What CIAS does

CIAS Co., Ltd. (株式会社サイアス, founded October 1997, headquartered in Osaka with a Tokyo office in Minato-ku) is a private Japanese micro-ISV employing 1–10 staff as a self-described 少数精鋭 (small, high-caliber) team. The company operates a dual model: 100% in-house commissioned software development for general enterprise clients across diverse industries, and a packaged-software business centered on its flagship navi in flow platform — a home medical equipment management system that unifies patient records, equipment inventory, hospital master data, inspections, cylinder/CPAP recurring deliveries, and billing automation for medical equipment manufacturers and dealers across Japan.

The product stack is built as cloud-native web applications (Java/Kotlin + Spring Boot, Thymeleaf/htmx/daisyUI on the front end) with a Flutter-based cross-platform mobile app (SmartHS) for smartphone barcode scanning in the field and a tablet inspection module (SmartReporter). Infrastructure runs on Sakura Cloud under a deepening partnership with Sakura Internet. Differentiated capabilities include barcode-based equipment traceability with two-step read to prevent misreads, CTI-based automatic patient-record lookup on inbound calls, flexible pricing rules for varied hospital contract terms, and supporting integrations with DocuSign for electronic contracts. Internally, CIAS uses LLM-based code generation to automate routine migration and CRUD scaffolding, with humans handling edge cases, multi-database transaction logic, and security validation.

CIAS makes money through annual subscriptions on navi in flow (in small/medium/large tiers, scaled by users and customization depth), one-time perpetual licenses for on-premises/dedicated-cloud deployments, professional services for implementation/migration/training, and 100% commissioned custom development projects. Approximately 30 home medical equipment manufacturers and dealers subscribe nationwide (Hokkaido to Kyushu), with named enterprise logos spanning Air Water Group, Nihon Sanso Group, Alfresa Corporation, TCS Japan, and others. Distribution is domestic-Japan direct sales with engineers participating in on-site implementation; SmartHS is also available standalone via iOS App Store and Google Play. The IT Introduction Subsidy 2025 approval offsets up to ~25% of buyer acquisition costs and is a material element of the SMB motion. Notable accreditations include ISMS (JIS Q 27001:2023 / ISO/IEC 27001:2022, certified December 17, 2025), Smart SME Supporter designation (METI), and Sakura Cloud Basic-tier partnership (December 2025); CIAS also claims zero historical cancellations on navi in flow.

Name

CIAS

Legal name

株式会社サイアス

Website

https://cias.co.jp

Company type

Private

Founded year

1997

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1–10 employees

Short description

CIAS Co., Ltd. is a private Japanese micro-ISV (founded 1997, 1–10 staff, Osaka-based) that develops and supports navi in flow, a cloud subscription platform for managing patient records, equipment inventory, billing, and inspections for home medical equipment manufacturers and dealers across Japan, supplemented by 100% in-house commissioned custom software development.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Home Medical Equipment Management Software

SIC

Surgical & Medical Instruments & Apparatus (3841)

akta.pro primary industry

Virtual Nursing, Telemonitoring & Command Center Platforms (HLACAFAH)

Keywords

• Home medical equipment software
• Medical device management system
• Patient billing automation
• Custom software development
• Barcode inventory tracking

Headquarters

HQ city

Osaka

HQ country

Japan

HQ region

Asia

Offices2 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Software

Cost components

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

Revenue model

1. Package Software (navi in flow) – Cloud Subscription: Recurring subscription revenue from cloud-hosted deployments of navi in flow. Pricing scales by plan (small/medium/large) and number of users. Cloud infrastructure provided via Sakura Cloud.
2. Package Software (navi in flow) – Perpetual License: One-time perpetual license fee for dedicated cloud or on-premises deployments. IT導入補助金2025 can cover up to 25% of upfront costs for qualifying customers (dedicated cloud / on-prem versions).
3. Custom Software Development (受託開発): 100% commissioned development revenue. Projects span requirement analysis, design, development, and post-launch support. Pricing and timeline vary by scope; small team operates as 少数精鋭.
4. SmartHS Mobile App (Standalone / Add-on): SmartHS is offered as a standalone product (downloadable from app stores) and as a bundled module within navi in flow deployments. Customization to specific customer workflows is available as an add-on service.
5. Implementation & Ongoing Support Services: Fees for system installation, data migration, on-site training, and post-go-live support. Data migration costs vary by data complexity (master-only vs. linked transaction histories).

