What InterRegion does

InterRegion Co., Ltd. (株式会社インターリージョン) is a Hokkaido-based geospatial analytics startup founded on May 17, 2023 in Ebetsu City, with stated capital of 3,000,000 JPY and a headcount of 1-10. The company is the first venture originating from Rakuno Gakuen University and operates three interlocking business lines: (1) information analysis and systems development using GIS, drones, and remote sensing for agriculture, environmental monitoring, and disaster prevention; (2) human resource development via a certified drone training school operated in partnership with the Hokkaido Drone Association; and (3) international cooperation projects conducted under the JICA framework, with active engagements in Sabah (Malaysia), Argentina, and Singapore. Customers include Ebetsu City, multiple Hokkaido municipalities, the Geospatial Information Authority of Japan (国土地理院), agricultural cooperatives such as JA Hamachō, and utilities (notably Hokkaido Electric Power).

The technology stack is built around drone-based aerial survey, satellite remote sensing, GIS-based spatial analysis, and emerging digital-twin prototypes. Notable product outputs include rice harvest timing maps, rice protein content mapping (お米のカルテ), and environmental/terrain monitoring dashboards for agricultural and municipal clients. The company collaborates closely with Asia Air Survey, Hokkaido Drone Association, Rakuno Gakuen University, and other academic and industry partners, and has received government recognition including the 2024 ItchiBiz Award (Pasco), X-Tech Innovation 10th Anniversary Award, and selection for the Hokuyo Bank Startup R&D Fund (announced March 26, 2025) and the Global South Future-Oriented Co-creation Subsidy.

The business model combines project-based consulting fees (municipal and cooperative GIS/remote sensing contracts), grant and subsidy funding (JICA, Hokuyo Bank, METI-aligned programs), and fee-based drone training courses delivered through the Hokkaido Drone Association. Revenue is therefore a mix of episodic government contract payments, R&D grants, and a small but growing training services line. Pricing is not publicly disclosed; commercial contracts appear to be negotiated on a per-project basis with Hokkaido municipalities and cooperatives, while international cooperation is funded through JICA technical cooperation frameworks. Leadership is anchored by Professor Emeritus Masami Kaneko (CEO), with technical and operational leadership from Dr. Takashi Ono (COO), Kenichi Saito (CTO), and Yoshiyuki Ota (Director).

Name

InterRegion

Legal name

株式会社インターリージョン

Website

https://inr.jp

Company type

Private

Founded year

2023

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1–10 employees

Short description

InterRegion is a Hokkaido-based geospatial analytics startup spun out of Rakuno Gakuen University in 2023, applying GIS, drone, and satellite remote-sensing technology to agriculture, environmental monitoring, and disaster prevention for Japanese municipalities, agricultural cooperatives, and JICA international cooperation projects.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Geospatial Analytics and Drone Surveying Services

NAICS

Geophysical Surveying and Mapping Services (541360), Surveying and Mapping (except Geophysical) Services (541370)

SIC

Services-Computer Integrated Systems Design (7373)

akta.pro primary industry

Remote Sensing & Earth Observation Analytics (Satellite/UAV/LiDAR, Image Processing) (EUAHAKAD)

akta.pro secondary industries

Satellite Imagery & Remote Sensing Geospatial Platforms (BPAMANAM), Remote Sensing & Geospatial Vision (satellite/drone imagery) (HDAAAEAL), GIS & Spatial Data Management Platforms (BPAMANAK), Field Mapping, GIS & Remote Sensing Analytics (AFAAAFAB), Drone/UAS Application Services (Spraying, Spreading, Seeding) (AFACAIAB)

Keywords

• GIS consulting services
• Drone aerial surveys
• Remote sensing analytics
• Smart agriculture solutions
• International development training

Headquarters

HQ city

Ebetsu

HQ country

Japan

HQ region

Asia

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

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

Revenue model

1. Information Analytics and Systems Development: Custom GIS systems, data analysis, and consulting services for agriculture, environment, disaster prevention, and regional planning. Revenue is generated through project-based contracts with local governments, agricultural cooperatives, and private sector clients.
2. Drone Training School (ドローンスクール): Drone safety technician training courses providing certifications that qualify participants for reduced training time and fees when obtaining national drone licenses. Revenue generated through course fees for primary industry workers, municipal employees, environmental organizations, and NGOs.
3. International Cooperation and Training Programs: Training programs for developing country personnel and international exchange initiatives, conducted through JICA projects and international cooperation frameworks. Revenue derives from JICA contracts and international development program grants.
4. Research and Development Grants: Funding through government programs such as the Hokkaido Bank Startup R&D Fund, MAFF export-oriented agricultural programs, and Ministry of Economy regional digital infrastructure projects.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion2 records

Distribution channels4 records

Marketing channels6 records

Core offering

InterRegion provides geospatial information analysis, systems development, and consulting services for agriculture, environment, and disaster prevention using GIS, drones, and satellite imagery. The company also delivers drone operator training courses and runs international cooperation and training programs in partnership with JICA and local governments, primarily serving Hokkaido municipalities, agricultural cooperatives, and developing-country institutions.

