WIDE Project

What WIDE Project does

WIDE Project is a Japanese research consortium founded in 1988 (evolved from the WIDE Research Group established in 1985) and headquartered at Keio University's Murai Laboratory in Fujisawa, Kanagawa. It organizes 730+ researchers across 100+ loosely bound organizations through 20+ active working groups covering network operation, service infrastructure, and security. Core research domains include IPv6 deployment, DNS operations, satellite networking, network security, and emerging areas such as quantum networking (Aqua) and software-defined media (SDM). The consortium also operates critical Internet backbone assets including the M Root DNS Server serving the Asia-Pacific region, the ARENA-PAC research and education network, 100Gbps-class academic networks, the StarBED4 IoT testing platform, and the YETI Live Root-DNS Testbed.

The consortium's technical output spans proprietary operational infrastructure (WIDE IPv6 BGP4+ peering policy, IPv6 address allocation, the vSIX IPv6 single-stack test network) and foundational open-source contributions (KAME IPv6/IPsec stack for BSD, USAGI Linux IPv6, SOCKS64 IPv4-IPv6 gateway). Its go-to-market is community-led rather than commercial: WIDE hosts quarterly workshops, biannual WIDE Camps, joint research presentations, and has hosted four IETF meetings in Japan (2002, 2009, 2015, 2023). It does not sell products or services at list price.

Revenue mechanics follow a research consortium funding model. WIDE is supported by tier-1 corporate sponsors (NTT, KDDI, NEC, Hitachi, IIJ, Sony, SoftBank, Fujitsu Laboratories, Google), academic partners (Keio University, University of Tokyo, NAIST, MIT, Stanford, University of Hawaii), government research institutes (NICT), and international bodies (UNESCO, APNIC, APAN, IETF, ISOC). Membership fees and sponsorship payments fund joint research, and WIDE reports results to sponsors through twice-yearly joint research presentations and an annual research report compiled at the end of March each year. Revenue is not publicly disclosed.

Name

WIDE Project

Legal name

WIDE Project

Website

https://wide.ad.jp

Company type

Private

Founded year

1988

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

501–1,000 employees

Short description

WIDE Project is a Japan-based research consortium founded in 1988 that coordinates 730+ researchers across 100+ organizations to advance Internet infrastructure, operating the M Root DNS Server and ARENA-PAC research network for academic, corporate, and government sponsors.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Internet Research Infrastructure

NAICS

Scientific Research and Development Services (5417), Computer Systems Design and Related Services (54151)

SIC

Services-Membership Organizations (8600), Services-Commercial Physical & Biological Research (8731), Services-Computer Integrated Systems Design (7373)

akta.pro primary industry

Research Collaboration & Joint Labs (International Partnerships) (EDAIABAC)

akta.pro secondary industry

International Science, Technology & Space Cooperation Organizations (BPADAAAK)

Keywords

• Internet research consortium
• IPv6 deployment
• Root DNS operations
• Network infrastructure research
• Research and education networking

Headquarters

HQ city

Fujisawa

HQ country

Japan

HQ region

Asia

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

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

Revenue model

1. Research Consortium Funding: WIDE Project conducts joint research with sponsors from academia, industry, and government sectors. Sponsors provide funding and research cooperation. Joint research presentations are held twice yearly to report results to sponsors.

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels3 records

Marketing channels5 records

Core offering

WIDE Project is a research consortium that operates shared Internet research infrastructure (WIDE Internet, M Root DNS Server, ARENA-PAC) and runs more than 20 working groups conducting joint research on IPv6 deployment, DNS operations, network security, satellite networking, and emerging Internet technologies. Activities are funded by member organizations and corporate sponsors from academia, industry, and government sectors.

