Kids Color
Kids Color Inc. operates HoiClue, a Tokyo-based web platform serving nearly 80% of Japan's nursery teachers with childcare and play-activity content, supplemented by an online store, educational play equipment, and commissioned corporate projects.
- Company typePrivate
- Founded2010
- HeadquartersTokyo, Japan
- Headcount1–10
- GTM typeB2C
- OfferingDigital Commerce or Content
What Kids Color does
Kids Color Inc. (株式会社キッズカラー) is a Tokyo-based private company founded in December 2010 that operates HoiClue (ほいくる), a web platform providing childcare and play-activity information to nursery teachers and parents across Japan. HoiClue is reported to reach nearly 80% of Japan's nursery teachers and approximately 1.5 million monthly active users, positioning it as a category-defining resource in the Japanese early-childhood professional segment. The company is led by founder and Representative Director Minami Amemiya, a licensed nursery teacher, and operates with a small team of 1-10 employees that includes 3 certified nursery teachers and 2 kindergarten-licensed teachers.
Kids Color firmographics
Firmographics- Name
- Kids Color
- Legal name
- 株式会社キッズカラー
- Website
- https://kids-color.co.jp
- Company type
- Private
- Founded year
- 2010
- Operating status
- Operating
- Headcount range
- 1–10 employees
- Short description
- Kids Color Inc. operates HoiClue, a Tokyo-based web platform serving nearly 80% of Japan's nursery teachers with childcare and play-activity content, supplemented by an online store, educational play equipment, and commissioned corporate projects.
- Ownership category
- akta.pro rank
Kids Color industry classification
Industry- Product category
- Childcare Content Platform
- NAICS
- Hobby, Toy, and Game Retailers (45912)
- SIC
- Retail-Hobby, Toy & Game Shops (5945)
- akta.pro primary industry
- Special Needs–Inclusive Nursery & Playgroups (EDACACAJ)
- akta.pro secondary industry
- Educational & Learning Toys Retail (CRALAFAB)
Keywords
Where Kids Color is headquartered
LocationHeadquarters
- HQ city
- Tokyo
- HQ country
- Japan
- HQ region
- Asia
Offices1 record
Markets served
Kids Color business model
Business model- GTM type
- B2C
- Offering type
- Digital Commerce or Content
- Cost components
- Personnel, Operations, Technology or R&D, Marketing or Sales
Revenue model
- HoiClue Platform Operations: Web platform providing childcare and play information to nursery teachers and parents. Revenue derived from advertising, partnerships, and promoted content.
- Kids Color ONLINE STORE: E-commerce store selling nursery-related items, books, goods, and illustration data.
- Commissioned Projects: Planning proposals and product/service development support from child perspective and childcare expertise, including tie-up projects.
Pricing tiers
| Model | Billing | Price |
|---|---|---|
| Freemium | Monthly | HoiClue platform access appears to be free for users |
Go-to-market motion1 record
Distribution channels4 records
Marketing channels5 records
Kids Color product offering
Product offeringCore offering
Kids Color operates HoiClue (ほいくる), a web-based platform that provides childcare and play activity information to nursery teachers and parents across Japan. The platform aggregates seasonal play ideas, conducts industry surveys, and shares event information, achieving usage by nearly 80% of nursery teachers nationwide. The company complements the platform with an online store selling nursery-related products, commissioned B2B projects, co-developed physical play equipment, and published books.
Product overview
Kids Color Inc. operates a platform-based business centered on childcare and play. The core offering is HoiClue, a web-based platform for childcare and parenting play and learning information serving approximately 80% of Japan's nursery teachers. This is supplemented by Kodomo Garakuta Lab (currently paused), a physical workshop space for child-led play exploration using scrap materials. The company also operates the Kids Color ONLINE STORE selling childcare-related items, and has co-developed educational play equipment (Wakuwaku World, Baum) with Maset Co., Ltd. The product portfolio extends to published books (seasonal play books, internship guides) and special initiatives including 'Everyone's Childcare Day.' A partnership with Daiichi Smart provides COVID insurance for childcare workers through the platform.
