Meta Systems

What Meta Systems does

Meta Systems Laboratory Inc. (株式会社メタシステム研究所) is a Kagoshima University-affiliated Japanese startup founded on June 23, 2021 by Kentaro Oda, a Kagoshima University Assistant Professor who serves concurrently as CEO. The company commercializes university-industry research at the intersection of satellite data, artificial intelligence, and blockchain, with a near-exclusive focus on the fisheries and maritime industry. It serves Japanese government agencies (Cabinet Office, METI, JAXA, JICA, MLIT, Kagoshima Prefecture), coastal aquaculture farmers in Hokkaido and Kagoshima, and international government clients in Indonesia and Fiji.

The company's technology stack centers on a Marine AI Platform that integrates a Vessel Behavior Inference AI (inferring fishing effort from vessel trajectories and satellite data), a Smart Tasking 2.0 system for detecting illegal (IUU) fishing and ship-to-ship transfers, an AI Red Tide Forecasting System, an AI Shellfish Poison Data Collection System, a Fishing Ground Prediction System, and a Maritime Phenomena Visualization System for ocean conditions. Underlying capabilities include multimodal AI processing of satellite imagery (Himawari, Sentinel-2), vessel IoT telemetry, and oceanographic measurements; a Galileo-based signal authentication service deployed in Indonesia and Fiji; a QZSS/Michibiki disaster-warning shipboard receiver; and a proprietary blockchain architecture developed through six or more years of university research that claims to resolve the security, decentralization, and performance trilemma. Multiple patents are filed (pending status) covering AI for fisheries management and origin certification.

Meta Systems operates a consulting- and project-driven revenue model combining AI/blockchain consulting, joint R&D contracts with government agencies, software licensing (notably a patented OCR system for screen data), and IoT/satellite hardware deployments. The team of approximately 9 members is predominantly part-time or concurrent with other employers and graduate studies, and business development is CEO-led via the company website contact form and government procurement channels, with no public pricing or paid marketing activity. Strategic priorities visible through 2025-2026 include international expansion in Southeast Asia and the Pacific, consolidation of project modules into a unified Marine AI Platform offering, and continued pursuit of Japanese government R&D programs.

Name

Meta Systems

Legal name

株式会社メタシステム研究所

Website

https://metasyslab.co.jp

Company type

Private

Founded year

2021

Operating status

Operating

Short description

Meta Systems Laboratory Inc. is a Kagoshima University-affiliated Japanese startup that develops AI and blockchain solutions for the fisheries and maritime industry, serving Japanese government agencies, aquaculture farmers, and international clients in Indonesia and Fiji.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Maritime AI Software

NAICS

Computer Systems Design and Related Services (54151), Search, Detection, Navigation, Guidance, Aeronautical, and Nautical System and Instrument Manufacturing (334511)

SIC

Services-Computer Integrated Systems Design (7373), Search, Detection, Navagation, Guidance, Aeronautical Sys (3812)

akta.pro primary industry

End-to-End Enterprise AI Platforms (MLOps & Model Lifecycle Management) (HDAEANAA)

akta.pro secondary industries

Industrial Automation Software (SCADA, HMI, MES, Historian) (IMAHAHAJ), Lab Automation, Instrument Control & Workflow Orchestration Software (HLAGAJAG)

Keywords

• Fisheries AI solutions
• Maritime satellite analytics
• Vessel behavior inference
• Blockchain data supply chain
• Red tide forecasting

Headquarters

HQ city

Kagoshima

HQ country

Japan

HQ region

Asia

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Software

Cost components

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

Revenue model

1. AI/Blockchain Consulting: Consulting services from business development phase, including what to implement with AI, from scratch concept to PoC and product. Covers business model development, IP acquisition, and technology provision.
2. Joint R&D Contracts: Collaborative research and development with partner companies and government agencies on satellite data applications, fisheries AI, and maritime ICT systems. Revenue from government-funded projects (METI, JAXA, JICA, Cabinet Office).
3. Software Licensing: Licensing of software including patented technologies. Currently licensable technology: OCR system specializing in screen data reading.
4. IoT/Satellite Data Solutions: Development and deployment of IoT devices for fishing vessels and satellite-based data systems for fisheries management, aquaculture, and maritime safety.

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels2 records

Marketing channels4 records

Core offering

Meta Systems Laboratory Inc. is a Kagoshima University-affiliated startup that develops AI and blockchain software for the fisheries and maritime industries. Its core offering is a Marine AI Platform integrating vessel behavior inference AI, ocean condition visualization, fishing ground prediction, red tide forecasting, and blockchain-based data supply chain solutions. The company also delivers AI/blockchain consulting from concept to productization, joint R&D with government and enterprise partners, and software licensing of patented technologies such as its specialized OCR system.

