E-Craft

Name

E-Craft

Legal name

株式会社e-Craft（e-Craft inc.）

Website

https://e-craft.jp

Company type

Private

Founded year

2021

Operating status

Operating

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Programming Education Services

NAICS

Computer Training (611420), Professional and Management Development Training (611430), All Other Schools and Instruction (61169)

SIC

Services-Educational Services (8200), Games, Toys & Children's Vehicles (No Dolls & Bicycles) (3944), Services-Prepackaged Software (7372)

akta.pro primary industry

Robotics Kits, Parts & Lab Equipment Providers (Education-Focused) (EDAMADAN)

akta.pro secondary industries

Interactive Practice & Skill-Building (Drills, Games, Mastery Practice) (EDAFACAC), Educational & Hobby Robotics Kits (Consumer) (CRACARAG), Teacher Training & Curriculum Providers (Robotics/Maker Education) (EDAMADAM), Instructional Equipment & Classroom Tools (Whiteboards, Lab Kits, Manipulatives) (EDAEAIAB)

Keywords

• Programming education services
• Cardboard robotics kits
• Visual programming software
• STEAM education tools
• Corporate non-cognitive training

Headquarters

HQ city

Yokohama

HQ country

Japan

HQ region

Asia

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2B and B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

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

Revenue model

1. embot Product Sales: Sale of cardboard robot kits and electronic components for embot educational robotics platform. Sold through e-commerce (e-Craft shop), retail partners, and educational equipment distributors.
2. embot Programming School: Programming school 'embot工作プログラミング研究所' offering courses that teach programming through hands-on creation using design thinking methodology. Targets children's development of problem-finding, problem-solving, and hypothesis verification skills.
3. Corporate HR Training: Workshop-based corporate training programs for developing non-cognitive abilities including logical thinking, problem-solving, communication, and teamwork. Customized for different employee levels from new hires to management.
4. Education Program Commissioned Operations: Planning and operating classes, workshops, and educational programs using embot for schools and institutions. Includes commissioned curriculum development and teacher training.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion3 records

Distribution channels5 records

Marketing channels4 records

Core offering

E-Craft develops and sells "embot," a programming education service combining a cardboard robot kit with electronic components (motors, LEDs, buzzers, speakers) and a proprietary block-based visual programming app for tablets and smartphones that uses flowchart-style logic. The platform is extended through a design-thinking-based programming school ("embot工作プログラミング研究所"), commissioned education programs for schools, and workshop-based corporate training programs that develop non-cognitive abilities such as logical thinking, problem-solving, communication, and teamwork.

Product overview

E-Craft operates as a platform-plus-modules education technology company anchored by its flagship product embot (エムボット), a hardware-and-software robotics programming education service built from cardboard materials and electronic components. embot is programmed through a proprietary visual/block-based mobile app that runs on Bluetooth-connected tablets and smartphones. Two additional offerings extend the platform: embot工作プログラミング研究所, a programming school applying design thinking pedagogy to develop children's creative and problem-solving abilities; and a corporate workshop training program targeting non-cognitive能力 (logical thinking, teamwork, communication) for enterprise employees. All three offerings share the same physical prototyping and visual programming foundation, differing in delivery format (consumer kit vs. school curriculum vs. corporate workshop).

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• embot（エムボット）: ダンボールと電子工作パーツを用いてロボットを組み立てることで、電子工作やものすごさの基礎を学ぶプログラミング教育サービス
• embot工作プログラミング研究所

Products and services

• embot (エムボット) A programming education service using cardboard robot kits with electronic components (motors, LED, buzzers, speakers) assembled by users and programmed via a visual programming mobile app with flowchart-based logic (supports sequential, conditional, and iterative structures). Sold to educational institutions, programming schools, and consumer/parent buyers through e-commerce, retail, and distributor channels.
• embot Creative Programming Lab (embot工作プログラミング研究所) A programming school operated by E-Craft that cultivates 'creating power' and 'thinking power' in children using design thinking methodology, aiming to develop problem-discovery, problem-solving, and hypothesis-testing skills through value-creation experiences. Targets K-12 children and operates as a subscription/recurring service.
• Corporate Workshop Training Program (社会人向けワークショップ型研修プログラム) A corporate training program combining physical making and visual block-based programming to develop non-cognitive abilities such as logical thinking, problem-solving, communication, and team-building in employees across hierarchy levels (new hires to management). Customized for enterprise needs and typically contracted on a multi-year basis.