Product overview

InterRegion is a Hokkaido-based technology services company offering integrated solutions combining GIS (Geographic Information Systems), drone technology, remote sensing, and satellite data analysis. The core portfolio consists of three main service lines: Information Analysis and Systems Development, Human Resources Development (including drone training), and International Cooperation. Key product offerings include water rice harvest timing maps, smart agriculture solutions, digital twin services for infrastructure inspection, and the Drone Safety Technician Training Course. The company also developed a rice protein and harvest timing web application ('お米のカルテ'). All services leverage drone-based field surveys and satellite imagery combined with GIS analysis capabilities for agricultural, environmental, and disaster prevention applications.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Information Analysis and Systems Development (情報解析・システム開発) Comprehensive data collection and analysis solutions using GIS, drones, and satellite imagery for agriculture, environment, and disaster prevention applications; includes systems development and consulting services for local governments, agricultural cooperatives, and enterprise clients.
• International Cooperation (国際協力) Provides training programs for developing countries and promotes international research exchange and cooperation initiatives, delivered through JICA grassroots technical cooperation, overseas cooperation volunteer, and Nikkei social training programs.
• Drone Safety Technician Training Course (ドローン安全技術者講習) Drone safety technician training course providing certification that qualifies participants for reduced training time and fees when obtaining national drone operator licenses; target participants include primary industry workers, municipal employees, environmental organizations, and NGOs.
• Water Rice Harvest Timing Map (水稲の刈取適期マップ) Wide-area harvest timing maps created using satellite data to help farmers and agricultural cooperatives determine optimal rice harvesting periods across large agricultural regions.
• Digital Twin Solutions (デジタルツイン) Creates 3D digital twin models using drone-captured imagery and data for facility inspection, infrastructure maintenance, and operational optimization in regional facilities, including power transmission infrastructure.
• Rice Protein and Harvest Timing Information Web App (お米のカルテ) A web application that provides rice protein content and harvest timing information using satellite data analysis, enabling farmers to optimize harvest decisions based on protein content and timing data.

Quantifiable outcome

• Rice harvest timing accuracy improved through satellite data analysis for protein content and optimal harvest period determination
• +2 more outcomes

