure but no POD or community offering.

Broad incumbents

• Audible: Amazon-owned audiobook platform and the dominant audiobook retailer globally. GalaxyBooks distributes audiobooks through Audible, making it both a channel partner and a broad incumbent competing for the same listener attention with significantly greater scale and content budget.
• Audiobook.jp (Otakarakojo): Japan's leading domestic audiobook platform, a key distribution channel for GalaxyBooks' audiobooks. Comparable as a broader audiobook incumbent that competes with GalaxyBooks' audiobook authors for listener mindshare while serving as a critical sales channel.

Others

• Media Do Holdings: Japan's largest digital publishing distributor and GalaxyBooks' strategic investor since January 2020. Comparable as a publishing-infrastructure ecosystem participant rather than a competitor, providing capital and potentially distribution rails to GalaxyBooks.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/BooksGalaxy
• YouTubeyoutube.com/channel/UC17R5bZRQiPxT8CvRdgxjvg/featured
• Facebookfacebook.com/galaxykado/?show_switched_toast=0&show_invite_to_follow=0&show_switched_tooltip=0&show_podcast_settings=0&show_community_transition=0&show_community_review_changes=0&show_follower_visibility_disclosure=0
• Instagraminstagram.com/galaxy_kado

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles1 record

Funding overview

Funding rounds1 record

Investors1 record

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 Galaxy