KD-ICONS
KD-ICONS is a Japanese healthcare IT company that develops and sells custom-built ICONS21 infection control and bacterial testing information systems to hospitals across Japan, with 315+ installations and a patented AI Gram stain image analysis module launched in April 2026.
- Company typePrivate
- Founded2009
- HeadquartersSetagaya, Japan
- Headcount11–50
- GTM typeB2B
- OfferingSoftware
What KD-ICONS does
KD-ICONS Co., Ltd. (ケーディーアイコンズ株式会社) is a privately-held Japanese healthcare IT company founded in April 2009 and headquartered in Ota-ku, Tokyo. The company specializes in infection control information systems for hospitals and clinical testing centers, operating under a direct enterprise sales model with custom-built system implementations across Japan. Its core product is the ICONS21 suite (Infection Control Open Network System 21), which comprises three integrated modules: the Bacterial Inspection System (MIS) for microbiology laboratory workflow standardization, the Infection Control System (ICS) for hospital-wide infection management and surveillance (BSI, UTI, VAP, SSI, VAE, PICC, CV port), and the AI Gram module for Gram stain microscope image analysis. An optional companion product, ICONS Miner, provides AI-powered medical data mining for outbreak prediction and risk factor extraction. The technology stack is web-based, integrates with electronic medical record systems, supports JANIS surveillance data submission, and includes patented components developed with METI and Tokyo Metropolitan SME Promotion Corporation funding.
The company operates with 11-50 employees and has installed its systems in 315+ facilities across Japan, including national university medical school hospitals, public medical centers, National Personnel Mutual Aid Association hospitals, Japanese Red Cross medical centers, and major clinical testing centers. Its business model combines one-time custom system sales (with specifications set through a structured 7-step consultation process involving working-group sessions and hospital-wide briefings) with annual recurring maintenance contracts following a 1-year free support period, all delivered through the same dedicated staff member from pre-sale through post-implementation. The company maintains ISO/IEC 27001 certification (since 2019) and a Class III medical device manufacturing/distribution license (since 2011), and aligns its surveillance features with Ministry of Health, Labour and Welfare outbreak detection standards. Pricing is custom-quoted per hospital with no public price list, and distribution is exclusively direct with no resellers or channel partners. AI Gram was commercially launched in April 2026 after multi-phase R&D beginning in 2017.
Revenue is not publicly disclosed; the company is founder-managed (Chairman/Founder Yokoyama Shigeki, Representative Director Imamura Hitoshi) with no disclosed external investment, parent company, or subsidiaries. The customer base is concentrated in Japan with no international footprint, and growth has been steady rather than venture-backed, with recent 2024-2026 investments in social media presence, quarterly INGENUITY publication, third-party media coverage, and conference exhibition signaling a brand-building phase.
KD-ICONS firmographics
Firmographics- Name
- KD-ICONS
- Legal name
- ケーディーアイコンズ株式会社（KD-ICONS Co.Ltd.）
- Website
- https://kd-icons.co.jp
- Company type
- Private
- Founded year
- 2009
- Operating status
- Operating
- Headcount range
- 11–50 employees
- Short description
- KD-ICONS is a Japanese healthcare IT company that develops and sells custom-built ICONS21 infection control and bacterial testing information systems to hospitals across Japan, with 315+ installations and a patented AI Gram stain image analysis module launched in April 2026.
- Ownership category
- akta.pro rank
KD-ICONS industry classification
Industry- Product category
- Healthcare IT — Hospital Infection Control Information Systems
- NAICS
- Medical and Diagnostic Laboratories (6215)
- SIC
- Services-Medical Laboratories (8071)
- akta.pro primary industry
- Public Health Reporting, Dashboards & KPI Performance Management (HLAJANAO)
- akta.pro secondary industries
- Digital & AI-Enabled Diagnostics (algorithmic interpretation, decision support tied to assays) (HLAAALAO), Clinical & Translational Informatics (Clinical Data Integration/Real-World Data for R&D) (HLAGAJAF), Public Health & Immunization Data Exchange (ELR, case reporting, registry reporting) (HLACABAL), Microbiology & Infectious Disease Diagnostics (culture, rapid antigen, syndromic panels) (HLAAALAC)
Keywords
Where KD-ICONS is headquartered
LocationHeadquarters
- HQ city
- Setagaya
- HQ country
- Japan
- HQ region
- Asia
Offices1 record
Markets served
KD-ICONS business model
Business model- GTM type
- B2B
- Offering type
- Software
- Cost components
- Personnel, Technology or R&D, Marketing or Sales, Operations, Infrastructure, Supply Chain
Revenue model
- Custom Infection Control Information Systems (ICONS21): KD-ICONS develops and sells custom-built infection control information systems (ICONS21 series) to hospitals and medical institutions. Systems are customized to each hospital's requirements rather than sold as off-the-shelf packages. Pricing varies by hospital scale, customization scope, and feature requirements. The company has delivered 315+ systems to hospitals across Japan, making this its primary revenue stream.