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion3 records

Distribution channels2 records

Marketing channels5 records

Core offering

CIAS develops and sells the navi in flow packaged home medical equipment management system used by HME rental dealers and manufacturers in Japan to centrally manage patient records, equipment inventory, hospital master data, billing, inspections, and recurring CPAP/oxygen deliveries. The company complements this package with the SmartHS smartphone barcode-scanning app, the SmartReporter tablet inspection module, and a 100% in-house custom commissioned software development practice for general enterprise clients.

Product overview

CIAS offers a product-plus-services portfolio centered on its core platform navi in flow (ナビフロー), a home medical equipment management system used by rental dealers and manufacturers across Japan. The platform integrates with SmartHS, a smartphone barcode scanning app, and SmartReporter, a tablet-based inspection module, to cover the full workflow from equipment tracking and patient management to billing and field inspections. All three products are built and maintained by CIAS and share data in real time. Beyond its packaged software, CIAS provides 100% in-house custom development services for business systems, leveraging modern technologies (Kotlin/Spring Boot on the backend, Flutter for mobile apps, htmx for web interfaces) and actively using LLM-based AI for code generation in its development practice.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• navi in flow: 在宅医療患者様が使用する医療機器の管理システム。在宅医療機器のメーカー様、ディーラー様向けの管理システムで、患者、機器、病院、請求、点検などの情報を統合的に管理。
• SmartHS
• navi in flow ワークフローパッケージ
• MSS（MDical Support System）

Products and services

• navi in flow (ナビフロー) Comprehensive package software for home medical equipment rental dealers and manufacturers in Japan. Manages patient information, equipment inventory, hospital master data, billing with flexible daily/weekly/monthly pricing rules, confirmation document generation, cylinder/CPAP recurring delivery scheduling, inspection records, and CTI integration for inbound-call patient lookup. Offered in Small (~10 users, shared server), Medium (10–30 users, dedicated cloud), and Large (30+ users, custom design, fully isolated cloud) plans with annual subscriptions or perpetual licenses for on-premises deployments.
• SmartHS (スマートエイチエス) Cross-platform (iOS/Android) mobile application built with Flutter that uses the smartphone camera to scan 1D/2D barcodes for recording inventory in/out, patient equipment installation/removal, and branch-to-branch transfers. Supports offline mode for poor-connectivity environments, two-step barcode reading to prevent misreads, and synchronizes with navi in flow for real-time data. Distributed as a standalone app via app stores and as a bundled module within navi in flow deployments.
• SmartReporter (スマートリポーター) Tablet-based inspection input application that replaces paper carbon-copy inspection forms. Field technicians complete inspection records on a tablet with electronic signature capture, access auto-generated inspection lists and progress dashboards, and sync data directly with navi in flow, reducing dependence on specific individuals for inspection continuity.
• Custom Commissioned Software Development (カスタム受託開発) End-to-end, 100% in-house custom software development covering requirements analysis, design, development, deployment, and post-launch support. CIAS delivers web, mobile (Flutter), and Windows desktop applications using Kotlin/Spring Boot, Java, Dart, C#, PHP, JavaScript, Thymeleaf, and htmx stacks, and uses LLM-assisted code generation internally for routine CRUD scaffolding.
• Implementation, Data Migration & Ongoing Support Services Fee-based services for system installation, master and transaction data migration, on-site operator training, and post-go-live support for navi in flow and custom-developed systems. Data-migration pricing varies by complexity (master-only versus linked transaction histories), and the support team ([email protected]) handles post-deployment issues.

