SPREAD

What SPREAD does

株式会社SPREAD (SPREAD Co., Ltd.) is a Tokyo-based private Japanese company founded in 2006 that operates two distinct business lines. The first is SP-FAX, a cloud fax and AI OCR SaaS platform delivered as a multi-tenant service on AWS Tokyo using a self-operated SIP trunk for transmission and Google Gemini models for template-free document data extraction. SP-FAX targets fax-heavy Japanese SMBs across manufacturing, wholesale, and service sectors and integrates natively with kintone, freee, Salesforce, Slack, and LINE WORKS. The second is SPHERE LIGHT, a Japanese-made automotive LED lighting brand sold B2B through nationwide car parts retailers, dealers, and repair shops, with the RIZING₃ product line winning Nikkan Jidosha Shimbun Product Awards in 2022 and 2023.

SPREAD monetizes via a hybrid pricing model: SP-FAX charges ¥2,000/month subscription plus usage (8 yen/page send, 10 yen/page OCR) with a ¥200,000+ managed enterprise onboarding tier; SPHERE LIGHT generates hardware wholesale revenue through its dealer network. The company divested its beauty business (LAVIE series) to 株式会社LAVIE in April 2021 and simultaneously acquired 株式会社イー・エヌ・ドゥコーポレーション (ENDO) and 有限会社飯田丸光部品 (Iidamarumitsu Parts) as group companies, consolidating focus on automotive parts and fax automation. With ~60 employees as of February 2023 and a self-reported ~¥1B standalone revenue, SPREAD distributes SP-FAX globally via self-serve PLG and SPHERE LIGHT domestically through direct dealer relationships.

The platform architecture pairs vertically integrated telecommunications (self-operated SIP trunk) with AI application-layer differentiation (Gemini-powered OCR with proprietary multi-layer prompt design, dictionary/master matching, and post-processing validation), backed by compliance credentials including ASPIC disclosure, JAPHIC privacy mark, and Electronic Bookkeeping Law alignment. SPREAD operates from Toranomon Hills in Tokyo with sales offices in Nagoya, Sapporo, and Sendai, plus an R&D Center in Nagano Prefecture (relocated April 2023) and a Chinese subsidiary established in 2021.

Name

SPREAD

Legal name

株式会社SPREAD

Website

https://spread-inc.co.jp

Company type

Private

Founded year

2006

Operating status

Operating

Short description

SPREAD is a Tokyo-based private company operating SP-FAX, a cloud fax and AI OCR SaaS built on Google Gemini with self-operated SIP infrastructure targeting Japanese SMBs, and SPHERE LIGHT, a domestic automotive LED lighting brand sold through nationwide parts dealers.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Cloud Fax & AI Document Automation Software

NAICS

Software Publishers (5132), Electronics and Appliance Retailers (4492)

akta.pro primary industry

Software/SaaS Subscriptions (Consumer & Prosumer) (CRAFAIAB)

Keywords

• Cloud fax services
• AI document OCR
• Fax automation SaaS
• Automotive LED lighting
• Document data extraction

Headquarters

HQ city

Toranomon

HQ country

Japan

HQ region

Asia

Offices5 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Software

Cost components

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

Revenue model

1. SP-FAX Cloud Fax & AI OCR Service: Monthly subscription base fee plus per-page charges for fax transmission (8 yen/page) and AI OCR processing (10 yen/page). Optional plans: send-only (free base, 8 yen/page send), send+receive (1,980 yen/month + 8 yen/page send, free receive). Premium managed onboarding packages available at additional cost.
2. SPHERE LIGHT Auto Parts (LED Products): Sale of LED automotive lighting products including RIZINGⅢ series under SPHERE LIGHT brand, distributed through nationwide car parts stores, dealers, and auto shops. Main B2B wholesale channel.
3. Group Company Operations: ENDO (イー・エヌ・ドゥコーポレーション) and Iidamarumitsu Parts (飯田丸光部品) are consolidated group companies contributing to group revenue.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion2 records

