Jizai

What Jizai does

Jizai, Inc. is a Tokyo-based AI and robotics company founded in June 2024 by Yuki Ishikawa, formerly VP of Generative AI/LLM at Mercari. The company operates two business divisions. AI Software comprises AI DX industry-specific consulting services and Jizai CommuAI, a tailored communication AI product launched in December 2025. AI Hardware centers on Palmimo (formerly Mi-Mo), a customizable general-purpose AI robot with 18 leg joints and multimodal perception (vision, audio, motion), plus Physical AI R&D services spanning joint research, proof-of-concept, and production deployment of VLA (Vision-Language-Action) models, and customized Unitree Go2 quadruped and G1 humanoid robots. The company targets enterprise and research institution clients across entertainment, retail, healthcare, security, logistics, education, and field industries such as manufacturing and agriculture.

The technical stack is built on proprietary VLA foundation models for autonomous robot control, a multi-model AI collaboration architecture for perception and action, V-Sido integration for biological motion control, and a Company OS framework for enterprise-wide AI integration. Hardware extensibility is enabled through CAD data and URDF files, and robot customization includes both in-house designs (Palmimo) and white-label adaptations of third-party hardware (Unitree). Jizai is a member of NVIDIA Inception, Microsoft for Startups, Google for Startups Cloud, the AWS Japan Physical AI Development Support Program, the Enable AI Foundry alliance, and the AIRoA robot alliance.

The business model combines three revenue streams: hardware sales (Palmimo robots and customized Unitree units), subscription- or license-based AI software (Jizai CommuAI), and professional services (AI DX consulting and Physical AI R&D). Pricing is entirely quote-based with no public rates disclosed. Distribution is direct sales only, via website contact forms, with no named channel partners. The company closed a pre-seed founding round in December 2025 from individual investors including Yoshinori Fukushima (LayerX), Taro Fukuyama (Rice Capital/Fond), Keisuke Honda (KSK Angel Fund), Prof. Yutaka Matsuo (UTokyo), and THE GROWTH founders; the amount is undisclosed.

Name

Jizai

Legal name

株式会社Jizai

Website

https://jizai.ai

Company type

Private

Founded year

2024

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1–10 employees

Short description

Jizai is a Tokyo-based AI and robotics company developing a customizable general-purpose AI robot (Palmimo) and software products including Jizai CommuAI. It serves enterprises and research institutions across healthcare, retail, logistics, entertainment, and field industries with VLA-based Physical AI solutions.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

AI Robotics

NAICS

Custom Computer Programming Services (541511), Computer Systems Design and Related Services (54151)

SIC

Services-Computer Programming Services (7371), Services-Computer Integrated Systems Design (7373)

akta.pro primary industry

Humanoid & General-Purpose Robots (HDAAAIAJ)

akta.pro secondary industries

Robot Software, Autonomy Stacks & Simulation (ROS, digital twins) (HDAAAIAK), AI/ML Engineering & Model Development Services (BPAEAHAF), AI Application Enablement Platforms (Copilot/Agent Frameworks, SDKs) (HDAEANAJ)

Keywords

• AI software services
• Customizable AI robots
• Physical AI implementation
• Generative AI consulting
• Multimodal AI systems

Headquarters

HQ city

Tokyo

HQ country

Japan

HQ region

Asia

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Hardware or Manufacturing

Cost components

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

Revenue model

1. AI Software Services: AI DX services including AI strategy design, business improvement, and new business development support. Also includes industry-specific AI DX services and AI SaaS products.
2. Jizai CommuAI: Tailored problem-solving communication AI product for enterprises, customizable to company-specific objectives such as recruiting, internal hearings, phone reception, training, and customer service.
3. Palmimo Robot Sales: Sales of customizable general-purpose AI robot Palmimo (formerly Mi-Mo) including Palmimo v0 model. Available for purchase, lease, or PoC engagements.
4. Partner Robot Customization: Customization and sale of partner robots including Unitree Go2 and G1 Jizai custom models with enhanced AI capabilities.
5. Physical AI R&D Services: Joint research, PoC, and production deployment services for Physical AI implementation across various hardware. Three-phase engagement: joint R&D, PoC, and production deployment/operations.
6. AI Consulting and Implementation: Consulting services for AI strategy, organizational design, and AI utilization promotion. Includes in-house AI team establishment support and customized AI platform product provision.