Quantifiable outcome

• Zero customer cancellations for navi in flow system across all historical deployments
• +5 more outcomes

Named customers13 records

Segments3 records

Ideal customer profiles2 records

Technology focussed Yes

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Integration2 records

AI capability2 records

Feature5 records

Partnerships

Three partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• Sakura Internet (さくらインターネット)coreTechnology or Integration · 1 December 2025CIAS uses Sakura Cloud as its primary infrastructure platform for hosting navi in flow and other commissioned systems. In December 2025, CIAS was upgraded to Basic-tier partner status in Sakura Internet's partner program. The partnership enables CIAS to provide hybrid cloud environments (Sakura Cloud combined with foreign cloud) with enhanced security, scalability, and reliability for healthcare customers.
• WorkVision (株式会社WorkVision社)minorGTM or Marketing Partner · 1 June 2025CIAS co-hosts online seminars with WorkVision to introduce home medical and container/sales management solutions to a broader audience. The seminars feature live product demonstrations and are offered multiple times per year, helping CIAS reach potential customers through WorkVision's existing client base.
• Sakura Internet (さくらインターネット)coreGTM or Marketing Partner · 1 August 2024CIAS signed a sales partner agreement with Sakura Internet to leverage Sakura Cloud as the foundation for its home medical equipment management systems, enabling it to offer hybrid multi-cloud infrastructure to enterprise customers requiring enhanced data sovereignty and compliance.

Scale indicators5 records

Recent moves7 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Direct peers

• MatrixCare (ResMed): Post-acute and home-care operations software owned by ResMed covering HME, home health, hospice, and skilled nursing. Comparable to CIAS because it bundles patient, equipment, billing, and clinical records workflows for in-home care providers — overlapping most with navi in flow's HME operations scope.
• Computers Unlimited (TIMS Software): TIMS Software by Computers Unlimited is an established HME/DME/home infusion operations suite covering patient, equipment, inventory, billing, and resupply. Direct competitor in the niche vertical that navi in flow serves.
• Brightree (WellSky): Market-leading US HME/DME billing and operations software platform, now part of WellSky. Direct analogue to navi in flow in terms of customer segment (HME/DME rental dealers and manufacturers) and core workflow coverage (patient, equipment, billing, resupply), though at much larger scale.
• Fastrack Healthcare Systems: HME/DME/HH software provider with workflow, billing, and inventory modules for HME dealers and home health agencies. Closely matches CIAS's navi in flow positioning as a back-office operations system for HME rental businesses.
• NikoHealth: Cloud-based HME/DME billing, inventory, and resupply platform. Closely comparable to navi in flow because both target small-to-mid-market HME/DME dealers with patient + equipment + billing workflows, often sold against legacy systems on Excel or FileMaker.
• Medforce Technologies: DME/HME-focused document, billing, and workflow automation software. Comparable to CIAS in target customer (HME dealers) and in workflow focus (billing + records automation), though CIAS's navi in flow is broader in covering equipment lifecycle and inspection.

Emerging players

• Medley (メドレー): Japanese digital health company operating platforms for online medical consultations, medical recruitment, and healthcare SaaS. Comparable as a Japan-focused vertical healthcare software player targeting operational workflows at care providers, though addressing different sub-verticals than CIAS.
• Kaonavi (カオナビ): Listed Japanese cloud SaaS company focused on HR/employee data for SMB and mid-market. Relevant peer for business-model analogy: small-team Japan SaaS vendor selling tiered annual subscriptions to operational decision-makers — broadly comparable SMB SaaS go-to-market mechanics even though the vertical (HR vs HME) differs.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

Compliance1 record

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles2 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 CIAS