- Customization, Specification, and System Replacement Services: Additional revenue from customization services including system specification development, electronic medical record integration, host computer replacement timing, and system modification post-deployment. Services include hospital-level briefings and executive presentations for hospital management.
- System Maintenance and Support: Annual maintenance services following a 1-year free support period. Includes remote maintenance (remote access support), ongoing system modifications, and feature additions. ISO/IEC 27001 certified information security management system underpins the maintenance services.
Pricing tiers
| Model | Billing | Price |
|---|---|---|
| Other | Annual | Custom quotation - no standard pricing tiers published |
Go-to-market motion1 record
Distribution channels1 record
Marketing channels8 records
KD-ICONS product offering
Product offeringCore offering
KD-ICONS develops, custom-builds, sells, and supports the ICONS21 infection control information system suite for hospitals and medical institutions in Japan. The offering integrates real-time bacterial test results, patient status, antimicrobial use, surgical information, and movement data with surveillance dashboards (BSI, UTI, VAP, SSI, VAE, PICC, CV port) and outbreak pre-symptom detection aligned with Japan's Ministry of Health, Labour and Welfare criteria. The platform includes the Microbiology Information System (MIS), an AI Gram gram-stain image analysis module (patented), and the ICONS Miner AI-driven medical data-mining software, delivered as a customized (not packaged) system integrated with customers' electronic medical record systems.
Product overview
KD-ICONS offers ICONS21, a comprehensive infection control information system (Infection Control Open Network System 21) designed for medical facilities. The core product portfolio consists of three integrated modules within ICONS21: the Bacterial Inspection System (MIS) for microbiology laboratory operations, the Infection Control System (ICS) for hospital-wide infection management, and the AI Image Analysis System (AI Gram) for Gram stain image analysis. An optional companion product, ICONS Miner, provides AI-powered medical data mining capabilities. The system can be customized to each medical facility's needs and integrates with electronic medical record systems.
Differentiator
Problem solved
Functional benefit
Brands
- ICONS21 (Infection Control Open Network System 21): Core infection control information system product line serving hospitals with bacteria inspection, infection management, and AI analysis capabilities.
- ICONS Miner
- ICONS21 AI Gram
Products and services
- ICONS21 Infection Control System (ICS) Web-based hospital-wide infection control and prevention system that rapidly shares infectious disease information by combining bacterial inspection results, patient condition information, movement information, antibiotic administration information, and surgical information. Supports BSI, UTI, VAP, SSI, VAE, PICC, CV port device-related surveillance and syndromic surveillance, with outbreak pre-symptom search aligned with Japan's Ministry of Health, Labour and Welfare 4 cases/4 weeks in same ward criteria. Built for hospital infection control teams (ICT) and integrated with electronic medical record systems.
- ICONS21 Bacterial Inspection System (MIS) Microbiology information system that electronically manages bacterial inspection workflows and ensures quality assurance in hospital bacterial testing rooms. Features worksheet-less input with multi-information integration, system-guided navigation for predicted bacterial groups and susceptibility plates, resistance determination based on susceptibility results, and flexible aggregation for anti-biogram and infection control statistics. Standardizes bacterial testing for hospital clinical microbiology laboratories and supports infection control decision-making.
- ICONS21 AI Gram (Gram Stain AI Image Analysis System) AI image analysis system for Gram stain microscope images that supports visual inspection of Gram-stained slides in infectious disease testing. Identifies gram-positive cocci, gram-positive bacilli, gram-negative cocci, gram-negative bacilli, white blood cell phagocytosis, Geckler classification, Campylobacter, Helicobacter, and acid-fast bacteria, completing analysis in approximately 30-60 seconds for 5 images. Designed to support skill transfer from experienced inspectors to young medical professionals and address shortages in bacterial testing expertise. Available as a standalone product or as part of the ICONS21 Bacterial Inspection System (MIS).
- ICONS Miner (Medical Data Mining Software) Medical data mining software that uses artificial intelligence techniques to analyze accumulated medical data. Performs multivariate analysis, statistical analysis, decision tree, If-then rules, and risk factor extraction. Supports BSI, UTI, VAP, SSI device-related surveillance, outbreak prediction, drug-resistant bacteria prediction, drug cost reduction, drug selection support, diagnostic support, rapid post-MRSA ward instructions, and risk patient alerts. Built for hospital infection control teams, ICT, and clinical researchers to surface hidden causes of infectious diseases, overlooked risks, and effective countermeasures.