Distribution channels2 records

Marketing channels4 records

Core offering

SPREAD sells (1) SP-FAX, a self-serve cloud fax platform with AI-powered OCR that reads received faxes without templates, auto-classifies document types (orders, replacement requests, defect reports, delivery inquiries), and routes structured data into kintone, freee, Salesforce, Slack, LINE WORKS, or custom webhooks; and (2) SPHERE LIGHT, an automotive LED lighting brand offering Japanese-made RIZING III headlights and LED replacement products sold through nationwide auto parts retailers and dealers. Pricing is hybrid: monthly subscription base (up to 2,000 yen) plus per-page usage (8 yen/send fax, 10 yen/OCR page), with a managed enterprise onboarding package.

Product overview

SPREAD operates two distinct business lines unified under its parent company: (1) SP-FAX suite — a cloud FAX and AI OCR platform consisting of SP-FAX (cloud fax send/receive), SP-FAX OCR (AI-powered document data extraction), and the SP-FAX Unified Plan (bundled subscription); and (2) SPHERE LIGHT — an automotive LED lighting brand encompassing RIZINGⅢ headlights and LED replacement bulb series for cars and motorcycles. The SP-FAX products share a common management platform with integrated AI OCR capabilities, external system connectors (kintone, freee, Salesforce, Slack, LINE WORKS), and REST API for enterprise automation.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• スフィアライト (SPHERE LIGHT): LED製品を中心とした自動車用品ブランド。ドライバーの安全をサポートする製品を全国量販店ディラーへ展開。
• SP-FAX
• SP-FAX OCR

Products and services

• SP-FAX Cloud-based online fax service enabling send and receive via web browser, mobile, or API. Includes web-based fax sending (PDF/TIFF upload, bulk CSV send, real-time status tracking), cloud fax reception with PDF/TIFF management, and integrated AI OCR for automated data extraction. Designed for Japanese businesses and global users that need to digitize fax workflows and integrate with cloud business apps.
• SP-FAX OCR Standalone AI-powered OCR service that uses Google Gemini models to auto-classify document types (order, replacement request, defect report, delivery inquiry, quote request) and extract product codes, quantities, prices, sender info, and dates from any fax or PDF format without template registration. Supports handwritten text and multi-page documents; can be used with existing fax services such as Toones and eFax via email forwarding. Outputs structured JSON to kintone, freee, Salesforce, Slack, LINE WORKS, or Webhook.
• SPHERE LIGHT RIZING III LED Headlight Series Japanese-made LED headlight and replacement lighting product line for cars and motorcycles, including the RIZING III automotive headlight and RIZING III bike headlight, plus truck tail lamps, fog lamps, and LED replacement bulb series. Sold B2B through a nationwide dealer and auto parts retailer network in Japan; targeted at car parts shops, repair shops, motorcycle dealers, taxi/mobility operators, used car dealers, and parts wholesalers.

Quantifiable outcome

• Manual data entry work reduced by approximately 90% for order/receiving operations
• +4 more outcomes

Named customers12 records

Segments3 records

Ideal customer profiles2 records

Technology focussed Yes

API detail

Has API

Yes

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Integration9 records

AI capability7 records

Feature5 records

Partnerships

Eight partnerships are on record, tiered core.

