SQC

What SQC does

SQC (株式会社エス・キュー・シー), founded in September 1995 in Kawasaki, Kanagawa, is Japan's first test-specialized third-party software verification company. It provides independent quality assurance and software testing services to enterprise clients across manufacturing, telecommunications, medical devices, consumer electronics, financial services, and government. The company operates from a Tokyo headquarters (relocated to Nishi-Shinjuku in 2023) and a nearshore delivery center in Uruma City, Okinawa (established 2021), with a wholly-owned Shanghai subsidiary dating to 2004.

SQC's service portfolio spans five integrated lines: Testing Services (~90% of revenue, encompassing full-lifecycle functional, security, performance, and usability testing), Consulting Services for QA process improvement, Test Automation Services built around proprietary platforms TestShell (launched 2009) and CloudShell (launched 2014) plus resold automation tools (T-PLAN Robot and Magic Pod added in 2025), Human Resource Development / training programs, and Development Support Services. In February 2026, the company launched 'Generative AI × Professional Verification' (生成AI×プロフェッショナル検証), which applies generative AI to auto-generate test condition lists from specification documents, claiming up to 70% reduction in initial draft creation time under a hybrid human-AI workflow.

The company monetizes primarily through project-based professional services engagements (engineers deployed on-site or remotely, often as embedded multi-year teams), supplemented by one-time tool licensing with Japanese-language support and ongoing maintenance contracts. Go-to-market is sales-led enterprise field sales targeting Japanese corporations, with inbound lead generation via the corporate website, free consultation offerings, IVIA/JUSE thought leadership, and customer case studies. As of October 2024, SQC reports 62 full-time employees plus 9 contract employees and 40 partner-company staff, with historical revenue of JPY 602 million disclosed for fiscal year ending March 2021.

Name

SQC

Legal name

株式会社エス・キュー・シー

Website

https://sqc.co.jp

Company type

Private

Founded year

1995

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

SQC is a Japan-based third-party software testing and quality assurance specialist serving enterprise clients across manufacturing, telecommunications, medical, and consumer electronics, offering testing, consulting, automation, training, and AI-augmented verification services.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Software Testing and Quality Assurance Services

NAICS

Testing Laboratories and Services (54138), Custom Computer Programming Services (541511)

SIC

Services-Testing Laboratories (8734), Services-Computer Programming, Data Processing, Etc. (7370)

akta.pro primary industry

Enterprise Application Testing & QA Services (BPAEAGAI)

akta.pro secondary industries

Quality Engineering & Test Automation (QE/QA) (BPAEAFAJ), Testing, QA & Release/Deployment Enablement (BPAEAAAN), QA, Test Automation & Software Quality (Manual/Automated Testing, Performance) (EDABAFAL)

Keywords

• Software testing services
• Quality assurance consulting
• Test automation platforms
• Third-party verification
• Software development support

Headquarters

HQ city

Akasaka

HQ country

Japan

HQ region

Asia

Offices2 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

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

Revenue model

1. Testing Services (テスティングサービス): The primary revenue driver representing approximately 90% of company revenue. SQC provides comprehensive software testing services including test planning, test case creation, manual test execution, test automation support, and nearshore (Okinawa) verification. Services are project-based and typically scoped per engagement, with engineers deployed either on-site at client locations or remotely.
2. Test Automation Tools Sales and Support (テスト自動化ツール販売): SQC resells and supports test automation tools including TestShell, CloudShell, T-PLAN Robot, and Magic Pod. Revenue is generated through software sales, licensing, and ongoing maintenance/support contracts. SQC provides Japanese-language support addressing the language barrier common with overseas tools, including installation support, scenario creation training, and CI/CD integration.
3. Consulting Services (コンサルティングサービス): Advisory services for quality assurance process improvement, test standardization, quality analysis, and visualization. Engagement models include assessment engagements (2 weeks to 1 month) and longer-term improvement implementation support (3 months to 1+ year). The first consultation and initial diagnostic sessions are provided free of charge as a lead generation mechanism.
4. Development Support Services (開発支援サービス): Software development services provided with a quality-assurance-first approach. SQC embeds teams (starting from 1 person) at client sites or operates remotely from its Tokyo or Okinawa offices. Services cover the full development lifecycle from requirements definition through design, development, quality verification, and ongoing operational support. Pricing follows a monthly billing model based on team size and engagement scope.
5. Training Services (人材育成支援サービス / トレーニングサービス): Education and training programs for test engineers and development organizations. Offerings include structured course training (Standard Test Engineer Course, Standard Test Manager Course, both 2-day programs) and customized point-specific training. Revenue is generated through per-program or per-attendee billing for corporate training engagements.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion2 records

Distribution channels4 records

Marketing channels7 records

Core offering

SQC provides third-party software verification and quality assurance services, including outsourced testing (approximately 90% of revenue), testing consulting, test automation tool sales and support (TestShell, CloudShell, T-PLAN Robot, Magic Pod, Ranorex), human resource development for testing professionals, and on-site development support for client teams. The company serves enterprise clients across IT, manufacturing, telecommunications, finance, medical devices, public sector, education, distribution, and construction industries in Japan.