Differentiator
Problem solved
Functional benefit
Brands
- HoiClue (ほいくる): 保育や子育てが広がる“遊び”与“学び”の情報プラットフォーム - A platform for childcare and play activities information, used by approximately 80% of nursery school teachers nationwide.
Products and services
- HoiClue (ほいくる) A web-based platform providing childcare and play activity information, used by approximately 80% of nursery teachers nationwide in Japan. Features seasonal play ideas, searchable activity database, surveys, and event information for childcare professionals and parents.
- Kids Color ONLINE STORE E-commerce store selling nursery-related items, books, goods, and illustration data featured on the HoiClue site. Targets childcare professionals and parents across Japan.
- Kodomo Garakuta Lab (コドモガラクタラボ) Monthly workshop program where children use scrap and waste materials to freely explore play. Held at the company office with hands-on engagement for children.
- Wakuwaku World (わくわくワールド) Educational play equipment co-developed with Maset Co., Ltd., designed for open-ended child-initiated play without prescribed usage patterns. Targeted at childcare facilities and nursery settings.
- Baum Child-initiated play equipment co-developed with Maset Co., Ltd., focused on enabling children to independently expand play experiences in childcare settings.
- 12 Months of Fun! Children's Seasonal Play Book (12ヶ月が楽しい！子どもの季節あそびBOOK) Seasonal play ideas book published by Asahi Shimbun Publishing, featuring 140+ activities across four seasons including nature, crafts, games, and cooking for each month. Targeted at parents and childcare professionals.
- Childcare & Kindergarten Internship Records and Lesson Plans Complete Book (保育所＆幼稚園 実習の記録と指導案 まるごとBOOK) Internship guide book co-edited with KADOKAWA, covering day-to-day childcare flow, internship documentation methods, and activity ideas for childcare students and instructors.
- Little Press 'Kodomo Konata' (こどもこなた) Original little press publication featuring interviews and original manga exploring childhood from various perspectives. Released on World Children's Day as part of Kids Color's content initiatives.
Quantifiable outcome
- Nearly 80% of Japan's nursery teachers use the HoiClue platform
- +2 more outcomes
Companies that use Kids Color
Customer profileNamed customers2 records
Segments2 records
Ideal customer profiles3 records
Kids Color technology and API
TechnologyTechnology focussed No
API detail
- Has API
- No
- API docs
- API detail
Core technology
AI maturity
App detail
Feature2 records
Kids Color partnerships and signals
Strategic signalPartnerships
Five partnerships are on record, tiered minor and core.
- Daiichi Smart Minor Accident Insurance Co., Ltd. (第一スマート少額短期保険株式会社)minorCollaboration to introduce the 'Hoikusha COVID Insurance' through the HoiClue platform, providing coverage information for childcare workers.
- Shogakukan (小学館) - 新 幼児と保育coreCollaboration on questionnaires and surveys for childcare workers, with content appearing in Shogakukan's childcare magazine '新 幼児と保育'.
- Masset Co., Ltd. (マスセット株式会社)coreJoint development of children's play equipment including 'Waku Waku World' and 'Baum' toys designed to encourage child-led play experiences.
- Shogakukan (小学館)coreCapital and business partnership with Shogakukan to leverage their parent-targeted content and production capabilities for new content development and business expansion. Shogakukan is also a major shareholder.
- Yamaha Corporation (ヤマハ株式会社)minorChristmas collaboration with Yamaha's 'Print Gaku' music sheet service, offering free downloadable Christmas song scores through HoiClue.
Scale indicators4 records
Recent moves7 records
Expansion highlights5 records
Kids Color competitors and assessment
Company assessmentDirect peers
- Benesse Corporation: Japanese education and publishing company operating parenting platforms such as Tamahiyo, comparable to Kids Color as a Japan-based content company serving parents and early-childhood educators with information and community.
