4Colors

What 4Colors does

4Colors (株式会社4COLORS) is a Yokohama-headquartered Japanese B2B SaaS company founded in 2006 by Kayama Ryokuro. Its core product, PIP-Maker®, is a cloud-based avatar video creation platform that converts PowerPoint presentations into AI-narrated, interactive avatar videos in as little as five minutes, supporting 50+ avatar types, 450+ voice synthesis options, and 65+ languages on Microsoft Azure infrastructure. The platform adds deeper interactive features such as embedded quizzes, 2D/3D avatars, multi-person roleplay dialogue, and MP4 video insertion, and has generated over 200,000 videos used by 850+ enterprise customers, 46,000+ creators, and 6 million+ viewers across 150+ countries.

The company sells primarily to large Japanese enterprises in financial services (Sumitomo Mitsui Marine, Keio Bank, SOMPO, Net Save), construction and manufacturing (LIXIL, Obayashi, Daiwa House, Kyoritsu Construction), and the public sector (Shizuoka Prefecture). GTM combines direct enterprise field sales with a nationwide Japanese sales-agent network, partner co-selling with Microsoft, Net Learning, and SCIEN, and is now registered on Japan's Digital Agency Digital Marketplace for government procurement. Revenue is generated through tiered PIP-Maker SaaS subscriptions (monthly/annual), paid add-on plans such as the Sales Roleplay x AI Plan (from 100,000 JPY), one-time custom avatar design services (100,000 JPY), and commissioned content production. The company is bootstrapped with registered capital of 10 million JPY, no disclosed external funding, and a headcount range of 11–50, while continuing to expand through new generative AI features and a second product line, ROI-Maker, an AI agent platform for ROI-based DX solution matching co-developed with Tokyo University-affiliated startup SCIEN.

Name

4Colors

Legal name

株式会社4COLORS

Website

https://4colors.jp

Company type

Private

Founded year

2006

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

4Colors (株式会社4COLORS) is a Japanese B2B SaaS company that sells PIP-Maker®, a cloud avatar video platform converting PowerPoint into AI-narrated training, sales, and e-learning videos, serving 850+ large enterprises across insurance, banking, construction, manufacturing, and government with 65+ language support.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Enterprise Video Creation Software

NAICS

Software Publishers (5132), Postproduction Services and Other Motion Picture and Video Industries (51219)

SIC

Services-Allied To Motion Picture Production (7819)

akta.pro primary industry

Digital Humans, Avatars & Real-Time Character Pipelines (MPAHADAH)

akta.pro secondary industry

Creator Tools & Production (Overlays, Alerts, Encoding, Editing, Audio) (MPAFAEAC)

Keywords

• Avatar video creation
• Video presentation software
• E-learning video platform
• AI voice synthesis
• Corporate training videos

Headquarters

HQ city

Yokohama-shi

HQ country

Japan

HQ region

Asia

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Software

Cost components

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

Revenue model

1. PIP-Maker SaaS Subscriptions: Monthly or annual subscription-based SaaS for avatar video creation; tiered plans available; includes core avatar video creation, interactive features, 3D capabilities; sold directly and through partner agents
2. Sales Roloplay Training x AI Plan: Premium service offering dialogue-form interactive video production with 2 avatars, consulting, and content planning; priced from 100,000 JPY; separate monthly PIP-Maker license required
3. My Avatar Original Uniform Service: Custom avatar uniform design service; one-time 100,000 JPY + tax; includes illustration design and uniform settings for up to 5 accounts
4. Content Production Support: Content creation support and commissioned video production services for customers; assists with PowerPoint-to-video conversion, design improvements, and content strategy

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion2 records

Distribution channels4 records

Marketing channels5 records

Core offering

4Colors develops and sells PIP-Maker®, a cloud-based B2B SaaS platform built on Microsoft Azure that converts PowerPoint presentations into AI avatar-narrated interactive videos in as little as 5 minutes, supporting 50+ avatar types, 450+ voice synthesis options across 65+ languages, and featuring interactive quizzes, 3D metaverse environments, and multi-person dialogue. The company also offers ROI-Maker, an AI agent platform co-developed with SCIEN that visualizes ROI from business challenge input and matches optimal DX solutions, plus supporting services like custom avatar uniform design and content production support.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• PIP-Maker®: Core B2B avatar video solution that converts PowerPoint presentations into AI avatar-narrated interactive videos. Allows users to create training, manual, and sales support videos without filming or recording.
• ROI-Maker
• PIP-Maker for RoPLe
• PIP-Maker for Database

