Maris Creative Design
Maris Creative Design is a Japanese deep-tech startup developing the Seeker AI walking-assist camera for visually impaired individuals, with computer-vision hazard detection delivered via vibration through a white cane; pre-commercial, with sales targeted for 2025.
- Company typePrivate
- Founded2018
- HeadquartersKyobashi, Japan
- Headcount1–10
- GTM typeB2B and B2C
- OfferingHardware or Manufacturing
What Maris Creative Design does
Maris Creative Design (株式会社マリス creative design) is a Japanese deep-technology startup founded on June 15, 2018 by Representative Director Yasuhiro Wada, focused on developing assistive devices that promote independence rather than caregiving for people with disabilities. Its flagship product, Seeker, is an AI-powered walking-assist camera for visually impaired individuals that uses computer vision to detect train platform edges, crosswalk signals, and sidewalk hazards in real time, then communicates those detections to the user via vibration feedback delivered through a conventional white cane. The Seeker architecture combines microcontroller-based embedded systems with on-device visual recognition and is co-developed with Kyushu Institute of Technology's Human Function Substitution System Laboratory, with additional AI engineering support from Macnica and cloud infrastructure from the Google for Startups Cloud Program.
The company operates three business lines: (1) welfare equipment development and sales, anchored by Seeker (targeted for commercial sales in 2025); (2) productization-support and advisory services, helping enterprises take hardware products from prototype to mass production; and (3) welfare equipment rental and sales, including wheelchairs, walking aids, care beds, and import agency for overseas welfare equipment, distributed through Japan's long-term care insurance system. Revenue from the rental/advisory lines is modest and undisclosed; the Seeker product is currently in field-trial phase across multiple Japanese railway and urban environments, with pricing not publicly disclosed.
Maris is headquartered in Sumida Ward, Tokyo, within the GarageSumida incubator facility of Hamano Manufacturing, operates with a team of 1-10 employees, and has been supported by a series of Japanese government and corporate programs including the Tokyo Metropolitan New Product Development Subsidy, Kitakyushu City IoT Maker's Project, Asahi Kasei LIFE CO-LAB, Yamaguchi Mirise (NICT Award), Yamanashi Prefecture direct investment, and J-TECH STARTUP 2024 certification. The company is privately held and has not disclosed revenue or unit shipments.
Maris Creative Design firmographics
Firmographics- Name
- Maris Creative Design
- Legal name
- 株式会社マリス creative design
- Website
- https://maris-inc.co.jp
- Company type
- Private
- Founded year
- 2018
- Operating status
- Operating
- Headcount range
- 1–10 employees
- Short description
- Maris Creative Design is a Japanese deep-tech startup developing the Seeker AI walking-assist camera for visually impaired individuals, with computer-vision hazard detection delivered via vibration through a white cane; pre-commercial, with sales targeted for 2025.
- Ownership category
- akta.pro rank
Maris Creative Design industry classification
Industry- Product category
- Assistive Technology
- NAICS
- Services for the Elderly and Persons with Disabilities (62412), Industrial Design Services (54142), Industrial Design Services (541420)
- SIC
- Orthopedic, Prosthetic & Surgical Appliances & Supplies (3842), Surgical & Medical Instruments & Apparatus (3841)
- akta.pro primary industry
- Disability Services & Assistive Solutions (Accessibility, Assistive Tech) (BPAGALAM)
- akta.pro secondary industries
- Assistive & Accessibility Input Devices (Switches, Adaptive Controllers, Braille Keyboards) (HDACAFAL), Accessibility & Special Needs Equipment (Assistive Devices, Adaptive Furniture, Sensory Rooms) (EDAEAIAM)
Keywords
Where Maris Creative Design is headquartered
LocationHeadquarters
- HQ city
- Kyobashi
- HQ country
- Japan
- HQ region
- Asia
Offices1 record
Markets served
Maris Creative Design business model
Business model- GTM type
- B2B and B2C
- Offering type
- Hardware or Manufacturing
- Cost components
- Personnel, Technology or R&D, Operations, Marketing or Sales
Revenue model
- Welfare Equipment Development and Sales: Design, development and sale of welfare equipment for people with upper/lower limb disabilities and visual impairments. Primary product is the 'Seeker' AI walking assist camera for visually impaired individuals.
- Productization Support / Advisory Services: System design, productization consulting, and mass production line setup support for companies (large enterprises, SMBs, startups) looking to bring products from prototype to market.
- Welfare Equipment Rental and Sales: Rental and sales of welfare equipment and nursing care products including wheelchairs, walking aids, and care beds. Handles long-term care insurance rentals and import agency for overseas welfare equipment.