Go-to-market motion3 records

Distribution channels4 records

Marketing channels6 records

Core offering

Jizai develops and provides AI software services and customizable general-purpose AI robots. The company operates two main divisions: an AI Software Business offering AI DX consulting services and the Jizai CommuAI communication AI product, and an AI Hardware Business offering the Palmimo customizable general-purpose AI robot and Physical AI R&D services including customized partner robots (Unitree Go2 quadruped and G1 humanoid) with Vision-Language-Action (VLA) models.

Product overview

Jizai operates two main business divisions offering four core products/services: AI Software (AI DX and Jizai CommuAI) and AI Hardware (Palmimo and Physical AI R&D). Palmimo is the flagship customizable general-purpose AI robot offered as Palmimo v0 (full robot) and Palmimo DevKit (development kit). Jizai CommuAI is a tailored communication AI product for business problem-solving. Physical AI R&D provides VLA model implementation services plus customized partner robots (Go2 quadruped and G1 humanoid).

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• Palmimo: Customizable general-purpose AI robot. Originally named Mi-Mo, renamed to Palmimo in July 2026. Features autonomous thinking and action based on vision, voice, and motion inputs. Currently available as Palmimo v0 model.
• Jizai CommuAI

Products and services

• Palmimo v0
• Palmimo DevKit
• Jizai CommuAI
• AI DX
• Physical AI R&D
• Partner Robot Customization (Unitree Go2)
• Partner Robot Customization (Unitree G1)

Quantifiable outcome

• Japan's population projected to decline to 100 million by 2050 with accelerating working-age population decline
• +1 more outcomes

Segments8 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed Yes

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Integration1 record

AI capability12 records

Feature6 records

Partnerships

Nine partnerships are on record, tiered core and flagship.

• Amazon Web Services Japan (Physical AI Development Support Program)coreTechnology or Integration · 4 June 2026Selected for AWS Japan's Physical AI Development Support Program supporting companies developing Vision-Language-Action models and robotics foundation models. Provides end-to-end pipeline support from data collection to real-world deployment.
• Enable AI FoundryflagshipStrategic or Co-development Partner · 27 November 2025Collaborative alliance with 8 other Japanese companies (Sharp Corporation, SAKURA internet Inc., Tellus Inc., miibo Inc., BAOBAB Inc., Activarch Consulting Inc., Kyoto University of the Arts, X-tech Management Inc.) to open regional access to computing resources, data processing, hardware, and implementation expertise. Aims to build cross-regional AI talent and project ecosystem through study sessions, hackathons, and PoC support. Activity bases in Osaka, Kyoto, Fukuoka, and Okinawa.
• Google (Google for Startups Cloud Program)coreTechnology or Integration · 7 October 2025Selected for Google for Startups Cloud Program providing cloud credits, technical support, expert mentoring, and global expansion resources to accelerate AI software and hardware implementation.
• Kyoto University of the ArtscoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 26 June 2025Business partnership in AI-centered R&D with Uryuyama Gakuen Educational Foundation and group company X-tech Management. Focus areas include AI education environments, AI partner products for learning, new artistic expression research, and AI-premised organizational design. Supports 'Nation Building Through the Arts' philosophy.
• AI Robot Association (AIRoA)coreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 7 March 2025Joined as member of AI Robot Association (general incorporated association). Association aims to build scalable robot data ecosystem by merging AI and robotics technologies, promoting open large-scale data collection and foundational model development across industries.
• The University of Tokyo IPC (1stRound)coreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 7 October 2024Selected as support recipient for 11th round of 1stRound - Japan's largest cross-university incubation platform operated by UTokyo IPC. Provides non-equity financial support and hands-on assistance for becoming a startup with calculable business value.
• Microsoft Corporation (Microsoft for Startups Founders Hub)coreTechnology or Integration · 20 September 2024Accepted into Microsoft for Startups Founders Hub - global startup support program in 140+ countries providing Azure technical support, technical advisors, and sales expansion support leveraging Microsoft's network.
• NVIDIA Corporation (NVIDIA Inception Program)coreTechnology or Integration · 21 August 2024Member of NVIDIA Inception Program - AI startup support program providing Deep Learning Institute credits, marketing and technical support for product development, prototyping, and market introduction of AI/robotics solutions.
• Unitree (Go2 and G1 Robots)coreOEM/ Whitelabel/ Licensing PartnerJizai offers custom models of Unitree's Go2 quadruped robot and G1 humanoid robot. Jizai adds proprietary software and AI for remote control, autonomous navigation, AI-powered object detection, and interactive responses. Partnership enables delivery of enhanced robots to enterprise customers.