Product overview

WIDE Project is a Japan-based global research consortium founded in 1988, operating the WIDE Internet as both an operational network and experimental research platform. The consortium comprises over 20 working groups organized into three infrastructure categories: network operation infrastructure (including Mawi for traffic measurement, DNS for domain operations, vSIX for IPv6 development, TWO for WIDE Internet operation), service infrastructure (covering Software Defined Media, Cloud, SOI-Asia education platform, and emerging technologies like Aqua for quantum networking), and security infrastructure (including Swan, cybex, moCA, Netman, and Delight working groups). Key operational assets include the M Root DNS Server serving the Asia-Pacific region, the ARENA-PAC research network, and StarBED4 IoT testing platform. WIDE Project contributes to global Internet standards through IETF participation and operates critical Internet infrastructure including root DNS servers and 100Gbps class networks.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• KAME Project: An open-source implementation of IPv6 and IPsec for BSD-derived operating systems. The project was launched in 1998 and completed in March 2006.
• SOI-Asia
• ARENA-PAC
• M Root DNS Server

Products and services

• WIDE Internet A research Internet network operated by WIDE Project that serves as both an operational network and an experimental platform for testing new Internet technologies and protocols, available to consortium researchers across Japan.
• M Root DNS Server Critical DNS root server infrastructure providing domain name resolution for the Asia-Pacific region and globally, operated by WIDE Project.
• ARENA-PAC Asia-Pacific research and education network providing high-speed backbone connectivity and contributing to global core research and education network operations.
• SOI-Asia (School on the Internet) Project exploring Internet-based higher education, enabling university-level coursework worldwide through satellite and Internet technologies, in partnership with UNESCO across Asia.
• StarBED4 R&D platform for verification of IoT technology, enabling large-scale testing of connected devices and home appliances, operated with NICT.
• vSIX Experimental IPv6 single-stack network for developing operational technologies, applications, and human resources to support the future Internet.
• YETI (Live Root-DNS Testbed) Live testbed specializing in Root DNS server verification, jointly operated by WIDE Project, Farsight Security, and Beijing Internet Institute.
• PIXIE (Programmable Internet Exchange) Approach to develop technologies for flexible control of traffic and security functions to prevent cyber attacks, and establish secure Internet operation technologies.
• Software Defined Media (SDM) Technology connecting recording and playback environments bidirectionally over the Internet, creating realistic shared media experiences through 3D representation using cloud processing.
• Aqua (Quantum Networking) Project designing and simulating quantum networks and new physical technologies for future secure communications.
• 100Gbps Class Networking Research and deployment of networks exceeding 100 Gbps for academic networks, supporting data-intensive research in high energy physics and astronomy.

Named customers5 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

Feature9 records

Partnerships

24 partnerships are on record, tiered primary, core and secondary.