Named customers4 records

Segments4 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed Yes

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature4 records

Partnerships

15 partnerships are on record, tiered core, major and minor.

• Takara Tomy (株式会社タカラトミー)coreChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorTakara Tomy partnered with e-Craft to make embot available for general consumer sales. The partnership enabled embot to reach retail markets beyond educational institutions, expanding distribution to toy stores and general merchandise retailers.
• Uchida (内田洋行)majorChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorUchida is an educational equipment distributor and partner for embot, distributing the product to schools and educational institutions throughout Japan.
• Marutsu (マルツエレック)majorChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorMarutsu is an electronics parts distributor and partner for embot, providing distribution channels for electronic components and educational materials.
• Narika (ナリカ)majorChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorNarika is an educational equipment distributor and partner for embot, supporting distribution to educational institutions.
• Shogakukan (小学館)minorGTM or Marketing PartnerShogakukan is a media and publishing partner for embot, collaborating on content and marketing initiatives.
• Litalico (りとりこ/Wonder)minorGTM or Marketing PartnerLitalico (operating as Wonder) is a partner focused on employment and education services, collaborating on initiatives related to programming education.
• National Institute of Special Needs Education (国立特別支援教育総合研究所)majorStrategic or Co-development PartnerE-Craft conducts joint research with this national institute to develop programming learning materials effective for children with disabilities. This partnership supports expansion into special needs education.
• Hiroshima Kogyo University (広島工業大学)minorStrategic or Co-development PartnerUniversity partner using embot for programming education and collaborative educational initiatives.
• Kumamoto National College of Technology (熊本高等専門学校)minorStrategic or Co-development PartnerTechnical college partner implementing embot in educational programs and collaborative learning initiatives.
• Miyagi University of Education (宮城教育大学)minorStrategic or Co-development PartnerTeacher training university partner using embot in educator development programs.
• EAVAminorGTM or Marketing PartnerEAVA is a marketing and promotional partner for embot initiatives.
• Comotto DocomominorGTM or Marketing PartnerDocomo's lifestyle platform partner collaborating on programming education content and initiatives.
• NTVminorGTM or Marketing PartnerNTV (Nippon Television) is a media partner for promoting embot through television and content marketing.
• New-eminorGTM or Marketing PartnerMarketing partner for embot promotional activities.
• HatarakubuminorGTM or Marketing PartnerWorkplace platform partner collaborating on career education and workforce development content.

Scale indicators3 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Emerging players

• Ozobot: Small educational robotics platform focused on younger students, using color-coded and block-based programming. Overlaps with embot's early childhood and elementary positioning but with a screen-rather-than-maker orientation.
• littleBits: Modular electronics learning platform for children, now part of Sphero. Comparable in hands-on electronics-and-making educational mission and K-12 audience, though using magnetic electronic modules rather than cardboard robotics.
• Kano Computing: DIY computer and coding kits for children that combine physical assembly with visual programming. Comparable in the maker-meets-software pedagogy and home/school dual channel, though focused on full computing rather than pure robotics.
• Primo Toys (Cubetto): Tangibles-based programming toy for early childhood using physical blocks. Shares embot's screen-free, hands-on maker philosophy for the youngest learners, though targeting pre-readers rather than school-age children.

Broad incumbents

• Sphero: Educational robotics company offering programmable robots for K-12 with visual programming apps. Comparable in target market and code-teaching mechanism, though targeting a different price point and robot form factor.
• LEGO Education: Global market leader in educational robotics, including LEGO SPIKE and WeDo. Operates broadly in the same K-12 STEM/STEAM robotics category with deeper distribution and brand recognition, though not Japan-specialized.
• UBTECH: Chinese educational robotics company with strong K-12 adoption and AI-integrated kits. Comparable in school-channel distribution and STEM curriculum offerings, though at larger scale and with more internationally recognized hardware.
• VEX Robotics: US-based educational robotics platform widely used in schools and competitions. Comparable in K-12 STEM and computational thinking learning outcomes, though heavier and more competition-oriented than embot's lightweight cardboard approach.

Direct peers

• Artec (アーテック): Japanese maker education leader offering ArtecRobo and a broad curriculum-and-hardware package for schools. Closest direct competitor in the Japanese educational robotics market, serving the same K-12 institutional and after-school channels.
• Sony KOOV: Sony's educational robotics kit using block-based programming to teach children coding and creative making. Directly comparable to embot in target customer (K-12), block-based visual programming approach, and Japan-centric distribution.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles6 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 E-Craft