LIFEBOAT

What LIFEBOAT does

LIFEBOAT Inc. (株式会社ライフボート) is a privately held Japanese software publisher founded in 2002 and headquartered in Kanda-Jinbocho, Chiyoda-ku, Tokyo. The company develops, publishes, and distributes a catalog of approximately 40 software products targeting Windows PCs and servers, organized across security (USB HardLocker series, LB USB Lock, LB Access Log, LB PC Lock, encryption tools), backup and recovery (LB Image Backup, LB File Backup, Paragon-based server imaging), system utilities (Glary Utilities, BootRacer, Disk Analyzer), network and productivity (NetSpot, ManicTime, Multiplicity, TeamViewer), cloud integration (Air Live Drive), and creative tools (Cover Commander, Snap Art, PortraitPro). Roughly half of the catalog consists of proprietary LIFEBOAT-developed products in the "LB" line; the balance is Japan-localized distribution of third-party titles from vendors such as Paragon Software, Glary Utilities, NetSpot, ManicTime, Disk Drill, Sticky Password, and Anthropics (PortraitPro).

The proprietary technology stack centers on USB-based PC access control (USB HardLocker with ROCKEY2 hardware keys, two-factor USB+password authentication), PC operation logging and monitoring (LB Access Log), full-system disk imaging and backup, file and media encryption, and partition management. Hardware revenue is generated through the ROCKEY2 USB security key device (3,800 yen/unit), designed as a companion to USB HardLocker products. The portfolio is Japanese-language localized and optimized for Japan-specific enterprise security compliance requirements, including support for monitoring PCs handling personal information such as social security numbers.

LIFEBOAT operates a hybrid go-to-market model combining direct-to-consumer e-commerce (LIFEBOAT Store, Amazon Japan, Rakuten, Vector, physical retail), with enterprise motion through authorized distributors (SB C&S, Daiwabo Information Systems, Synnex Japan, Megasoft) and on-premises volume licensing programs that include evaluation versions. Revenue is generated primarily through one-time perpetual software licenses (typically 3,800-56,000 yen per SKU), with required annual maintenance contracts at roughly 20% of license price on enterprise and server products, plus hardware sales. Customer segments span individual/home-office users (consumer utility and creative products) and corporate/enterprise customers (USB HardLocker 5 Server, Paragon server backup, access logging, email security). All operations, revenue, and distribution are Japan-domestic.

Name

LIFEBOAT

Legal name

株式会社ライフポート

Website

https://lifeboat.jp

Company type

Private

Founded year

2002

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

LIFEBOAT is a privately held Tokyo-based software publisher (founded 2002) that develops and distributes a ~40-product catalog of Windows system utilities, security tools, backup software, and creative applications for Japanese consumer and enterprise customers through direct e-commerce and authorized IT distributors.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Headquarters

HQ city

Tokyo

HQ country

Japan

HQ region

Asia

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2B and B2C

Offering type

Software

Cost components

Technology or R&D, Personnel, Marketing or Sales, Operations, Supply Chain

Revenue model

1. Software License Sales: One-time perpetual license sales for software products including USB security tools, backup utilities, disk management, and system utilities. Products sold as single licenses or volume packs for enterprise deployments.
2. Annual Maintenance Contracts: Optional annual maintenance contracts providing technical support, version upgrades, and ongoing software updates. Particularly required for server products like USB HardLocker 5 Server.
3. Hardware Sales: Sales of ROCKEY2 USB security key devices - dedicated USB devices designed to work as security keys with USB HardLocker and LB PC Lock products.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion3 records

Distribution channels9 records

Marketing channels4 records

Core offering

LIFEBOAT develops and sells Windows PC and server utilities, endpoint security, encryption, backup, and disk-management software, alongside a small line of hardware USB security keys (ROCKEY2/ROCKY2). Its catalog spans USB port locking, PC/Media/file locking, system access logging, mail security, partitioning, file/folder backup, image-based server backup, network analysis, password management, and creative/photo utilities for both individual and corporate customers in Japan.

