Shiftbrain
Shiftbrain is a Tokyo-based creative studio offering branding, web design, development, and creative direction services to enterprise clients. The 24-person team serves major Japanese and global brands including Panasonic, Shiseido, Toyota, and Recruit across 90+ portfolio projects.
- Company typePrivate
- Founded2003
- HeadquartersTokyo, Japan
- Headcount11–50
- GTM typeB2B
- OfferingServices
What Shiftbrain does
Shiftbrain (SHIFTBRAIN Inc.) is a Tokyo-based creative studio founded in November 2003 that provides branding, web design and development, creative direction, and campaign communication services to enterprise clients. The company operates a 24-person team organized across Corporate, Creative, Produce, Development, and Partner functions, and follows a five-step methodology spanning Scope, Research, Strategy, Identity, and Communication phases. Project engagements typically run 3-6 months for brand identity work and 2-6 months for communication deliverables, with the company producing 90+ cumulative portfolio projects over its operating history.
The studio's technical capabilities center on WebGL and Three.js implementation for 3D web experiences, component-oriented design and development, creative direction including motion graphics, and full-stack front-end and back-end development. Shiftbrain serves major Japanese and global brands including Panasonic, Shiseido, Toyota, DENSO, Recruit, Merpay, Nikkei, Japan Airlines, Benesse, TIER IV, 45rpm studio, MORI TRUST, and NTT Data Institute of Management Consulting. The company has accumulated a substantial international award record including Awwwards Site of the Day, Red Dot (with two Best of the Best distinctions), FWA of the Day, Webby Awards, Cannes Lions, and the Japan GOOD DESIGN AWARD, which functions as a primary trust signal for new enterprise client acquisition.
Shiftbrain operates a project-based professional services revenue model, engaging clients directly through relationship-based business development without channel partners or marketplace presence. Marketing is conducted primarily through detailed case studies published on note.com, social media (X, Facebook, Instagram, Behance), and active participation in design award submissions that serve as third-party validation. The company is privately held and appears to be founder/management-owned, with no disclosed institutional investment, registered capital of 15,000,000 JPY, and offices in Setagaya-ku, Tokyo and Amsterdam, the Netherlands.
Shiftbrain firmographics
Firmographics- Name
- Shiftbrain
- Legal name
- SHIFTBRAIN Inc.
- Website
- https://shiftbrain.com
- Company type
- Private
- Founded year
- 2003
- Operating status
- Operating
- Headcount range
- 11–50 employees
- Short description
- Shiftbrain is a Tokyo-based creative studio offering branding, web design, development, and creative direction services to enterprise clients. The 24-person team serves major Japanese and global brands including Panasonic, Shiseido, Toyota, and Recruit across 90+ portfolio projects.
- Ownership category
- akta.pro rank
Shiftbrain industry classification
Industry- Product category
- Creative Branding and Web Design Services
- NAICS
- Graphic Design Services (54143)
- SIC
- Services-Advertising Agencies (7311)
- akta.pro primary industry
- Creative & Brand Campaign Development (BPAFAAAB)
- akta.pro secondary industry
- Creative Concepting & Campaign Development (BPAFAEAD)
Keywords
Where Shiftbrain is headquartered
LocationHeadquarters
- HQ city
- Tokyo
- HQ country
- Japan
- HQ region
- Asia
Offices2 records
Markets served
Shiftbrain business model
Business model- GTM type
- B2B
- Offering type
- Services
- Cost components
- Personnel, Technology or R&D, Marketing or Sales, Operations, Infrastructure
Revenue model
- Creative Services: Project-based professional services including branding, web design, development, art direction, and creative consulting for enterprise clients
Go-to-market motion1 record
Distribution channels1 record
Marketing channels4 records
Shiftbrain product offering
Product offeringCore offering
SHIFTBRAIN Inc. is a creative studio that provides integrated branding, web design and development, creative direction, and campaign communication design services for enterprise clients. The studio follows a five-stage methodology (Scope, Research, Strategy, Identity, Communication) to help clients discover, articulate, and visually express their brand value through corporate websites, brand sites, motion graphics, 3D web experiences, and recruitment branding. Projects are delivered on a project-based engagement model, typically spanning 2-6 months.
