Le Grand

What Le Grand does

Le Grand Co., Ltd. (株式会社ルグラン) is a Tokyo-based boutique creative performance agency founded in 2006 by former Overture Services (now Yahoo!) management personnel Izumi Hiroto and Yamabe Hitomi. The firm combines bespoke digital marketing consulting with a portfolio of proprietary AI/marketing-technology products, serving Japanese and international enterprise clients plus tourism organizations. Its consulting work spans DUX (data-driven UX design), CRM strategy (Salesforce, Dynamics CRM), search marketing, content marketing, social media, tourism marketing, and big data analytics, with a customer roster that includes Volvo Car Japan, Zurich Insurance, Zendesk, Unity, Peach Aviation, SCSK, Renown, Isetan, and Mitsui Shopping Park LaLaport.

The company's productized technology stack centers on three core assets: SmartUX, a patented WordPress-plugin marketing automation tool with self-serve tiered subscriptions ranging from ¥19,800 to ¥248,000/month; TNQL, a weather-driven AI recommendation engine offered as a freemium API covering ~300 predefined Japanese locations plus paid GPS-based global coverage; and weathermarketing.net®, a patented weather-triggered advertising delivery platform integrated with LINE Ads, GeoLogic Ad, and Adinte's 90 million monthly active user ID graph. Adjacent products include seeO2now (IoT CO2 sensor subscription, ¥4,980/month) and Railcast Ads, jointly launched with JR West Japan in May 2026 to combine railway ridership data with weather context.

Le Grand monetizes through a hybrid revenue model: professional services (project and retainer consulting engagements for enterprise clients), recurring SaaS subscriptions (SmartUX, seeO2now), usage-based API revenue (TNQL paid tier), and platform revenue (weathermarketing.net® via ParaWorks reseller and direct integrations). Go-to-market is multi-modal: direct enterprise sales for consulting, self-serve PLG for SmartUX and TNQL API, and channel/reseller distribution for weather advertising. A Los Angeles Design Center supports foreign companies entering Japan and Japanese companies expanding abroad. The company is privately held with no disclosed institutional investors or funding rounds, operated by its founder-management team with 11–50 employees.

Name

Le Grand

Legal name

Le Grand Co., Ltd.

Website

https://legrand.jp

Company type

Private

Founded year

2006

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

Le Grand is a Tokyo-based boutique creative performance agency founded in 2006 by ex-Overture/Yahoo Japan executives, offering data-driven UX design, CRM strategy, and proprietary weather-triggered marketing technology (SmartUX, TNQL, weathermarketing.net) to Japanese and international enterprise clients and tourism organizations.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Digital Marketing Services

NAICS

Advertising Agencies (541810), Marketing Consulting Services (541613), Marketing Research and Public Opinion Polling (541910)

SIC

Services-Advertising Agencies (7311), Services-Advertising (7310)

akta.pro primary industry

Creative Boutique Agencies (MPAAAAAB)

akta.pro secondary industries

Integrated Full-Service Creative Agencies (MPAAAAAA), Pricing, Revenue Growth Management (RGM) & Promo Analytics Services (CRAOAOAE)

Keywords

• Digital marketing consulting
• Marketing automation software
• Weather-triggered advertising
• Data-driven UX design
• Big data analytics services

Headquarters

HQ city

Tokyo

HQ country

Japan

HQ region

Asia

Offices2 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

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

Revenue model

1. Digital Marketing Consulting Services: Bespoke consulting engagements for UX design, CRM strategy, search marketing, big data analytics, content marketing, social media marketing, and tourism marketing. Revenue is generated through project-based and retainer engagements with enterprise clients.
2. SmartUX SaaS Subscriptions: Tiered monthly subscription plans for the SmartUX marketing automation WordPress plugin, ranging from Starter (up to 25,001 requests/month) at ¥19,800/month to Premiere (250,001-500,000 requests/month) at ¥248,000/month. Pay-per-use model based on content request volume.
3. Weather Marketing Platform: Revenue from weathermarketing.net® weather-triggered advertising platform, including partnerships and distribution agreements with resellers like ParaWorks.
4. TNQL API: Free tier for approximately 300 pre-specified locations; paid customized API for arbitrary GPS or facility-specific locations, billed as subscription or usage.
5. seeO2now IoT Service: Monthly subscription for IoT CO2 sensor hardware and connectivity: ¥4,980/month per sensor unit, billed for 6 months minimum (¥32,868/set including tax).
6. Content Production: Fees for creating multilingual tourism content, copywriting, and creative production for clients including Peach Aviation's tabinoco, SCSK's engineering blog, and various client websites.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion3 records

Distribution channels5 records

Marketing channels8 records

Core offering

Le Grand is a creative performance agency that sells proprietary AI-powered marketing technology products (SmartUX marketing automation, TNQL weather-driven recommendation API, weathermarketing.net weather-triggered advertising platform) alongside bespoke digital marketing consulting services including data-driven UX design, CRM strategy, big data analytics, search marketing, content marketing, and tourism marketing for Japanese and international enterprise clients.

