NI Consulting
NI Consulting is a Tokyo-based Japanese firm, founded in 1991, that provides management consulting alongside a proprietary SaaS suite (Sales Force Assistant SFA/CRM, NI Collabo groupware, and add-ons) targeted at Japanese small and medium-sized enterprises across manufacturing, construction, services, and nonprofits.
- Company typePrivate
- Founded1991
- HeadquartersTokyo, Japan
- Headcount51–100
- GTM typeB2B
- OfferingSoftware
What NI Consulting does
NI Consulting Co., Ltd. is a Tokyo-headquartered Japanese consulting and SaaS firm founded in 1991 by CEO Nagao Kazuhiro, focused on Japanese small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs). The company pairs a management consulting practice (Visualization Management, Sun Tzu strategy, Strategic Sales, and M&A advisory) with a proprietary SaaS product family built around the Sales Force Assistant SFA/CRM platform. The product suite extends to groupware (NI Collabo 360), a management cockpit (MapScorer), a no-code web database (nyoibox), sales quote and billing automation tools (Sales Quote Assistant, Sales Billing Assistant), marketing automation (Approach DAM), and a contactless business card app (NI-C-Name). Technology architecture is multi-tenant cloud with mobile-first delivery, supported by integrations with Google Calendar, Microsoft 365, BIZTEL CTI, and OCR partners, plus AI-augmented features including an electronic secretary, RFM-based customer ranking, OCR-based name card capture, and a recently launched generative-AI quote automation option.
Revenue is generated across four streams: SaaS subscription and software licensing, professional services (consulting and seminars), training and certification programs (NI Video Academy, NICC), and book publishing. Pricing is deliberately accessible for the SME segment — entry-level cloud services start at 300–3,000 JPY per user per month, and a free startup tier targets ventures under five users. Go-to-market is hybrid: direct sales via the website, a national channel partner network, the METI-sponsored J-SaaS platform, mobile app stores, and an extensive content-marketing and seminar program that functions as both demand generation and thought-leadership engine. The company operates seven offices across Japan and claims 16,000+ cumulative product installations and 8,000+ consulting clients, with no disclosed revenue and no outside investors.
NI Consulting firmographics
Firmographics- Name
- NI Consulting
- Legal name
- 株式会社NIコンサルティング
- Website
- https://ni-consul.co.jp
- Company type
- Private
- Founded year
- 1991
- Operating status
- Operating
- Headcount range
- 51–100 employees
- Short description
- NI Consulting is a Tokyo-based Japanese firm, founded in 1991, that provides management consulting alongside a proprietary SaaS suite (Sales Force Assistant SFA/CRM, NI Collabo groupware, and add-ons) targeted at Japanese small and medium-sized enterprises across manufacturing, construction, services, and nonprofits.
- Ownership category
- akta.pro rank
NI Consulting industry classification
Industry- Product category
- Sales Force Automation Software
- NAICS
- Management Consulting Services (54161), Marketing Consulting Services (541613), Software Publishers (513210), Administrative Management and General Management Consulting Services (541611)
- SIC
- Services-Management Consulting Services (8742), Services-Engineering, Accounting, Research, Management (8700)
- akta.pro primary industry
- Customer, Marketing & Sales Consulting (BPAHACAG)
- akta.pro secondary industries
- ERP, CRM & Enterprise Applications Consulting (BPAHAEAI), Strategy & Corporate Development Consulting (BPAHACAA), Digital Workplace & Collaboration Consulting (BPAHAEAH)
Keywords
Where NI Consulting is headquartered
LocationHeadquarters
- HQ city
- Tokyo
- HQ country
- Japan
- HQ region
- Asia
Offices7 records
Markets served
NI Consulting business model
Business model- GTM type
- B2B
- Offering type
- Software
- Cost components
- Personnel, Technology or R&D, Marketing or Sales, Operations, Infrastructure
Revenue model
- Software Licensing (SaaS/Package): Subscription-based and perpetual license revenue from SFA/CRM systems (Sales Force Assistant), groupware (NI Collabo), and other business management software. Revenue generated through per-user monthly fees and initial licensing costs.
- Consulting Services: Management consulting services including visualization management consulting, Sun Tzu strategic consulting, strategic sales consulting, and M&A advisory services
- Training and Seminars: Employee training programs, open enrollment seminars, NI Video Academy, and certified consultant programs
- Publishing: Revenue from publishing books and educational materials on management consulting, sales optimization, Sun Tzu strategy, and business visualization topics
Pricing tiers
| Model | Billing | Price |
|---|---|---|
| Subscription | Monthly | Sales Force Assistant Cloud - Standard |
| One time/ perpetual license | Multi-year contract | Sales Force Assistant Package - Entry |
| Subscription | Monthly | Groupware NI Collabo Cloud |
| One time/ perpetual license | Multi-year contract | Groupware NI Collabo Package |
| Subscription | Monthly | Startup Cloud Service |
| Subscription | Monthly | MapScorer (Management Cockpit) |
Go-to-market motion1 record
Distribution channels4 records
Marketing channels6 records
NI Consulting product offering
Product offeringCore offering
NI Consulting provides management consulting services combined with proprietary SaaS-based business management software (Sales Force Assistant SFA/CRM, NI Collabo 360 groupware, AI-powered tools) targeted at Japanese small and medium-sized enterprises. Their visualization management framework integrates consulting expertise with cloud-based tools to help clients improve sales productivity, customer management, and operational visibility.