Product overview
SHIFTBRAIN is a creative design studio specializing in comprehensive branding and digital creative services. The company operates as a project-based service provider rather than a product company, offering integrated creative solutions including brand identity development, web design and development, creative direction, and campaign communication design. Their workflow follows a five-stage methodology: Scope, Research, Strategy, Identity, and Communication, typically spanning 3-6 months for brand identity projects and 2-6 months for communication deliverables. The studio serves diverse clients across industries including technology, fashion, automotive, education, and hospitality, with offices in Tokyo and Amsterdam.
Differentiator
Problem solved
Functional benefit
Products and services
- Branding Services
- Web Design and Development
- Creative Direction
- Campaign and Communication Design
Quantifiable outcome
- 90+ portfolio projects including major Japanese corporations and global brands
- +1 more outcomes
Companies that use Shiftbrain
Customer profileNamed customers14 records
Segments3 records
Ideal customer profiles3 records
Shiftbrain technology and API
TechnologyTechnology focussed No
API detail
- Has API
- No
- API docs
- API detail
Core technology
AI maturity
App detail
Feature3 records
Shiftbrain partnerships and signals
Strategic signalPartnerships
Seven partnerships are on record, tiered minor.
- Park Co., Ltd.minorCollaborated on LayerX corporate brand renewal - Park handled concept development and copywriting while Shiftbrain delivered logo, animation, website and tool design.
- gaz Inc.minorCollaborated on ESEC website project using no-code tool STUDIO for the Ritsumeikan University Earth & Space Exploration Center.
- baigie Inc.minorCollaborated on CREATIVE SURVEY service site renewal - baigie handled planning and information architecture while Shiftbrain delivered design and development.
- Garden EightminorCo-created Awwwards Conference Tokyo 2020 website as official conference partner - Garden Eight co-directed and designed alongside Shiftbrain.
- UNIBA Inc.minorTechnology and production partner for the PIXEING project - collaborated on software development, hardware integration, and product design for the digital insect-catching tool exhibited at Milano 2015.
- FOURDIGIT Inc.minorAffiliated company within the Shiftbrain corporate group. FOURDIGIT is a digital production company that works on web and interactive projects.
- ingraft Inc.minorCreative partner company that collaborates on various design projects including 45R Denim Matsuri.
Scale indicators4 records
Recent moves6 records
Expansion highlights5 records
Shiftbrain competitors and assessment
Company assessmentMarket position
Strengths4 records
Competitive moat3 records
Key risks6 records
Key highlights6 records
Customer concentration
Shiftbrain social profiles
Digital presenceShiftbrain financial estimates
Financial estimateRevenue estimate
Valuation estimate
Shiftbrain leadership team
Management profileNumber of profiles
Profiles19 records
Shiftbrain funding detail
Funding detailFunding overview
Funding rounds
Investors
Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Shiftbrain M&A and investment
M&A and investmentM&A
Investments
M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Frequently asked questions about Shiftbrain
What does Shiftbrain do?
SHIFTBRAIN Inc. is a creative studio that provides integrated branding, web design and development, creative direction, and campaign communication design services for enterprise clients. The studio follows a five-stage methodology (Scope, Research, Strategy, Identity, Communication) to help clients discover, articulate, and visually express their brand value through corporate websites, brand sites, motion graphics, 3D web experiences, and recruitment branding. Projects are delivered on a project-based engagement model, typically spanning 2-6 months.
Is Shiftbrain a public or private company?
Shiftbrain is a private company. It is classified as founder individual operated bootstrapped and is currently operating.
When was Shiftbrain founded?
Shiftbrain was founded in 2003. It employs 11 to 50 people.
Where is Shiftbrain based?
Shiftbrain is headquartered in Tokyo, Japan, in the Asia region.
How does Shiftbrain make money?
One revenue line is on record: creative Services.
Does Shiftbrain have an API?
No public API is recorded for Shiftbrain.
What industry is Shiftbrain in?
Shiftbrain's product category is Creative Branding and Web Design Services. Its primary akta.pro industry code is BPAFAAAB, Creative & Brand Campaign Development, with a secondary code of BPAFAEAD, Creative Concepting & Campaign Development. Its NAICS code is 54143 and its SIC code is 7311.