Named customers4 records

Segments4 records

Ideal customer profiles4 records

Technology focussed Yes

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

AI capability3 records

Feature6 records

Partnerships

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

• 酪農学園大学 (Rakuno Gakuen University)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerInterRegion was the first company certified as a Rakuno Gakuen University Venture company. The company operates from the university campus, collaborates on research and social implementation projects, and its CEO serves as Professor Emeritus at the university. Multiple staff members hold university positions including visiting researchers and lecturers.
• 北海道ドローン協会 (Hokkaido Drone Association)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerSince 2021, InterRegion has partnered with the Hokkaido Drone Association (a Ministry of Land, Infrastructure, Transport and Tourism certified management organization) to provide Drone Safety Technician training courses. The association provides certification oversight while InterRegion delivers the training. The two also jointly exhibit at industry events.
• アジア航測株式会社 (Asia Air Survey Co., Ltd.)majorStrategic or Co-development PartnerIn the令和5年度補正「グローバルサウス未来志向型共創等事業費補助金」program, Asia Air Survey serves as the lead contractor with InterRegion as a consortium member. The project focuses on power transmission facility maintenance efficiency through field surveys in Malaysia.
• 株式会社ビジョンテック (Vision Tech Co., Ltd.)majorStrategic or Co-development PartnerPart of the same consortium as Asia Air Survey in the Global South infrastructure overseas expansion survey project for power transmission maintenance in Malaysia.
• JICA (国際協力機構)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerInterRegion participates in multiple JICA programs: (1) Grassroots Technical Cooperation — environmental education in Malaysia's Sabah state; (2) JICA Overseas Cooperation Volunteer — CEO Kaneko serves as a short-term volunteer in Malaysia; (3) JICA Nikkei Social Training — accepting trainees from Argentina for food and agriculture programs.
• 北海道電力株式会社 (Hokkaido Electric Power Co.)majorStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartner in the 令和6年度「地域デジタル基盤活用推進事業」demonstration project for high-speed network-based facility maintenance solutions. InterRegion uses drones to capture facility imagery for digital twin model creation in collaboration with Hokkaido Electric Power and other consortium members.
• 北海道科学大学 (Hokkaido University of Science)minorStrategic or Co-development PartnerConsortium partner in the 令和6年度 地域デジタル基盤活用推進事業 for digital twin and robotics-based facility maintenance solutions.
• 北海道立総合研究機構 (Hokkaido Research Organization)minorStrategic or Co-development PartnerConsortium partner in the regional digital infrastructure demonstration project alongside Hokkaido Electric Power, Hokkaido Science University, and telecommunications partners.
• 株式会社HBAminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartner in the 地域デジタル基盤活用推進事業 demonstration project, contributing to the digital twin and facility inspection solution development.
• 北海道総合通信網株式会社 (Hokkaido Telecommunication Network Co.)minorStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartner in the regional digital infrastructure demonstration project, providing high-speed network infrastructure for the digital twin facility maintenance solution.
• NTTコミュニケーションズ株式会社 (NTT Com)minorStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartner in the regional digital infrastructure demonstration project, providing advanced communications technology for the facility maintenance digital twin solution.
• 新篠津村輸出協議会 (Shinshinotsu Village Export Council)minorStrategic or Co-development PartnerInterRegion participates in the 新篠津村輸出協議会, which was selected for the 農林水産省 令和7年度 当初予算大規模輸出産地モデル形成等支援事業 for export-oriented rice production. InterRegion contributes satellite data and agricultural analysis expertise.
• 江別市 (Ebetsu City)majorStrategic or Co-development PartnerInterRegion serves as the management operator for Ebetsu City's Regional Revitalization Cooperation Squad (smart agriculture) program. The company also participates in the Ebetsu City Smart Agriculture Network, providing GIS and remote sensing support for smart agriculture initiatives.
• SUMIWAKE Project (スミワケプロジェクト)majorStrategic or Co-development PartnerInterRegion collaborates on the SUMIWAKE project, which uses technology and data to create appropriate boundaries between wildlife habitats ('すみか') and human residential areas. InterRegion provides GIS-based boundary visualization and environmental data analysis.
• 北海道経済産業局 (Hokkaido Bureau of Economy, Trade and Industry)minorGTM or Marketing PartnerListed as a key space-related enterprise in Hokkaido's space industry map and 2025 initiatives publication by the Hokkaido METI bureau, recognizing the company as a satellite data solution provider in the environmental and agricultural fields.

Scale indicators4 records

Recent moves7 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Others

• ESRI Japan: Japanese distributor and integrator of Esri ArcGIS platform, the foundational GIS technology underlying much of InterRegion's spatial data work. Not a direct competitor but a key ecosystem enabler and potential partner.
• NTT Communications (NTT Com): Current consortium partner in the regional digital infrastructure demonstration project. A major Japanese telecom whose network infrastructure underpins InterRegion's digital twin facility maintenance solution, and a potential large customer or acquirer.

Emerging players

• Farmnote Inc. Hokkaido-based precision agriculture and livestock IoT startup providing data-driven farm management. Shares Hokkaido agricultural focus and overlapping smart agriculture customer segment with InterRegion.
• DroneDeploy: Global drone-based mapping and analytics platform widely used in agriculture, construction, and infrastructure inspection. Represents the software platform direction InterRegion could evolve toward, and a potential competitive threat as it expands internationally.
• Pix4D: Drone photogrammetry software platform used for 3D mapping, digital twin creation, and agricultural analysis. Comparable in core technology (drone imagery processing, 3D model generation) to InterRegion's digital twin offerings.

Broad incumbents

• Kokusai Kogyo Co., Ltd. Established Japanese surveying and geospatial consulting firm offering aerial photogrammetry, GIS systems, and environmental analysis. Comparable in services portfolio and government/municipal client base to InterRegion, but at significantly larger scale.
• PASCO Corporation: Largest Japanese geospatial information services firm with nationwide coverage in satellite/drone-based mapping, GIS systems, and disaster response. Provides competition across all InterRegion service lines and is the parent company of Ich Biz Award sponsor.
• NTT Data CCS Corporation: NTT Group GIS and geospatial systems integrator with strong local government client base in Japan. Competes for municipal GIS and smart agriculture consulting contracts similar to InterRegion's work with Ebetsu City.

Direct peers

• Asia Air Survey Co., Ltd. Major Japanese aerial survey and geospatial analytics firm; current METI consortium lead working with InterRegion on Malaysia power transmission survey. Operates in overlapping drone-based survey, infrastructure inspection, and disaster response markets.
• Aisan Technology Co., Ltd. Japanese geospatial technology firm specializing in 3D laser surveying, GIS, and precision agriculture. Most comparable mid-sized peer in service portfolio overlap and target customer segments.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles7 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 InterRegion