Product overview
NI Consulting offers a comprehensive suite of 可視化経営 (Visualization Management) solutions centered on the Sales Force Assistant SFA/CRM platform. The portfolio includes NI Collabo 360 groupware, MapScorer management cockpit, nyoibox no-code database, Sales Quote Assistant, Sales Billing Assistant, Approach DAM marketing automation, and the NI-C-Name contactless business card app. The products integrate with each other and with third-party platforms (Google Calendar, Microsoft Office 365, BIZTEL CTI, やさしく名刺ファイリングPRO) to provide end-to-end business management from sales automation to workflow optimization. AI capabilities include generative AI for quote creation, AI-powered expense processing (BAI), and intelligent sales recommendations (SAI).
Differentiator
Problem solved
Functional benefit
Products and services
- Sales Force Assistant Cloud-based SFA/CRM with gamification elements and AI secretary. Features include customer management, case tracking, daily reporting, schedule management, mapping assist, and CTI integration.
- NI Collabo 360 Integrated groupware with AI secretary features including email, scheduling, equipment reservations, document management, bulletin boards, workflow automation, and safety confirmation with multi-language support.
- nyoibox (如意箱) No-code cloud database for building custom web applications without programming. Features drag-and-drop database creation, workflow automation, push notifications, relational database support, and responsive mobile design.
- MapScorer (Management Cockpit) Management cockpit system for visualizing KPIs and strategic metrics. Includes cockpit dashboard, strategy map, and scorecard functions with real-time business monitoring.
- Sales Quote Assistant Web-based quote creation system with AI-powered automatic quote generation from supplier estimates. Features approval workflows, PDF export, and AI-enhanced functions for sales DX acceleration.
- Sales Billing Assistant Web-based invoice issuance and delivery system for paperless operations. Supports remote work with web distribution and includes sales support features.
- Approach DAM (Marketing Automation) Marketing automation for lead generation and cultivation. Creates lead and dormant customer funnels to systematically nurture prospects through the sales pipeline.
- Customer Creation Daily Report Original daily-report-based SFA/CRM system. Paper-to-digital evolution of sales reporting including customer management, case tracking, visit planning, complaint management, and activity analysis.
- Sales Force Assistant Personal Free personal SFA app for individual sales professionals with phone contact import, persona tracking, contact reminders, and map-based visit planning.
- NI-C-Name Contactless business card exchange smartphone app using QR codes and Bluetooth for Personal Identity exchange while maintaining social distancing, with integration to Sales Force Assistant.
- NI Collabo Smart Previous generation responsive groupware with multi-language support, predecessor to NI Collabo 360.
- NI Collabo NOW! Safety confirmation app with GPS location sharing. Automatically sends alerts during disasters and tracks employee safety status for BCP.
- Management Consulting Services Management consulting services including visualization management consulting, Sun Tzu strategic consulting, strategic sales consulting, and remote consulting sensor service for Japanese SMEs and corporations.
- M&A Advisory Services M&A consulting services for company transfers/acquisitions, leveraging accounting firm network for smaller-scale opportunities typically underserved by large M&A intermediaries.
- Training and Seminars Employee training programs, open enrollment seminars, NI Video Academy, and certified consultant programs covering management reform, AI utilization, sales transformation, and Sun Tzu strategy.
Quantifiable outcome
- Customer count: Over 8,000 companies receive consulting services; Over 16,000 companies use visualization management systems
- +2 more outcomes
Companies that use NI Consulting
Customer profileNamed customers7 records
Segments4 records
Ideal customer profiles4 records
NI Consulting technology and API
TechnologyTechnology focussed Yes
API detail
- Has API
- No
- API docs
- API detail
Core technology
AI maturity
App detail
Integration9 records
AI capability10 records
Feature4 records
NI Consulting partnerships and signals
Strategic signalPartnerships
Four partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.
- SoftBank Mobile Corporation (ソフトバンクモバイル)coreSoftBank Solution Provider PREMIUM (SSP PREMIUM) partnership for smartphone-based sales solutions. Includes joint sales activities, promotional events, technical collaboration on iPhone applications, and billing agency services.
- F&M Co., Ltd. (株式会社エフアンドエム)minorBusiness partnership for mutual business enhancement and customer service improvements.