Product overview

Le Grand is a creative performance agency offering a portfolio of proprietary AI-powered marketing technology products and digital marketing services. The core product lineup includes SmartUX (marketing automation WordPress plugin), TNQL/TNQL API (weather-driven recommendation engine), and weathermarketing.net (weather-responsive advertising platform). These are complemented by specialized services including DUX (data-driven UX design), tourism marketing, content marketing, social media marketing, search marketing, CRM strategy, and big data analytics. The products integrate with major platforms like Google Analytics, WordPress, Salesforce, and various advertising networks. The company also offers seeO2now (IoT air quality monitoring) and Railcast Ads (railway weather advertising), demonstrating expansion into IoT and industry-specific solutions.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• WeatherMarketing.net (weathermarketing.net): Weather-triggered advertising delivery and management tool that recommends products and services based on weather conditions
• TNQL (テンキュール)
• SmartUX (スマートUX)
• seeO2now

Products and services

• TNQL (Tenquru) / TNQL API A weather-driven recommendation engine API that analyzes weather conditions and user behavioral data using AI to recommend optimal products, information, and content. Available in free (300+ predefined locations) and paid versions with GPS-based personalization for any global location. Targeted at developers, e-commerce sites, digital signage, and tourism operators.
• SmartUX (スマートUX) A proprietary marketing automation WordPress plugin that uses AI to learn individual visitor preferences and automatically optimizes content display. Requires no manual scenario design; automatically aggregates Google Analytics data and adjusts layouts based on user engagement metrics with Gini coefficient-based optimization. Targeted at website operators and publishers seeking marketing automation without complex setup.
• weathermarketing.net® A patent-registered weather-responsive advertising delivery and management tool that recommends products and services based on individual TPO (Time, Place, Occasion) preferences and weather conditions. Integrates with multiple ad platforms including LINE Ads, GeoLogic Ad, and AdinTene. Targeted at advertisers and media agencies seeking contextual ad delivery.
• seeO2now An IoT sensor service that measures indoor CO2 concentration to monitor air quality and prompts ventilation when needed. Includes sensors, communication terminals, and a platform for displaying real-time air environment data. Priced at ¥4,980/month per unit with 6-month minimum. Targeted at facility managers and retailers for indoor safety management.
• Railcast Ads A railway x weather data advertising service developed jointly with JR West. Combines railway passenger data and weather data to deliver targeted advertising to railway users and area businesses near stations. Awarded Excellence Award at JR West's first Bernal program.
• DUX (Data-Driven User Experience) Design Service Data-driven UX design service that creates optimal user experiences by combining user data with design expertise. Implements websites, applications, and services using Experience Map frameworks, data warehouses, and marketing automation integration. Targeted at enterprises seeking UX transformation.
• Tourism Marketing Service Tourism marketing service using big data analytics and technology to understand traveler needs. Includes multilingual tourism site development, content production, tourism big data analysis, and weather-responsive tourism recommendations. Targeted at tourism boards, DMOs, airlines, and tourist attractions.
• Content Marketing Service Content marketing service focused on creating useful content for target audiences. Includes keyword strategy, writer network management, multilingual content production, and SEO optimization for global markets. Targeted at enterprises seeking inbound marketing and SEO-driven growth.
• Social Media Marketing Service Social media marketing using data-driven approaches to identify engagement points and influencer marketing. Uses CreatorIQ AI tool for influencer discovery and social listening tools for trend analysis. Targeted at brands seeking social engagement and influencer campaigns.
• Search Marketing Service Search marketing services leveraging pioneer expertise in search連動型広告 (search-responsive advertising). Includes SEM and SEO optimization using deep understanding of search user intent and keywords. Targeted at enterprises seeking search-driven customer acquisition.
• CRM Strategy Service CRM strategy consulting that connects CRM systems (Salesforce, Dynamics CRM) with websites to deliver personalized web content based on prospect sales phases, improving lead-to-contract conversion rates. Targeted at sales and marketing organizations with existing CRM systems.
• Big Data Analytics Service Big data analytics service that extracts meaningful stories from fragmented data for business and marketing strategy development. Experienced data scientists help clients interpret data and derive actionable insights. Targeted at enterprises needing advanced analytics for marketing decisions.

Quantifiable outcome

• Weather-linked cable TV ad CTR improved 30%+ vs. conventional ads after 4 weeks of weather-contextual messaging
• +5 more outcomes

Named customers13 records

Segments4 records

Ideal customer profiles4 records

Technology focussed Yes

API detail

Has API

Yes

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Integration13 records

AI capability9 records

Feature5 records

Partnerships

Nine partnerships are on record, tiered major, core and supporting.