Product overview

LIFEBOAT is a Japanese software publisher offering a diverse portfolio of system utilities, security tools, backup solutions, and multimedia software. The product lineup centers on data protection and PC management with products organized into categories: Security products (USB HardLocker series, LB USB Lock series, LB Access Log series, LB PC Lock series, encryption tools like LB File Lock and LB Media Lock), Backup & Restore products (LB Image Backup, LB File Backup, LB Backup Works, Paragon-based server backup solutions), PC Optimization tools (Glary Utilities Pro, BootRacer, Disk Analyzer, Duplicate Files Fixer), Network & Productivity tools (NetSpot, Multiplicity, ManicTime, TeamViewer), Cloud Integration (Air Live Drive), and Creative tools (Cover Commander, Snap Art, PortraitPro with AI-based face detection, LB Tilt Shift Studio). The company also distributes Paragon Software's server-focused partition and disk management tools. Products target both individual consumers and enterprise/business customers, with many products available in Japanese language versions.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• USB HardLocker 5 (LB USBロック2 Pro) Endpoint security software that controls use of USB and other removable storage devices on Windows PCs; intended for corporate IT departments and individual users who need to prevent unauthorized data transfer via removable media.
• USB HardLocker 5 Server Server-grade edition of USB HardLocker for central management of removable media access policies on Windows servers and across networked endpoints; designed for enterprise IT and security teams.
• LB アクセスログ3 Pro (LB Access Log 3 Pro) Endpoint activity logging and monitoring software that records PC operations (file access, application usage, device connections) for compliance auditing; targeted at Japanese corporate IT, internal control and information security teams.
• LB ファイルロック3 Pro (LB File Lock 3 Pro) File-level encryption software that password-protects and encrypts sensitive files and folders on Windows PCs; designed for both individual users protecting personal data and corporate users securing confidential documents.
• LB メディアロック3 (LB Media Lock 3) Encryption software that protects data stored on USB memory sticks, CDs, DVDs, and other removable media so it cannot be read on unauthorized devices; targeted at corporate and individual users handling confidential data on portable media.
• LB パソコンロック5 Pro (LB PC Lock 5 Pro) PC access control software that locks the desktop until the correct password (optionally combined with a hardware key) is entered, preventing unauthorized local use; intended for corporate IT and individual privacy-focused users.
• LB Mail Sitter 2 Email security / encryption utility that processes outbound and inbound messages to prevent leakage of confidential information by email; targeted at corporate users needing email-level data protection.
• LB CD/DVD ロック2 (LB CD/DVD Lock 2) Encryption software that protects data recorded on CD/DVD optical media so it can only be read by authorized users; useful for individual and corporate users distributing or archiving data on optical discs.
• LB イメージバックアップ12 Pro (LB Image Backup 12 Pro) Disk-imaging backup software for Windows PCs that creates full system images for recovery after drive failure or disaster; targeted at both home users and corporate IT protecting desktops.
• Paragon イメージバックアップ12 Server (Paragon Image Backup 12 Server) Server-grade disk-imaging backup software for Windows Server environments, enabling reliable full-system and data backups of file and application servers; targeted at corporate IT and server operators.
• LB ファイルバックアップ4 Pro (LB File Backup 4 Pro) File- and folder-level backup software that continuously or scheduled-protects user files on Windows PCs; targeted at individual and corporate users needing granular backup of documents.
• LB フォルダーシンク (LB Folder Sync) Folder synchronization utility that mirrors files between folders, drives, or network locations for backup and collaboration; targeted at individual and small-business users.
• LB パーティションワークス15 (LB Partition Works 15) Disk partition management software that resizes, creates, moves, and recovers partitions on Windows disks without data loss; intended for power users, IT administrators, and storage management.
• LB コピー ワークス13 (LB Copy Works 13) Disk cloning and copying utility for migrating data between drives, deploying identical disk images, and recovering data from failing disks; targeted at individual and IT-administrator users.
• Paragon Disk Wiper 14 Secure data erasure software that permanently wipes data from HDDs, SSDs, and removable media so it cannot be recovered; used by corporate IT for end-of-life asset disposal and by individuals retiring old drives.