- Accounting Firm NetworkcoreNetwork of accounting firms across Tokyo metropolitan and Kansai regions that serve as referral sources and deal flow channels for M&A advisory services. This network enables access to smaller-scale M&A opportunities typically underserved by large M&A intermediaries.
- NPO Terra Renaissance (特定非営利活動法人テラ・ルネッサンス)minorCSR initiative providing free CRM and groupware software to NPOs engaged in social causes. As part of 'Social Return Orientation 1%' program.
Scale indicators7 records
Recent moves6 records
Expansion highlights6 records
NI Consulting competitors and assessment
Company assessmentBroad incumbents
- Salesforce: Global CRM/SFA leader. Comparable as the dominant broad incumbent in the SFA/CRM category that NI Consulting's Sales Force Assistant competes against in the Japanese market; offers overlapping features but at a much broader portfolio scale.
- HubSpot: Global CRM/marketing automation platform with strong SMB positioning. Comparable as an incumbent CRM/marketing suite competing for the same Japanese SMB SFA/CRM wallet that NI Consulting targets.
- NRI (Nomura Research Institute): Large Japanese consulting and IT solutions provider serving enterprises and governments. Comparable as a broad incumbent that combines management consulting with proprietary technology platforms for Japanese clients across multiple segments.
Regional players
- Works Applications: Japanese enterprise SaaS company (ERP/HCM cloud). Comparable as a regional Japanese enterprise software vendor that develops and sells proprietary SaaS products to Japanese companies, often combining software with implementation consulting.
- ABeam Consulting: Major Japanese-origin management and IT consulting firm. Comparable as a regional consulting peer operating in the Japanese enterprise/SME market with management consulting plus technology implementation services — overlapping with NI Consulting's consulting-plus-IT positioning.
Direct peers
- Sansan: Japan's leading business card digitization and contacts SaaS company. Directly comparable in serving Japanese SMBs with subscription-based contact/sales productivity tools; both target the same customer profile (Japanese SMB sales teams) with cloud-based solutions.
- freee: Cloud accounting and HR SaaS for Japanese SMBs and startups. Highly comparable customer base (small businesses needing low-cost cloud tools) and similar horizontal SaaS-plus-services business model in the Japanese market.
- Money Forward: Japanese SaaS provider serving SMBs with cloud accounting, HR/payroll, and business management tools. Comparable because both sell subscription-based management software to Japanese SMBs, often alongside consulting/services components.
- Infomart: Japanese cloud SaaS company serving SMBs with B2B platforms for order/invoice/AR management. Comparable as a Japanese SMB-focused SaaS provider building workflow tools that displace manual paper-based processes — a similar thesis to NI Consulting's visualization management approach.
- Yayoi (Kintetsu Yayoi System): Long-established Japanese SMB accounting and business management software vendor (founded 1978). Comparable as a heritage Japanese SMB software provider with broad product portfolio and deep customer base in the SME segment.
Market position
Strengths5 records
Weaknesses5 records
Competitive moat5 records
Key risks5 records
Key highlights6 records
Customer concentration
NI Consulting social profiles
Digital presenceNI Consulting compliance and trust
Trust signalCompliance1 record
NI Consulting financial estimates
Financial estimateRevenue estimate
Valuation estimate
NI Consulting leadership team
Management profileNumber of profiles
Profiles4 records
NI Consulting funding detail
Funding detailFunding overview
Funding rounds
Investors
Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
NI Consulting 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 NI Consulting
What does NI Consulting do?
NI Consulting provides management consulting services combined with proprietary SaaS-based business management software (Sales Force Assistant SFA/CRM, NI Collabo 360 groupware, AI-powered tools) targeted at Japanese small and medium-sized enterprises. Their visualization management framework integrates consulting expertise with cloud-based tools to help clients improve sales productivity, customer management, and operational visibility.
Is NI Consulting a public or private company?
NI Consulting is a private company. It is classified as founder individual operated bootstrapped and is currently operating.
When was NI Consulting founded?
NI Consulting was founded in 1991. It employs 51 to 100 people.
Where is NI Consulting based?
NI Consulting is headquartered in Tokyo, Japan, in the Asia region.
How does NI Consulting make money?
Four revenue lines are on record. Software Licensing (SaaS/Package) is the primary driver. The others are consulting Services, training and Seminars and publishing.
Who are NI Consulting's main competitors?
Broad incumbents on record are Salesforce, HubSpot and NRI (Nomura Research Institute). Regional players are Works Applications and ABeam Consulting. Direct peers are Sansan, freee, Money Forward, Infomart and Yayoi (Kintetsu Yayoi System).
Does NI Consulting have an API?
No public API is recorded for NI Consulting.
What industry is NI Consulting in?
NI Consulting's product category is Sales Force Automation Software. Its primary akta.pro industry code is BPAHACAG, Customer, Marketing & Sales Consulting, with a secondary code of BPAHAEAI, ERP, CRM & Enterprise Applications Consulting. Its NAICS code is 54161 and its SIC code is 8742.