• JR 西日本 (JR West Japan)majorStrategic or Co-development Partner · 26 May 2026Co-developed 'Railcast Ads' — a new railway × weather data-driven advertising service. JR West Japan's first 'Bernal' program awarded Le Grand the Excellence Prize, and the service launched in May 2026 targeting JR West passengers and station-area businesses with weather-contextual advertising.
• 株式会社アドインテ (Adinte)majorTechnology or Integration · 19 May 2025Le Grand utilizes Adinte's Japan-leading 90 million advertising IDs (monthly active users) for location-based targeting combined with weather-triggered ad delivery, adding a new capability to the weather marketing platform.
• 株式会社ジオロジック (GeoLogic)coreTechnology or Integration · 24 April 2025Joint development of 'Weather-Triggered Advertising' by integrating Le Grand's weathermarketing.net® (patented weather-triggered ad system) with GeoLogic's GeoLogic Ad location-based advertising platform. Service launched April 2024.
• 株式会社ParaWorkscoreChannel Partner/ Reseller/ Distributor · 13 March 2025ParaWorks signed a master reseller agreement with Le Grand to expand market reach and sales channel development for weathermarketing.net®, the patented weather-triggered advertising system.
• Foundation DigitalsupportingStrategic or Co-development Partner · 4 August 2024Los Angeles-based digital agency and PubCon award winner for content marketing. Partner for multilingual content marketing and SEO projects, particularly for Japanese companies going global.
• CreatorIQmajorTechnology or Integration · 25 September 2019Le Grand is the pilot agency partner in Japan for CreatorIQ, a US-based influencer marketing platform using AI for influencer discovery and management. Le Grand leverages CreatorIQ's tools to identify optimal influencers for client campaigns. Clients include Unilever, Airbnb, Dell, Disney, and Ralph Lauren.
• 株式会社ハレックス (Halex)coreTechnology or Integration · 2 November 2017Halex, an NTT DATA Group weather information company, provides weather data to Le Grand for TNQL service. TNQL was co-developed and promoted together, combining Halex's meteorological expertise with Le Grand's AI recommendation technology.
• 小学館 (Shogakukan)supportingTechnology or Integration · 7 September 2017TNQL widget was deployed on Shogakukan's women's media site 'しごとなでしこ', integrating weather-driven fashion recommendations into the publisher's digital content.
• Somo GlobalsupportingGTM or Marketing PartnerSomo Global's Co-founder and CEO Nick Hynes praised Le Grand's support for their Japan market entry (Technology Works/Tradedoubler), citing efficient planning, event management, press conferences, agency negotiations, and business document preparation leading to successful acquisition by Tradedoubler.

Scale indicators4 records

Recent moves8 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Regional players

• Geoteric: Weather-data and analytics platform serving media, advertising, and retail clients globally. Comparable to Le Grand's TNQL API as a contextual weather-marketing data provider, though more focused on data infrastructure than end-to-end campaign execution.
• Locaria: International multilingual digital marketing agency with strong multilingual content, SEO, and localization capabilities across European and Asian markets. Comparable to Le Grand's multilingual tourism marketing and inbound-Japan localization services for foreign companies entering Japan.

Emerging players

• Allganize Japan: Japan-based AI company offering enterprise search, knowledge management, and AI-automation products. Comparable as an emerging Japanese AI vendor that overlaps Le Grand's recommendation engine and marketing automation ambitions through AI-based content personalization.
• Repro Inc. Japanese marketing automation and customer engagement platform with push notifications, in-app messaging, and personalization features. Competes with SmartUX in the marketing-automation space for Japanese SMB and mid-market clients.
• FreakOut Holdings: Japanese ad-tech company providing DSP, programmatic, and AI-driven marketing solutions. Comparable to Le Grand's weather-triggered ad platform through its emphasis on real-time contextual targeting and data-driven ad delivery, though broader in scope.

Direct peers

• Septeni Holdings: Japanese digital advertising holding company with a creative agency arm (Septeni Japan) offering integrated digital marketing, ad-tech products, and performance campaigns. Direct competitor to Le Grand in Japanese mid-market enterprise digital advertising, with overlapping martech and creative capabilities.
• Digital Holdings: Japanese digital marketing group operating agencies (D.A.コンソーシアム, アドフレックス・コミュニケーションズ) and AI/martech subsidiaries. Closely comparable to Le Grand as a tech-forward Japanese digital marketing group with proprietary AI tools, data platforms, and integrated agency services.

Broad incumbents

• Recruit Holdings: Japanese digital media and HR conglomerate operating Indeed, Jalan, and major marketing platforms with deep advertising technology and tourism data assets. Broad incumbent in Japanese marketing technology and tourism promotion that competes with Le Grand across multiple service lines at scale.
• Dentsu Inc. Japan's largest advertising agency group with global operations across creative, media, CXM, and martech. Overlaps Le Grand's enterprise digital marketing, CRM, and content services at much larger scale; represents the broad incumbent against which boutique specialists like Le Grand differentiate.
• Hakuhodo Inc. Japan's second-largest ad agency with full-service digital, content, and data-driven marketing capabilities. Competes for the same Japanese enterprise marketing budgets Le Grand targets, with broader scale and category coverage including SEO, content, and CRM strategy.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/mktg_roi
• YouTubeyoutube.com/channel/UCdepwhykfvloVsDvN9kDZKw
• Facebookfacebook.com/LeGrand.jp

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles3 records

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 Le Grand