- BabyCenter: Global pregnancy and parenting digital platform with content, community, and e-commerce, directly comparable to Kids Color's HoiClue platform in business model and audience (parents and early-childhood caregivers seeking trusted information).
- What to Expect: Pregnancy and parenting content platform with strong community and commerce features, closely matching HoiClue's blend of expert content, user engagement, and commercial monetization.
- The Bump: Digital platform providing pregnancy and parenting content, tools, and commerce; comparable to HoiClue in serving early-stage caregivers with curated content and product offerings.
- FamilyEducation: Parenting and education content platform providing articles and resources to parents and educators, similar in digital content/community model to HoiClue though oriented more toward K-12.
Broad incumbents
- Shogakukan: Major Japanese publisher and Kids Color's strategic capital partner and shareholder; comparable as a broad incumbent in the Japanese childcare content/publishing space where Kids Color operates.
- Pigeon Corporation: Japanese childcare products manufacturer selling baby and childcare goods, comparable as a long-established Japan-headquartered player in the broader childcare market though focused on physical products rather than content.
- Combi Corporation: Japanese childcare products and services company with a long-standing presence in nurseries and baby goods; comparable as an incumbent in Japan's childcare ecosystem, though focused on products rather than digital content.
Emerging players
- Pinkfong: Korean digital kids' content company producing songs, stories, and educational videos for young children; comparable as a digital-first kids content brand, though Pinkfong focuses on consumer media rather than childcare professional community.
Others
- Asahi Shimbun Publications: Japanese publishing arm that has co-published seasonal play books with Kids Color; an adjacent ecosystem participant rather than direct competitor, but operating in the same parenting/childcare content space.
Market position
Strengths5 records
Weaknesses5 records
Competitive moat5 records
Key risks6 records
Key highlights7 records
Customer concentration
Kids Color social profiles
Digital presenceKids Color financial estimates
Financial estimateRevenue estimate
Valuation estimate
Kids Color leadership team
Management profileNumber of profiles
Profiles4 records
Kids Color funding detail
Funding detailFunding overview
Funding rounds2 records
Investors2 records
Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Kids Color M&A and investment
M&A and investmentM&A
Investments
M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Frequently asked questions about Kids Color
What does Kids Color do?
Kids Color operates HoiClue (ほいくる), a web-based platform that provides childcare and play activity information to nursery teachers and parents across Japan. The platform aggregates seasonal play ideas, conducts industry surveys, and shares event information, achieving usage by nearly 80% of nursery teachers nationwide. The company complements the platform with an online store selling nursery-related products, commissioned B2B projects, co-developed physical play equipment, and published books.
Is Kids Color a public or private company?
Kids Color is a private company. It is classified as venture growth investor backed and is currently operating.
When was Kids Color founded?
Kids Color was founded in 2010. It employs 1 to 10 people.
Where is Kids Color based?
Kids Color is headquartered in Tokyo, Japan, in the Asia region.
How does Kids Color make money?
Three revenue lines are on record. HoiClue Platform Operations are the primary driver. The others are kids Color ONLINE STORE and commissioned Projects.
Who are Kids Color's main competitors?
Direct peers on record are Benesse Corporation, BabyCenter, What to Expect, The Bump and FamilyEducation. Broad incumbents are Shogakukan, Pigeon Corporation and Combi Corporation. Pinkfong is listed as an emerging player. Asahi Shimbun Publications is listed as an others.
Does Kids Color have an API?
No public API is recorded for Kids Color.
What industry is Kids Color in?
Kids Color's product category is Childcare Content Platform. Its primary akta.pro industry code is EDACACAJ, Special Needs–Inclusive Nursery & Playgroups, with a secondary code of CRALAFAB, Educational & Learning Toys Retail. Its NAICS code is 45912 and its SIC code is 5945.