• Disk Drill 6 Pro Data recovery software that retrieves deleted or lost files from hard drives, SSDs, USB drives, and memory cards; targeted at individual users and small businesses recovering from accidental deletion or drive failure.
• Glary Utilities Pro 6 All-in-one PC optimization suite providing registry cleaning, junk-file removal, privacy protection, startup management, and other maintenance tools; targeted at individual and home-office PC users.
• NetSpot 5 Wi-Fi network analysis and site-survey software for visualizing, troubleshooting, and planning wireless networks; targeted at network administrators, IT professionals, and home users diagnosing Wi-Fi issues.
• ManicTime Pro Automatic time-tracking software that records how time is spent on applications and documents to support productivity reporting and billing; targeted at individual knowledge workers, freelancers, and corporate users.
• Multiplicity 4 Pro KVM (keyboard, video, mouse) software that controls multiple PCs from a single keyboard and mouse across a local network; targeted at power users and IT administrators managing several computers.
• Air Live Drive Pro Cloud-storage integration utility that mounts cloud services (Google Drive, OneDrive, Dropbox, etc.) as local drives on Windows; targeted at individual and business users working with cloud file storage.
• TeamViewer Remote-access and remote-support software that enables remote control of PCs and servers for support, collaboration, and unattended access; targeted at IT support, helpdesks, and individual remote workers.
• Photo Organizer Pro Photo library management software that automatically organizes, de-duplicates, and tags large collections of digital photos; targeted at individual users managing personal photo archives.
• Duplicate Files Fixer 4 File-deduplication utility that finds and removes duplicate files, photos, and documents to free disk space; targeted at individual PC users organizing large local file collections.
• Duplicate Photos Fixer Pro Photo-deduplication utility that detects visually similar or exact duplicate photos to clean up photo libraries; targeted at individual users with large photo collections.
• Disk Analyzer Pro Disk space analysis utility that visualizes what is consuming storage on a drive and helps reclaim space by locating large or obsolete files; targeted at individual and home-office users.
• BootRacer Premium PC startup time measurement and optimization utility that benchmarks boot performance and helps reduce startup delays; targeted at individual Windows PC users.
• Sticky Password プレミアム (Sticky Password Premium) Password management software that securely stores and autofills passwords, payment details, and personal information across devices; targeted at individual consumers and small business users.
• PortraitPro 21 AI-assisted portrait retouching software that automatically detects faces and applies professional-quality edits; targeted at photographers, studios, and creative professionals.
• Snap Art 4 Photo-artistic-effects plugin that transforms photographs into paintings, drawings, and other artistic styles; targeted at photographers and creative hobbyists.
• Cover Commander 3D box-shot and product-cover rendering software that creates realistic 3D images of software boxes, books, and electronic device cases for marketing materials; targeted at designers, developers, and e-commerce sellers.
• LB チルトシフトスタジオ プレミアム (LB Tilt-Shift Studio Premium) Tilt-shift and miniature-effect photo/video editing software that creates selective-focus and miniature-style imagery; targeted at photographers and creative hobbyists.
• ConvertX to Video Video conversion utility that converts between popular video formats and supports playback on a range of devices; targeted at individual users preparing video files for different playback environments.
• EXEpress 6 Pro Self-extracting installer creation tool that builds EXE-based installers for distributing software files; targeted at software developers and publishers needing simple, branded distribution packages.
• ROCKEY2 / ROCKY2 USBセキュリティキー (ROCKEY2 USB Security Key) USB hardware security key used for software license protection and two-factor authentication; sold as a standalone hardware token for software developers (license dongle) and security-conscious end users.
• LB USBロック Plus (LB USB Lock Plus) Entry-level USB device access control software that restricts unauthorized use of USB ports and removable storage on Windows PCs; targeted at individuals and small businesses.
• LB 高速ファイルコピー (LB High-Speed File Copy) High-speed file copy/move utility for Windows that accelerates bulk file transfers; targeted at individual and corporate users moving large file sets.