Quantifiable outcome
- Data aggregation time reduced from multiple days to approximately 1.5 hours for infection control rounds
- +3 more outcomes
Companies that use KD-ICONS
Customer profileNamed customers4 records
Segments1 record
Ideal customer profiles1 record
KD-ICONS technology and API
TechnologyTechnology focussed Yes
API detail
- Has API
- No
- API docs
- API detail
Core technology
AI maturity
App detail
Integration1 record
AI capability4 records
Feature4 records
KD-ICONS partnerships and signals
Strategic signalPartnerships
Eight partnerships are on record, tiered minor and core.
- Ministry of Health, Labour and Welfare / Japan Nosocomial Infections Surveillance (JANIS)minorICONS21 supports JANIS (Japan Nosocomial Infections Surveillance) data format and enables easy data submission to the Ministry of Health, Labour and Welfare surveillance system as part of the infection control system functionality.
- Kakumo Mitsuo (賀来満夫), St. Mary's University / Tohoku University Emeritus ProfessorcoreDr. Kakumo Mitsuo served as academic advisor for the development of ICONS21 AI Gram gram stain image analysis system. As an expert in infectious diseases and infection control, Dr. Kakumo provided guidance during the first version development of the AI system.
- Hirata Koichi (平田耕一), Kyushu Institute of Technology ProfessorcoreDr. Hirata Koichi, Professor at Kyushu Institute of Technology, served as academic advisor for the development of ICONS21 AI Gram gram stain image analysis system, providing information engineering expertise.
- Tachida Kazuhiro (舘田一博), Toho University ProfessorcoreDr. Tachida Kazuhiro, Professor at Toho University, served as academic advisor for the development of ICONS21 AI Gram gram stain image analysis system.
- Matsuoka Kimiko (松岡喜美子), Certified Infection Control Clinical Microbiology Technician (ICMT)coreMs. Matsuoka Kimiko, a certified infection control clinical microbiology technician (ICMT), served as advisor for ICONS21 AI Gram development and is also offered as a consulting resource for KD-ICONS customers seeking infection control guidance.
- Kyushu Antimicrobial Resistance Testing Network (九州耐性菌検査ネットワーク)minorKD-ICONS became a supporting member (賛助会員) of the Kyushu AMR Testing Network as of October 2025, supporting regional antimicrobial resistance testing and infection control efforts in Kyushu.
- Tokyo Metropolitan Small and Medium Enterprise Promotion Corporation (東京都中小企業振興公社)coreTokyo Metropolitan SME Promotion Corporation provided grant funding for two phases of AI infectious microorganism analysis R&D: (1) basic R&D starting 2017 under a funded project, and (2) practical application development starting 2021. These grants funded the development of the AI gram stain image analysis system (ICONS21 AI Gram) that was launched in April 2026. The corporation is also credited on product materials as a supporter.
- Ministry of Economy, Trade and Industry (通商産業省) - METIcoreMETI funded the 'Infectious Disease Testing Automated Data Analysis System: Data Mining System' R&D project starting before 1998. This early government collaboration led to the development of ICONS Miner, the medical data mining software. The R&D was part of METI's Next-Generation Information Technology Development Subsidy Project.
Scale indicators5 records
Recent moves7 records
Expansion highlights5 records
KD-ICONS competitors and assessment
Company assessmentBroad incumbents
- Hitachi (Healthcare): Hitachi provides hospital information systems, electronic medical records, and healthcare data analytics platforms to Japanese hospitals and healthcare providers. Comparable as a Japanese healthcare IT incumbent serving hospital infrastructure needs, though with a broader healthcare portfolio.
- Canon Medical Systems: Canon Medical Systems is a Japanese medical device and healthcare IT vendor offering diagnostic imaging and hospital information systems to Japanese medical institutions. Comparable as a Japanese healthcare IT/medical device incumbent serving hospitals, though focused on imaging rather than infection control.
- Sysmex Corporation: Sysmex is a Japanese in vitro diagnostics leader with hematology, immunology, and microbiology testing systems plus lab informatics. Comparable to KD-ICONS in serving Japanese hospital microbiology labs, though Sysmex primarily focuses on diagnostic analyzers and reagents rather than infection control information systems.
- Becton Dickinson (BD): BD is a global medical technology company with infection prevention products, diagnostic systems, and medication management solutions serving hospitals. Comparable in serving hospital infection control workflows, though BD primarily focuses on physical products and broad infection prevention rather than IT information systems.