Pricing tiers
| Model | Billing | Price |
|---|---|---|
| Other | Annual | Shareholder discount program |
Go-to-market motion1 record
Distribution channels1 record
Marketing channels5 records
Maris Creative Design product offering
Product offeringCore offering
Maris Creative Design designs, develops, and sells welfare equipment for people with disabilities, with the flagship 'Seeker' AI-powered walking assist camera for visually impaired individuals that uses computer vision and vibration feedback integrated with the user's white cane. The company also provides productization advisory and mass-production line setup support for enterprises, and operates a welfare equipment rental/sales business covering wheelchairs, walking aids, care beds, and overseas welfare equipment import agency.
Product overview
Maris Creative Design operates as a welfare equipment developer focused on creating independence rather than care solutions. The company offers three main offerings: (1) 'Seeker' - a core AI-powered walking assist camera product for visually impaired people; (2) Productization Support/Advisory services to help other companies bring products from prototype to mass production; and (3) Welfare equipment rental and sales services including wheelchairs, walking aids, and nursing beds. The 'Seeker' product represents the company's primary innovation, combining AI computer vision with tactile feedback to enable independent mobility for visually disabled individuals.
Differentiator
Problem solved
Functional benefit
Products and services
- Seeker (シーカー) AI-powered walking assist camera for visually impaired individuals that detects traffic signals, crosswalks, and obstacles, providing danger alerts through vibration feedback to the user's white cane. The device is worn on the body and uses computer vision AI to help prevent station platform accidents and street hazards.
- Productization Support / Advisory Services System design, productization consulting, and mass production line setup support for companies (large enterprises, SMBs, startups) looking to bring products from prototype to market.
- Welfare Equipment Rental and Sales Rental and sales of welfare equipment and nursing care products including wheelchairs, walking aids, and care beds. Handles long-term care insurance rentals and import agency for overseas welfare equipment.
Quantifiable outcome
- Multiple media coverage including NHK, Asahi Shimbun, Nishinippon Shimbun, Nikkei, and multiple TV stations for product demonstrations
Companies that use Maris Creative Design
Customer profileNamed customers4 records
Segments3 records
Ideal customer profiles3 records
Maris Creative Design technology and API
TechnologyTechnology focussed Yes
API detail
- Has API
- No
- API docs
- API detail
Core technology
AI maturity
App detail
AI capability6 records
Feature1 record
Maris Creative Design partnerships and signals
Strategic signalPartnerships
Eleven partnerships are on record, tiered major and core.
- Fukuoka Smart EAST ConsortiummajorPartnership with Fukuoka Smart East initiative (Kyushu University, UR Urban Renovation, Fukuoka City, Fukuoka Regional Strategy Council) for crosswalk field testing.
- NTT Communications (NTTコミュニケーションズ)majorOpen innovation partnership through NTT Com's OPEN HUB platform and 'Extoch' program. Joint presentation on co-creation development of 'Seeker' walking assist AI technology.
- Google for StartupsmajorSelected for Google for Startups Cloud Program to accelerate AI business promotion and service expansion through Google's cloud infrastructure.
- Macnica (株式会社マクニカ)coreJoint development partnership to enhance AI danger detection accuracy and performance for 'Seeker'. Macnica provides AI technology expertise and semiconductor/components capabilities for product improvement. 3-party joint development with Kyushu Institute of Technology.
- Asahi Kasei Group (旭化成グループ)majorWon Excellent Award in LIFE CO-LAB acceleration program. Asahi Kasei provides full cooperation for business expansion and collaboration opportunities within the program.
- Kyushu Institute of Technology (国立大学法人九州工業大学)coreCo-development partner for 'Seeker' AI walking assist camera. University research laboratory (Human Function Substitution System Laboratory, Prof. Wada) provides academic research foundation while Maris handles productization and commercialization. Joint press releases and field trial collaborations.
- Chikuho Dentetsu (筑豊電気鉄道)majorField demonstration partner for visual impairment walking assist device at train stations. Enabled on-site testing with actual visually impaired users.
- Kitakyushu Monorail (北九州高速鉄道)major6-party joint press release for demonstration experiments. Field testing partner for 'Seeker' product development.
- JR Kyushu (JR九州)majorField testing partner providing access to JR Oreoi Station for 'Seeker' platform hazard detection trials. Station platform environment enabled valuable real-world testing data.
- Lac (株式会社ラック)majorCo-creation partner in Kitakyushu City's IoT Maker's Project. Lac provides cybersecurity and system integration expertise for IoT-based welfare equipment development.
- Hamano Manufacturing (浜野製作所)coreIncubator host providing office space at GarageSumida facility. President Hamano and staff provide ongoing business support and mentorship.
Scale indicators2 records
Recent moves7 records
Expansion highlights7 records
Maris Creative Design competitors and assessment
Company assessmentEmerging players
- Aipoly: Aipoly developed an AI vision app and smart-glasses integration that identifies objects and text for visually impaired users. Conceptually adjacent to Maris's Seeker, sharing an AI vision approach to assistive navigation and object recognition, though focused on software rather than a dedicated chest-worn device.