• Amazon Web Services Japan G.K. (AWS)coreTechnology or Integration · 1 January 2024AWS provides the core cloud infrastructure: servers, storage (S3 with AES-256 SSE-KMS), SES for email, and SQS for message queuing. All data processed in AWS Tokyo region (ap-northeast-1). AWS GuardDuty provides 24/7 threat detection. AWS CloudTrail records all data access.
• Google LLC (Google Cloud)coreTechnology or Integration · 1 January 2024Google provides AI OCR processing via Gemini models (Gemini 3.1, 3.5 Flash). FAX images are sent to Google Cloud for structure extraction. Data is not retained by Google after processing per Google Cloud Data Processing Addendum. Microsoft Clarity is used separately for marketing site analytics.
• Stripe Japan K.K.coreTechnology or Integration · 1 January 2024Stripe handles credit card payment processing for prepaid point purchases. PCI DSS Level 1 compliant. SP-FAX does not store credit card numbers directly.
• 株式会社三通テレコムサービスcoreTechnology or Integration · 1 January 2024Provides SIP trunk and telecommunications number (electrical communication number) wholesale services. Critical infrastructure partner for SP-FAX's cloud fax send/receive functionality.
• 株式会社イー・エヌ・ドゥコーポレーション (ENDO)coreOthers · 1 January 2021ENDO was acquired by SPREAD in 2021 and operates as a group company. ENDO uses SP-FAX OCR for its own fax order processing, providing internal validation of the product. ENDO handles distinct suppliers and document formats compared to SPREAD, demonstrating SP-FAX's multi-tenant capability.
• 有限会社飯田丸光部品 (Iidamarumitsu Parts)coreOthers · 1 January 2021Equity stake acquired by SPREAD in 2021. Operates as a group company within the SPREAD group structure, contributing to automotive parts distribution operations.
• kintone (Cybozu)coreTechnology or IntegrationNative no-code connector for kintone allows OCR results (supplier, product code, quantity, date) to be automatically registered as records in kintone apps. Supports sub-table (detail rows), lookup fields, and API token auth. No kintone JavaScript customization required.
• freee (freee K.K.)coreTechnology or IntegrationNative connector for freee Sales (freee販売) and freee Accounting (freee会計). OAuth authentication. Sales slips automatically created from OCR results. Supports account title and tax classification auto-mapping.

Scale indicators6 records

Recent moves11 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Broad incumbents

• KOITO Manufacturing: Major Japanese OEM automotive lighting manufacturer supplying automakers directly. Operates in a broader portfolio than SPHERE LIGHT but competes for automotive lighting mindshare and is a comparable Japanese lighting specialist.
• Stanley Electric: Japanese automotive lighting OEM with broad product portfolio including LED headlamps and signal lamps. Comparable to KOITO as a peer for SPHERE LIGHT on automotive lighting category leadership, though primarily OEM rather than aftermarket.
• Adobe Document Cloud: Enterprise document AI and e-signature platform (Acrobat, Acrobat Sign) competing for downstream document automation workflows where SP-FAX's OCR-extracted data ultimately lands. Broader portfolio but overlapping buyer (mid-market and enterprise document process owners).
• WingArc1st: Listed Japanese enterprise document SaaS company (SVF, DocuMaker, MotionBoard) serving document generation, electronic forms, and BI use cases that overlap with SP-FAX OCR-to-ERP workflows. Broader portfolio but competes for the same Japanese enterprise document automation budget.
• RingCentral (Fax): Global cloud communications platform with a cloud fax product within its UCaaS suite, competing in enterprise cloud fax with broader unified communications capabilities than SP-FAX's focused fax + OCR offering.

Emerging players

• ABBYY: Specialized OCR and document AI vendor whose template-free and intelligent document processing capabilities compete with SP-FAX's Gemini-based OCR. Often used in adjacent enterprise document automation workflows where SP-FAX also plays.

Direct peers

• eFax (Consensus Cloud Solutions): Global cloud fax provider with Japan presence, offering fax-to-email and digital fax services to enterprise and SMB customers. Directly competes with SP-FAX on cloud-based fax delivery and is referenced in SP-FAX's AI OCR compatibility (works alongside eFax via email forwarding).
• PIAA Corporation: Japanese automotive aftermarket lighting brand specializing in HID and LED headlight/fog products, directly competing with SPHERE LIGHT RIZINGIII for shelf space and dealer relationships in the car parts aftermarket.
• IPF Corporation: Japanese aftermarket automotive lighting manufacturer (HID, LED, halogen) selling through car parts dealers and repair shops — a direct competitor to SPHERE LIGHT in the same channels and customer base.
• ToonesFax (Intercom): Japanese cloud fax service that directly competes with SP-FAX on send/receive pricing and core features, frequently cited in SPREAD's comparison content. Both target SMBs and fax-heavy businesses with similar page-based pricing models.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat6 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Facebookfacebook.com/SPHERELIGHT

Compliance8 records

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles2 records

Subsidiaries2 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 SPREAD