- NEC Corporation: NEC provides hospital information systems, electronic medical records, and healthcare data platforms widely deployed across Japanese hospitals. Comparable as a Japanese hospital IT incumbent that could integrate infection control surveillance as part of broader hospital system offerings.
- Nihon Kohden Corporation: Nihon Kohden is a major Japanese medical electronics and healthcare IT company offering patient monitoring and hospital information systems. Comparable to KD-ICONS as a Japanese healthcare IT incumbent serving hospitals, though Nihon Kohden operates across a much broader medical device portfolio rather than specializing in infection control.
- Fujitsu Limited: Fujitsu is one of Japan's largest healthcare IT vendors, providing hospital information systems, electronic medical records, and clinical platforms to Japanese hospitals. Comparable as a Japanese hospital IT incumbent, though Fujitsu operates across the full healthcare IT stack rather than specializing in infection control.
Direct peers
- Wolters Kluwer (Sentri7/Sentinel): Wolters Kluwer's Clinical Surveillance solutions (Sentri7/Sentinel) provide real-time infection surveillance, antimicrobial stewardship, and clinical decision support to hospitals globally. Directly comparable to ICONS21's hospital infection control surveillance, outbreak detection, and BSI/UTI/VAP/SSI monitoring functionality.
- Premier Inc. (SafetySurveillor): Premier's SafetySurveillor is a healthcare-acquired infection surveillance system used by hundreds of US hospitals for infection control monitoring, antimicrobial resistance tracking, and public health reporting. Closely comparable to ICONS21's hospital infection control and JANIS reporting functionality.
Emerging players
- bioMérieux: bioMérieux is a global leader in in vitro diagnostics and microbiology, with the Myla lab informatics platform serving microbiology labs. Comparable to KD-ICONS's MIS microbiology information system and AI Gram gram stain interpretation, though bioMérieux also provides reagents and diagnostic instruments.
Market position
Strengths4 records
Weaknesses4 records
Competitive moat5 records
Key risks6 records
Key highlights6 records
Customer concentration
KD-ICONS social profiles
Digital presenceKD-ICONS compliance and trust
Trust signalCompliance1 record
KD-ICONS financial estimates
Financial estimateRevenue estimate
Valuation estimate
KD-ICONS leadership team
Management profileNumber of profiles
Profiles2 records
KD-ICONS funding detail
Funding detailFunding overview
Funding rounds
Investors
Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
KD-ICONS 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 KD-ICONS
What does KD-ICONS do?
KD-ICONS develops, custom-builds, sells, and supports the ICONS21 infection control information system suite for hospitals and medical institutions in Japan. The offering integrates real-time bacterial test results, patient status, antimicrobial use, surgical information, and movement data with surveillance dashboards (BSI, UTI, VAP, SSI, VAE, PICC, CV port) and outbreak pre-symptom detection aligned with Japan's Ministry of Health, Labour and Welfare criteria. The platform includes the Microbiology Information System (MIS), an AI Gram gram-stain image analysis module (patented), and the ICONS Miner AI-driven medical data-mining software, delivered as a customized (not packaged) system integrated with customers' electronic medical record systems.
Is KD-ICONS a public or private company?
KD-ICONS is a private company. It is classified as founder individual operated bootstrapped and is currently operating.
When was KD-ICONS founded?
KD-ICONS was founded in 2009. It employs 11 to 50 people.
Where is KD-ICONS based?
KD-ICONS is headquartered in Setagaya, Japan, in the Asia region.
How does KD-ICONS make money?
Three revenue lines are on record. Custom Infection Control Information Systems (ICONS21) is the primary driver. The others are customization, Specification, and System Replacement Services and system Maintenance and Support.
Who are KD-ICONS's main competitors?
Broad incumbents on record are Hitachi (Healthcare), Canon Medical Systems, Sysmex Corporation, Becton Dickinson (BD), NEC Corporation, Nihon Kohden Corporation and Fujitsu Limited. Direct peers are Wolters Kluwer (Sentri7/Sentinel) and Premier Inc. (SafetySurveillor). bioMérieux is listed as an emerging player.
Does KD-ICONS have an API?
No public API is recorded for KD-ICONS.
What industry is KD-ICONS in?
KD-ICONS's product category is Healthcare IT — Hospital Infection Control Information Systems. Its primary akta.pro industry code is HLAJANAO, Public Health Reporting, Dashboards & KPI Performance Management, with a secondary code of HLAAALAO, Digital & AI-Enabled Diagnostics (algorithmic interpretation, decision support tied to assays). Its NAICS code is 6215 and its SIC code is 8071.