• NTT, Inc.primaryStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 March 2026Major corporate sponsor conducting joint research on Internet technologies, IPv6 deployment, and network infrastructure.
• KDDI CorporationprimaryStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 March 2026Corporate sponsor and research partner in mobile and satellite networking initiatives.
• NEC CorporationprimaryStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 March 2026Corporate sponsor contributing to IPv6 transition technologies and security research.
• Hitachi, Ltd.primaryStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 March 2026Corporate sponsor and research partner in IPv6 and network technologies.
• Internet Initiative Japan Inc. (IIJ)primaryStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 March 2026Major sponsor and research partner in IPv6 deployment and Internet infrastructure.
• National Institute of Information and Communications Technology (NICT)coreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 March 2026Government research institute partner in network research and StarBED4 project.
• The University of TokyocoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 March 2026Academic partner hosting Esaki Laboratory and collaborating on Internet research.
• Nara Institute of Science and Technology (NAIST)coreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 March 2026Academic partner hosting Kadobayashi Laboratory in WIDE Project research.
• Asia Pacific Network Information Centre (APNIC)coreTechnology or Integration · 1 March 2026Regional Internet registry partner in IPv6 address allocation and ARENA-PAC cooperation.
• Internet Engineering Task Force (IETF)coreTechnology or Integration · 1 March 2026International standards organization; WIDE hosted multiple IETF meetings in Japan (IETF54, IETF76, IETF94, IETF116).
• Internet Society (ISOC)coreTechnology or Integration · 1 March 2026International organization for Internet standards and governance; WIDE participates in IGF and ISOC activities.
• Asia Pacific Advanced Network (APAN)coreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 March 2026Regional research network consortium; WIDE is a key participant and operator of ARENA-PAC.
• UNESCOcoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 March 2026SOI-Asia project partner for developing educational environments and human resources across Asia.
• KAME ProjectcoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 March 2026Joint IPv6/IPsec implementation project (1998-2006); WIDE researchers were core contributors to BSD IPv6 stack.
• USAGI ProjectcoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 March 2026Linux IPv6 implementation project; WIDE collaborated on standards and deployment (concluded with Linux IPv6 mainline integration).
• MITsecondaryStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 March 2026International academic partner in research collaboration.
• Stanford UniversitycoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 March 2026Long-standing partner in joint experiments for mobile communications and network research.
• University of HawaiicoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 March 2026Historical partner in WIDE's first international connection; SOI-Asia and ARENA-PAC partner.
• Sony Group CorporationprimaryStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 March 2026Corporate sponsor and historical partner in IPv6 daemon development.
• SoftBank Corp.primaryStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 March 2026Corporate sponsor and partner in network research.
• Fujitsu Laboratories Ltd.primaryStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 March 2026Research partner in SOCKS64 IPv4-IPv6 transition technology development.
• INRIA (Institut National de Recherche en Informatique et en Automatique)secondaryStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 March 2026French research institute partner in international collaboration.
• Google Inc.secondaryStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 March 2026Partner in NSPIXP (Internet Exchange) joint research operations.
• Keio UniversitycoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 1988Host institution for WIDE Project headquarters, home to Murai Laboratory where project operations are based.

Scale indicators6 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Broad incumbents

• APNIC: Asia-Pacific regional Internet registry managing IPv4/IPv6 address allocation. APNIC is an actual WIDE partner via IPv6 allocation and ARENA-PAC, sharing overlapping mission of Internet resource stewardship in the region.
• Internet Society (ISOC): Global non-profit promoting open Internet development, standards, and policy. ISOC is an actual WIDE partner, but operates at broader Internet governance level (vs. WIDE's technical research and infrastructure operator role).
• National Institute of Information and Communications Technology (NICT): Japan's national ICT research agency, an actual WIDE partner running StarBED4 and jointly conducting network research. Comparable government-backed R&D mission focused on networking and communications in Japan.

Direct peers

• Internet2: US-based non-profit research and education network consortium operating advanced Internet infrastructure for universities. Directly comparable to WIDE in mission, consortium funding model, and focus on next-generation Internet protocols and operational research.
• JISC: UK digital, data, and technology agency for higher education and research, operating the Janet research network. Closely analogous consortium-funded body providing research networking and Internet services to academic institutions.
• Asia Pacific Advanced Network (APAN): Asia-Pacific research network consortium connecting research and education networks across the region. APAN is also a WIDE partner (ARENA-PAC operator), with directly overlapping mission, members, and operational scope.
• CANARIE: Canada's national research and education network operator, running advanced Internet infrastructure for Canadian universities and research institutes. Comparable consortium/government-funded model focused on next-generation networking R&D.
• GÉANT: European research and education networking organization coordinating pan-European backbone for academic and research institutions. Mirrors WIDE's role as a regional REN operator and Internet research consortium in its geography.

Regional players

• RENATER: French national research and education network providing advanced Internet services to French universities. Similar consortium-funded research network model but focused on the French market rather than Asia-Pacific.

Others

• Internet Engineering Task Force (IETF): Open standards organization for Internet protocols where WIDE is an active contributor and host of multiple meetings. Not a commercial peer but the most direct comparable ecosystem body that WIDE collaborates with on standards development.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat6 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/wide_project

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles15 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

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M&A

Investments

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Frequently asked questions about WIDE Project