Segments3 records

Ideal customer profiles2 records

Technology focussed Yes

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

AI capability2 records

Feature4 records

Partnerships

Four partnerships are on record, tiered minor and core.

• SB C&S CorporationminorChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorSB C&S is an authorized distributor for LIFEBOAT's ROCKEY2 USB security key devices and enterprise security software products in the Japanese market.
• Daiwabo Information SystemsminorChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorDaiwabo Information Systems (DIS) distributes LIFEBOAT's security hardware and software products to enterprise customers throughout Japan.
• Synnex JapanminorChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorSynnex Japan serves as an authorized distributor for LIFEBOAT's enterprise software products including USB HardLocker and security solutions.
• Megasoft CorporationcoreChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorMegasoft is a major distributor and online retailer for LIFEBOAT products. They operate the Megasoft Online Shop and also serve as the original vendor for ConvertX to Video and other products. Megasoft handles sales inquiries and support for certain LIFEBOAT products.

Scale indicators3 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Direct peers

• CleverFiles (Disk Drill): Developer of Disk Drill, a flagship data recovery utility that LIFEBOAT resells in Japan as Disk Drill 6 Pro. Direct comparable in the data recovery category.
• SourceNext: Japanese consumer and SMB software publisher specializing in PC utilities, security, backup, and lifestyle software under proprietary brands. Highly comparable to LIFEBOAT in product mix, Japanese-market focus, and the practice of repackaging/licensing third-party software for the Japanese market.
• Glarysoft: Developer of Glary Utilities, a flagship PC optimization suite that LIFEBOAT resells in Japan as Glary Utilities Pro 6. Closely comparable in category, target user, and feature scope.
• AOS Technologies: Japanese software vendor focused on data recovery, backup, and storage management utilities. Competes directly with LIFEBOAT's Disk Drill, LB Image Backup, and Partition Works lines and serves the same Japanese consumer and SMB base.
• Magix Software: Software publisher offering multimedia, creative, and PC utility software with global distribution through resellers. Comparable to LIFEBOAT in product breadth across creative (Snap Art, PortraitPro-equivalents) and PC utility categories.
• IObit: Developer of PC system utilities (Advanced SystemCare, IObit Uninstaller) and security tools for global consumer markets. Directly comparable to LIFEBOAT's Glary Utilities Pro, BootRacer, and Duplicate Files Fixer category.
• Avanquest (B2P / nova media): European-headquartered software publisher with a Japanese distribution presence, distributing utilities, multimedia, and security software globally. Comparable publishing-and-distribution model to LIFEBOAT, especially for SKUs like Glary Utilities and PortraitPro.
• iolo Technologies: US-based developer of PC performance, privacy, and security utilities (System Mechanic, Privacy Guardian). Comparable to LIFEBOAT's PC optimization and security stack for the consumer/SMB segment.

Broad incumbents

• Paragon Software Group: Established developer of disk management, backup, and file system utilities, and an upstream vendor whose products (Paragon Image Backup Server, Paragon Partition Works) LIFEBOAT resells in Japan. Overlaps with LIFEBOAT's backup and partition management lines but at a much larger global scale.
• Trend Micro Japan: Large Japanese-headquartered cybersecurity vendor whose enterprise endpoint, DLP, and data-loss-prevention offerings overlap with LIFEBOAT's USB device control, encryption, and operation-logging SKUs at the enterprise segment.

Market position

Strengths4 records

Weaknesses4 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights5 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/lifeboat_pr

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 LIFEBOAT