Product overview

Meta Systems Laboratory is a Kagoshima University-founded startup offering a one-stop solution for fisheries DX (digital transformation), centered on a Marine AI Platform. The platform integrates a Vessel Behavior Inference AI for real-time fishing activity monitoring and IUU detection, combined with a multidimensional Maritime Phenomena Visualization System for sea condition forecasting. Key modules include the AI Red Tide Forecasting System, Fishing Ground Prediction System, AI Shellfish Poison Data Collection System, and the QZSS-based Disaster Warning Shipboard Receiver. The company also offers blockchain data supply chain solutions and a licensable OCR system for screen data. Services span AI/blockchain consulting from PoC through productization, with technology licensing available for the proprietary OCR system.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Marine AI Platform Comprehensive AI platform integrating vessel behavior inference, sea condition visualization, and decision support systems for fisheries resource management, IUU fishing detection, and maritime safety.
• Vessel Behavior Inference AI AI system that infers when, where, by whom, and to what extent fishing activities are taking place from vessel trajectory data and satellite imagery, enabling real-time fishery resource management.
• Smart Tasking 2.0 High-precision suspicious vessel detection system combining IoT and satellite data to counter illegal, unreported, and unregulated (IUU) fishing, smuggling, and ship-to-ship transfers in Southeast Asian waters.
• AI Red Tide Forecasting System AI system that forecasts harmful algal blooms (red tides) using historical and real-time satellite and fixed-point observation data to help aquaculture farmers mitigate risks.
• AI Shellfish Poison Data Collection System AI-powered automated system that collects and analyzes shellfish poison monitoring data, contributing to red tide early warning for Hokkaido coastal aquaculture.
• Galileo Signal Authentication Service Galileo signal authentication system using public key cryptography to verify vessel position authenticity for sustainable fishing certification, deployed in Indonesia and Fiji.
• OCR System for Screen Data OCR system specializing in reading screen-displayed data from fishing operation logs and visual displays, available for licensing as patented technology.
• Blockchain Data Supply Chain Management System Blockchain-based data supply chain management system leveraging proprietary technology that solves the blockchain trilemma (security, decentralization, performance trade-off) for origin certification and traceability.
• AI/Blockchain Consulting Services Consulting services from business development phase covering AI implementation strategy, blockchain application, business model design, intellectual property acquisition, and technology provision from PoC through productization.

Quantifiable outcome

• Real-time fishing effort estimation enabling fishery resource management using vessel trajectory data
• +3 more outcomes

Named customers6 records

Segments3 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed Yes

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

AI capability9 records

Feature7 records

Partnerships

One partnership is on record.

• Ocean Solution Technology Co. Ltd. (オーシャンソリューションテクノロジー株式会社)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerPrimary business partner and co-development collaborator on the 'Triton's Spear' (トリトンの矛) AI vessel trajectory analysis system. Jointly developed with Ocean Solution Technology since 2020 under the内阁府 satellite remote sensing program. Yosuke Mizukami, CEO of Ocean Solution Technology, serves as an advisor to Meta Systems Laboratory. The partnership involves collaborative R&D, joint intellectual property development, and shared customer engagements in the fisheries and maritime sectors.

Scale indicators4 records

Recent moves5 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Emerging players

• Global Fishing Watch: Public-private partnership offering satellite-based vessel tracking and IUU fishing analytics. Comparable mission and data product overlap with Meta Systems' Smart Tasking 2.0 and vessel behavior inference AI for fisheries compliance.
• SkyTruth: Nonprofit applying satellite imagery and remote sensing to environmental monitoring, including IUU fishing detection and aquaculture risk monitoring. Comparable use of satellite + AI for fisheries sustainability missions.
• exactEarth Ltd. Satellite AIS data provider focused on vessel tracking for maritime domain awareness and fisheries monitoring. Closely comparable to Meta Systems' underlying data layer for vessel behavior inference.

Broad incumbents

• Kongsberg Maritime: Major maritime technology incumbent providing vessel monitoring, fisheries management systems, and maritime domain awareness solutions to government and commercial operators globally.
• Thales Group: Global defense and aerospace incumbent with maritime domain awareness, satellite surveillance, and IUU enforcement offerings. Competes in the broader international fisheries and maritime surveillance market that Meta Systems addresses in Southeast Asia.
• Spire Global: Operates a satellite constellation providing global AIS vessel tracking and maritime domain awareness data. Broader incumbent competing in the same maritime analytics layer that Meta Systems' Marine AI Platform sits on top of.

Regional players

• Japan Radio Co., Ltd. (JRC): Japanese manufacturer of maritime navigation, communication, and fisheries equipment. Domestic incumbent in marine electronics with overlapping government and fisheries customers in Japan.
• Furuno Electric Co., Ltd. Japanese maritime electronics manufacturer producing fish finders, sonar, vessel monitoring, and satellite communications equipment for the domestic fishing industry — a domestic incumbent in adjacent maritime instrumentation.

Direct peers

• Ocean Solution Technology Co. Ltd. Primary strategic partner and co-developer of the flagship Triton's Spear AI vessel trajectory analysis system since 2020. Operates in the same fisheries AI / satellite vessel analytics space in Japan, with overlapping government customer engagements and shared IP development.
• CLS Group (Collecte Localisation Satellites): Global leader in satellite-based fisheries monitoring and vessel tracking (incl. IUU detection and sustainable fishing verification). Closest international direct peer for the Marine AI Platform's vessel behavior inference and ocean-condition analytics.

Market position

Strengths4 records

Weaknesses4 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• Xtwitter.com/gakutomo

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles1 record

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 Meta Systems