Products and services

• PIP-Maker® Cloud-based B2B SaaS platform that converts PowerPoint presentations into AI avatar-narrated interactive videos in as little as 5 minutes without video editing skills. Supports 50+ avatar types, 450+ voice synthesis options across 65+ languages, interactive quiz features, 3D metaverse-style environments, multi-person dialogue/roleplay, and video footage insertion. Used by enterprise customers for training, e-learning, manuals, sales support, and administrative information sharing.
• ROI-Maker AI agent platform that visualizes ROI from a single-sentence business challenge input. Automatically structures challenges into ROI trees, generates proposals with quantified benefits (e.g., "20% workload reduction", "300% ROI"), and matches optimal DX vendor/solution recommendations. Available as cloud SaaS with on-premises option for enterprises.
• PIP-Maker for Roapl (RoPLe) Excel-based voice avatar role-playing training tool that converts dialogue scripts into interactive training videos. Supports three training types: Thinking, Experiential, and Shared dialogue formats. Targeted at sales and customer service training without in-person sessions.
• PIP-Maker for Database Automated video generation tool that creates up to 1,000 product videos per hour from database information including photos, product names, prices, and descriptions. Used for retail, e-commerce, real estate, and travel industries for marketing video automation.
• PIP-Maker for Sales Tech Remote sales support video tool for business continuity planning (BCP) and telecommuting scenarios. Creates avatar-based sales and survey videos from PowerPoint for non-contact business activities.
• DX Human Resources Training Course Online education program for DX talent development, co-developed with Net Learning. Two-part curriculum covering DX basic knowledge and DX action implementation. Uses PIP-Maker interactive video content with Open Badge certification upon course completion.

Quantifiable outcome

• Training comprehension improved from 88% to 96% post-implementation
• +6 more outcomes

Named customers12 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed Yes

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

AI capability9 records

Feature11 records

Partnerships

Six partnerships are on record, tiered core and supporting.

• SCIEN (株式会社SCIEN)coreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 27 August 2025Co-development partner for ROI-Maker AI agent solution; jointly developed patent-protected AI technology (Patent 7733890) for ROI-based business matching; SCIEN is a Tokyo University Matsuo Laboratory-affiliated startup specializing in manufacturing AI inspection and DX solutions; 4COLORS provides PIP-Maker communication expertise combined with SCIEN's AI agent technology for ROI visualization platform
• Microsoft Japan (日本マイクロソフト)coreTechnology or Integration · 23 April 2025PIP-Maker migrated to Microsoft Azure infrastructure; strategic infrastructure partner providing cloud scalability, security, and AI capabilities (Azure OpenAI); Microsoft provides Azure Light-up Workshop and ZEN Advisor technical support through partner Zen Architecture; Azure AI and security features enable PIP-Maker's advanced AI functionality
• Zen Architecture (株式会社ゼンアーキテクツ)supportingTechnology or Integration · 23 April 2025Azure migration support partner; provided Azure Light-up Workshop for architecture design and ZEN Advisor technical consultation for PIP-Maker's cloud infrastructure migration
• Net Learning (株式会社ネットランニング)coreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 5 December 2023Joint development of DX Human Resource Training Course; combines 4COLORS' PIP-Maker video creation expertise with Net Learning's multi-functional learning platform and 5,978 corporate clients; co-developed interactive video-based DX training curriculum with Open Badge certification
• Partner Companies (数社)supportingOthersListed as partner companies in overview; includes collaboration on product and service development
• Sales Distributors (全国大手代理店)coreChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorNationwide network of large-scale sales agents and distribution companies reselling PIP-Maker; dedicated partner sales team supports agent operations; key distribution channel for domestic Japan enterprise market

Scale indicators14 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Direct peers

• HeyGen: AI avatar video platform for enterprise content creation with strong multilingual capabilities; competes directly with PIP-Maker on avatar video generation and is expanding into Japanese enterprise market.
• D-ID: Digital human and AI avatar video platform for enterprise communications; comparable to PIP-Maker in avatar-based video generation technology and target enterprise training/sales use cases.
• Hour One: AI avatar video generation platform serving enterprise training and communications; directly competes with PIP-Maker in converting text content into avatar-narrated videos with enterprise focus.
• Elai.io: AI avatar video generation platform with text-to-video capabilities; comparable to PIP-Maker in serving enterprise training and corporate communication use cases with avatar technology.
• Synthesia: Leading AI avatar video generation platform serving enterprise training and communications; directly competes with PIP-Maker in converting text/PowerPoint into avatar-narrated videos with multi-language support.
• Colossyan: AI avatar video platform specialized for corporate training and learning content; directly competes with PIP-Maker in avatar-narrated training video creation for enterprise L&D teams.

Emerging players

• Tavus: AI video personalization platform with avatar cloning and video generation capabilities; emerging competitor in personalized avatar video space, serving enterprise sales/marketing use cases adjacent to PIP-Maker.
• Pictory: AI-powered video creation platform focused on text-to-video conversion; partially overlaps with PIP-Maker's PowerPoint-to-video workflow but focuses more on social/marketing content than enterprise training.

Broad incumbents

• Powtoon: Enterprise video creation platform with animated and presentation-style videos; serves overlapping enterprise training/comms market with broader feature set than PIP-Maker's avatar specialization.
• Vyond: Established animated video creation platform for enterprise communications; broader scope than PIP-Maker (includes animation) but serves overlapping enterprise training and corporate communications market.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat6 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/4colorsjp

Compliance1 record

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles5 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 4Colors