Change the World

What Change the World does

Change the World, Inc. (株式会社チェンジ・ザ・ワールド) operated Watt Store (ワットストア), a Japanese solar power generation equipment sharing platform launched on July 21, 2017. The platform enabled individual and small investors to purchase fractional ownership shares—denominated as 'Watts' (W)—in photovoltaic power generation equipment, including ground-mounted and agrivoltaic installations. Under Japan's Feed-in Tariff (FIT) system, users received regular income distributions based on the power generation output of the equipment in which they held shares. The platform also featured Green Watt (branded solar units), Leaf (an environmental value indicator tracking monthly output), Change Coin (a digital token exchangeable for rewards such as Amazon gift cards), and Watt Regular Purchase (a subscription plan for monthly Watt acquisition via credit card).

The revenue model was anchored on the spread between FIT power sales income and distributions paid to Watt holders, effectively positioning the company as an intermediary between physical solar assets and retail investors. Distribution was conducted exclusively through the company's own web platform (https://change-x.jp), targeting a horizontal segmentation of Japanese consumers and small investors. The company served approximately 12,194 user-creditors, with 11-50 employees headquartered in Sakata, Japan, and a trustee office in Chuo-ku, Tokyo. As of December 2024, approximately 80% of the company's solar power generation equipment had been sold through bidding in the bankruptcy estate process.

The company filed for bankruptcy with the Tokyo District Court on February 27, 2023, after determining it could not continue operations in compliance with the revised Act on Specified Commercial Transactions (預託等取引に関する法律), which took effect on June 1, 2022. Total liabilities at filing were approximately ¥3,840,849,996 (≈3.84 billion yen). All Watt Store services were terminated the same day. Bankruptcy proceedings were administered by trustee Seiko Noda of Nagasawa Sogo Law Offices; interim dividends of ¥890,339,698 were distributed in 2024 (100% on priority claims, 25% on general claims), followed by a final dividend of ¥298,021,659 in 2026 (8.844% on general claims), yielding a combined 33.84% distribution rate to general creditors. The Tokyo District Court issued the bankruptcy conclusion decision on May 21, 2026, and the company has ceased all operations.

Name

Change the World

Legal name

株式会社チェンジ・ザ・ワールド (CHANGE THE WORLD, Inc.)

Website

https://ctws.jp

Company type

Private

Founded year

2017

Operating status

Closed

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

Change the World operated Watt Store, a Japanese platform letting individual investors purchase fractional ownership ('Watts') in photovoltaic equipment and earn income from FIT power sales. The company filed for bankruptcy in February 2023 after failing to comply with revised deposit regulations and has ceased operations.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Renewable Energy Investment Platform

NAICS

Solar Electric Power Generation (221114)

SIC

Cogeneration Services & Small Power Producers (4991)

akta.pro primary industry

Renewable Distributed Generation (Rooftop/Onsite Solar, Small Wind, Small Hydro) (EUACALAJ)

akta.pro secondary industries

Community Solar Development & Subscription Management (EUAMAJAA), Distributed Generation (DG) Solar & Small Wind (EUAMAJAD)

Keywords

• Solar energy investment
• Renewable energy sharing
• Fractional ownership
• Solar power equipment
• Feed-in tariff

Headquarters

HQ city

Sakata

HQ country

Japan

HQ region

Asia

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Digital Commerce or Content

Cost components

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

Distribution channels1 record

Core offering

Change the World operated Watt Store (ワットストア), a solar power generation equipment sharing platform that let individual users purchase 'Watts' representing fractional ownership of photovoltaic power generation equipment and receive income distributed from electricity sales under Japan's Feed-in Tariff (FIT) system. The platform combined ground-mounted and solar-sharing (agrivoltaic) installations, tracked monthly generation output, and issued a digital token (Change Coin) redeemable for rewards.