Scale indicators3 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Direct peers

• Sanctuary AI: Sanctuary AI builds the Phoenix general-purpose humanoid robot and Carbon AI control system, with a focus on industrial labor substitution through foundation-model-driven autonomy. Closely comparable to Jizai's VLA-driven Palmimo platform targeting enterprise customers.
• 1X Technologies: 1X Technologies builds the NEO humanoid robot for home and enterprise use, with a focus on embodied AI and safe human-robot interaction. Direct peer to Jizai on general-purpose humanoid robotics with AI-driven autonomy for real-world tasks.
• Apptronik: Apptronik develops the Apollo general-purpose humanoid robot targeting industrial and commercial applications with AI-driven autonomy. Direct peer to Jizai's Palmimo on general-purpose humanoid robotics for enterprise use cases.
• Figure AI: Figure AI develops the Figure 01/02 general-purpose humanoid robot powered by Helix VLA models for commercial deployment. It is a direct peer to Jizai's Palmimo: both pursue general-purpose humanoid robots with vision-language-action foundation models targeting enterprise labor substitution.
• Unitree Robotics: Unitree makes the Go2 quadruped and G1 humanoid robots that Jizai customizes and resells as its partner robot business. Direct peer on humanoid/general-purpose robot hardware, and simultaneously a key OEM partner for Jizai.
• Agility Robotics: Agility Robotics builds the Digit humanoid robot for logistics and warehouse labor automation, with growing emphasis on AI-driven autonomous task execution. Direct peer to Jizai on general-purpose humanoid robots for enterprise labor substitution.

Regional players

• Telexistence: Telexistence builds AI-driven retail robots (e.g., TX Scara for FamilyMart convenience stores) and is a leading Japanese humanoid robotics commercialization effort. Regional peer to Jizai on AI robots for retail and labor-substitution use cases in Japan.
• Preferred Robotics: Japanese robotics company developing service robots (e.g., Kachaka) for retail, hospitality, and logistics. Comparable to Jizai as a Japan-focused player building AI-enabled service robots for commercial customers, though Jachaka is mobile-platform rather than humanoid.

Broad incumbents

• SoftBank Robotics: SoftBank Robotics developed the Pepper and Whiz humanoid/service robots and is the incumbent Japanese humanoid robotics player. Broad incumbent peer: an established company with overlapping humanoid/AI-robot capabilities though as part of a larger portfolio of AI and robotics investments.

Others

• LayerX: LayerX is a Japanese enterprise AI SaaS company (founder/CEO Yoshinori Fukushima is a Jizai investor). Comparable as a Japan-focused enterprise AI platform/SaaS player, useful as a parallel for the AI software/CommuAI side of Jizai's business model.

Market position

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles1 record

Funding overview

Funding rounds1 record

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 Jizai