- Be My Eyes: Be My Eyes pairs blind users with sighted volunteers or AI for visual interpretation tasks via smartphone camera. Adjacent to Maris in providing real-time visual assistance to blind users and now layering in AI; differs in delivery channel (phone-based) rather than dedicated wearable.
- Microsoft Soundscape: Microsoft Soundscape uses 3D audio and spatial awareness to help blind users navigate urban environments. Comparable to Maris's Seeker in offering a navigation/safety layer for visually impaired pedestrians, but delivered through audio cues rather than vision + vibration.
Direct peers
- HumanWare: HumanWare produces assistive devices for the blind and low vision, including Braille displays, magnifiers, and navigation aids. Shares Maris's customer segment (visually impaired) and overall assistive-tech mission of independence rather than care.
- Aira: Aira provides AI-augmented, on-demand visual interpretation for blind and low-vision users via smart glasses and a remote agent network. Closely comparable to Maris in substituting visual information for visually impaired users during navigation and everyday tasks.
- eSight: eSight makes electronic glasses that capture, process, and display video for low-vision users. Comparable as another wearable assistive-tech device for visual impairment, though eSight focuses on enhancing remaining vision via displays rather than vibration-based feedback.
- WeWALK: WeWALK builds a smart cane with ultrasonic sensors and AI vision integration for the visually impaired. Direct comparison to Maris because both attach AI-powered obstacle detection to a white-cane form factor, targeting blind pedestrians in urban environments.
- OrCam: OrCam's MyEye is an AI-camera wearable for blind/visually impaired users that reads text, identifies faces, and recognizes products. Both companies sell AI-vision wearables targeting visual impairment with a single user, with similar product form factors and use cases (navigation and daily task support).
Broad incumbents
- Sony (Accessibility initiatives): Sony has multiple accessibility efforts, including the Sony Accessible Handles for its PlayStation controllers and broader corporate accessibility programs. As a broad incumbent in consumer electronics with prior employer connections to Maris's CEO, Sony represents an acquisition or partnership candidate and a potential competitor in accessibility hardware.
- Apple Accessibility: Apple's accessibility suite (VoiceOver, Magnifier, Door Detection, Personal Voice) addresses visual impairment across iPhone, iPad, and Apple Watch. A broad incumbent that functionally competes with Maris's mission of enabling independent mobility for blind users via a software-first platform tied to a large installed base.
Market position
Strengths5 records
Weaknesses5 records
Competitive moat4 records
Key risks6 records
Key highlights7 records
Customer concentration
Maris Creative Design social profiles
Digital presenceMaris Creative Design financial estimates
Financial estimateRevenue estimate
Valuation estimate
Maris Creative Design leadership team
Management profileNumber of profiles
Profiles1 record
Maris Creative Design funding detail
Funding detailFunding overview
Funding rounds
Investors
Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Maris Creative Design 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 Maris Creative Design
What does Maris Creative Design do?
Maris Creative Design designs, develops, and sells welfare equipment for people with disabilities, with the flagship 'Seeker' AI-powered walking assist camera for visually impaired individuals that uses computer vision and vibration feedback integrated with the user's white cane. The company also provides productization advisory and mass-production line setup support for enterprises, and operates a welfare equipment rental/sales business covering wheelchairs, walking aids, care beds, and overseas welfare equipment import agency.
Is Maris Creative Design a public or private company?
Maris Creative Design is a private company. It is classified as founder individual operated bootstrapped and is currently operating.
When was Maris Creative Design founded?
Maris Creative Design was founded in 2018. It employs 1 to 10 people.
Where is Maris Creative Design based?
Maris Creative Design is headquartered in Kyobashi, Japan, in the Asia region.
How does Maris Creative Design make money?
Three revenue lines are on record. Welfare Equipment Development and Sales are the primary driver. The others are productization Support / Advisory Services and welfare Equipment Rental and Sales.
Who are Maris Creative Design's main competitors?
Emerging players on record are Aipoly, Be My Eyes and Microsoft Soundscape. Direct peers are HumanWare, Aira, eSight, WeWALK and OrCam. Broad incumbents are Sony (Accessibility initiatives) and Apple Accessibility.
Does Maris Creative Design have an API?
No public API is recorded for Maris Creative Design.
What industry is Maris Creative Design in?
Maris Creative Design's product category is Assistive Technology. Its primary akta.pro industry code is BPAGALAM, Disability Services & Assistive Solutions (Accessibility, Assistive Tech), with a secondary code of HDACAFAL, Assistive & Accessibility Input Devices (Switches, Adaptive Controllers, Braille Keyboards). Its NAICS code is 62412 and its SIC code is 3842.