Product overview

SQC operates as a third-party software testing and quality assurance company founded in 1995, offering five core service lines: Testing Services (テスティングサービス) as the primary revenue driver (~90%), Consulting Services (コンサルティングサービス), Test Automation Services (テスト自動化サービス), Human Resource Development Services (人材育成支援サービス), and Development Support Services (開発支援サービス). The portfolio is anchored by the CloudShell platform as the core test automation engine, complemented by TestShell, T-PLAN Robot, and Magic Pod as additional test automation tools. A notable 2026 addition is the Generative AI × Professional Verification (生成AI×プロフェッショナル検証) service that layers AI-driven test design onto the professional verification foundation. All services leverage SQC's 30+ years of quality assurance expertise, with support for CI/CD integration, nearshoring capabilities from an Okinawa base, and comprehensive training programs.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Testing Service (テスティングサービス) Outsourced third-party software testing covering functional and non-functional verification, test design, test execution, and operational testing for enterprise systems across IT, embedded, telecommunications, finance, medical devices, public sector, and other industries.
• Consulting Service (コンサルティングサービス) Advisory and consulting support on software testing strategy, test process improvement, and QA organization design for enterprise clients building or maturing in-house quality functions.
• Test Automation Service (テスト自動化サービス) Sale, implementation, and support of test automation tools including SQC's proprietary CloudShell platform and partner tools such as TestShell, T-PLAN Robot, Magic Pod, and Ranorex, together with integration into client CI/CD pipelines.
• Human Resource Development Service (人材育成支援サービス) Training programs that build client in-house test engineer capability by transferring SQC's practical verification know-how, supporting long-term QA capacity growth inside client organizations.
• Development Support Service (開発支援サービス) Embedded engineer support that places SQC test and QA staff directly inside client development teams, including monthly subscription-style engagements for sustained on-site verification.
• Generative AI × Professional Verification (生成AI×プロフェッショナル検証) Generative AI-augmented test design and verification service that combines AI-driven test generation with SQC's professional test engineers, designed to accelerate test creation and improve coverage for enterprise software projects.

Named customers10 records

Segments5 records

Ideal customer profiles4 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Integration4 records

AI capability2 records

Feature5 records

Partnerships

Four partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• 日新システムズ (Nissin System Co., Ltd.)coreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 22 October 2025SQC provides development support services to Nissin Systems, a company with over 40 years of experience in embedded software development and a subsidiary of Sumitomo Electric Group. A 5-person SQC team is embedded in Nissin Systems' projects (printer-related and semiconductor manufacturing equipment) operating from SQC's Okinawa Project Center. The partnership addresses Nissin Systems' challenge of embedded software engineer recruitment in the Tokyo area by leveraging Okinawa-based talent. The collaboration enables Nissin Systems to take on new projects by freeing up internal resources.
• IT検証産業協会 (IVIA — IT Verification Industry Association)coreOthersSQC is a member of IVIA, an industry association promoting technical capability improvement and standardization in IT verification (software testing). CEO Kurata Katsunori serves as an IVEC Evangelist within IVIA, contributing thought leadership content and helping to advance the industry.
• 日本科学技術連盟 (JUSE — Japan Union of Scientists and Engineers)minorOthersSQC is a member of JUSE, contributing to and benefiting from Japan's broader quality management and engineering excellence community.
• 索科思軟件測試（上海）有限公司 (SuokeSi Software Testing (Shanghai) Co., Ltd.)minorStrategic or Co-development PartnerSQC established a subsidiary in Shanghai in 2004 for technology exchange and talent development purposes. The Shanghai entity enables cross-border collaboration and potentially supports international project delivery.

Scale indicators8 records

Recent moves9 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Direct peers

• APPSWINGBY (formerly Vertic): Japan-based software testing services firm. Directly competes with SQC for enterprise QA engagements in Japan, with overlapping service lines including functional testing, test automation, and consulting.
• SHIFT Inc. Japan's largest independent software testing and quality assurance company. Directly comparable to SQC in core service offering (third-party software verification), enterprise customer base in Japan, and use of nearshore delivery, but operates at materially greater scale.
• Qualitest Group: Global pure-play software testing and quality engineering services company. Comparable business model (testing-led services, automation tooling, AI-augmented QA) and customer segments (enterprise, regulated industries). Operates internationally rather than Japan-only.
• Cigniti Technologies: India-headquartered independent software testing services firm. Comparable as a pure-play QA services peer with test automation and digital engineering offerings; serves global enterprise clients across verticals overlapping SQC's.
• Val Group Holdings: Japanese QA services holding company aggregating multiple testing brands. Closely comparable to SQC in product (software testing, test automation, consulting) and customer (Japanese enterprise) overlap.

Broad incumbents

• Hexaware Technologies: Global IT services firm with a dedicated quality engineering and testing practice. Provides comparable testing services and automation offerings as part of a broader digital transformation portfolio serving enterprise clients.
• Accenture: Global IT services giant with substantial testing and quality engineering offerings within its broader technology services portfolio. Competes with SQC on large enterprise QA engagements, particularly with multinational clients in Japan.
• Capgemini (Sogeti): Global IT services leader with significant software testing and quality engineering practice via Sogeti. Comparable capability portfolio but operates at vastly larger scale and as part of broader digital transformation services.

Market position

Strengths4 records

Weaknesses4 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

Compliance2 records

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 SQC