Product overview

株式会社チェンジ・ザ・ワールド operated Watt Store (ワットストア), a solar photovoltaic power generation equipment sharing platform. Users purchased 'Watts' (fractional ownership shares in solar power equipment), earning income from electricity sales under Japan's FIT (Feed-in Tariff) system. The platform offered Green Watt units for ground-mounted (野立て) and agrivoltaic/solar sharing (ソーラーシェアリング) installations, tracked via the Leaf environmental value indicator. The platform included a digital currency called Change Coin for rewards, and a regular purchase subscription service. All services were terminated on February 27, 2023, following bankruptcy proceedings initiated due to non-compliance with the revised 預託法 (Deposits and Installments Act).

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Watt Store (ワットストア)
• Watt Regular Purchase (ワット定期購入)

Ideal customer profiles1 record

Technology focussed Yes

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Partnerships

One partnership is on record.

• makethe paradise (株式会社makethe paradise)minorOthers · 27 October 2025Bankruptcy trustee filed a lawsuit against makethe paradise for damages based on breach of contract by the bankrupt company. The appeal court ruled against the trustee, and the collected funds had to be returned to the defendant. This was a legal dispute rather than a business partnership.

Scale indicators4 records

Recent moves2 records

Expansion highlights1 record

Direct peers

• Trine: Trine was a European solar investment crowdfunding platform that similarly let retail investors purchase fractional ownership of distributed solar PV assets to receive income from power sales. It is directly comparable as a solar-fractional-ownership investment platform and ultimately ceased operations, paralleling Change the World's trajectory.
• Readyfor: Readyfor is one of Japan's largest reward- and equity-based crowdfunding platforms, with some renewable energy and sustainability projects listed. Comparable to Change the World as a Japanese crowdfunding venue for retail investors and sustainability-aligned projects.
• Crowdcredit: Crowdcredit operates a Japanese P2P/crowdfunding platform with explicit focus on cross-border renewable energy and SME lending to individual investors. Comparable to Change the World's Watt Store in retail-facing renewable energy investment under Japanese regulated crowdfunding frameworks.
• Lendahand: Lendahand is a Dutch/European impact investment platform enabling individuals to invest in renewable energy and SME projects in emerging markets. Comparable to Change the World as a regulated retail-investment platform for distributed renewable energy assets, albeit with a different geographic focus.
• SYLA Technologies: SYLA Technologies operates a Japanese real estate investment crowdfunding and SaaS platform (Rimple, KENTO) that similarly lets retail users purchase fractional interests in income-generating assets. Directly comparable retail fractional-asset platform that navigated the same Japanese regulatory environment Change the World did not.
• Abundance Investment: Abundance Investment is a UK-regulated platform offering retail investors debenture-style investments in renewable energy projects, including solar. Directly comparable to Change the World's Watt Store as a regulated retail-investment platform for distributed renewable energy assets.
• OwnersBook: OwnersBook is a Japanese real estate crowdfunding platform operated by OwnersBook, offering individual investors fractional exposure to income-producing assets under Japan's crowdfunding regulations. Comparable as a retail fractional-asset platform operating under the same regulatory framework that disrupted Change the World.
• Funds (ファンズ): Funds is a Japanese investment crowdfunding platform that operates under similar regulatory scrutiny to Change the World's Watt Store, offering individuals access to private debt and equity opportunities, including renewable energy projects. It is directly comparable as a Japanese retail-facing alternative-investment platform that survived while Change the World did not.

Emerging players

• Sunfunder: Sunfunder is a solar finance crowdfunding platform connecting investors to distributed solar projects in emerging markets. Comparable in business model to Change the World (retail exposure to solar power generation cash flows) though operating in different geographies and typically at larger project scale.

Broad incumbents

• SolarCity / Tesla Energy: Tesla Energy (formerly SolarCity) is a major distributed solar installer and PPA provider that monetizes distributed rooftop solar generation, the same end-customer dynamic Change the World targeted via FIT-based fractional ownership. Comparable as a broad incumbent in distributed solar generation, though operating a vertically integrated installation/PPA model rather than a retail-investment platform.

Market position

Weaknesses4 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights4 records

Customer concentration

• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/change-the-world-inc

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

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 Change the World