ApplyNow
ApplyNow is a Japanese SaaS company offering a cloud-based video screening platform (ApplyNow) plus an electronic employment contract module (ApplyNow Sign) and live interview scheduling (Interview Cloud) for SMB, enterprise, and municipal employers across Japan.
- Company typePrivate
- Founded2017
- HeadquartersTokyo, Japan
- Headcount1–10
- GTM typeB2B
- OfferingSoftware
What ApplyNow does
ApplyNow Co., Ltd. (株式会社ApplyNow, formerly Open Cloud Co., Ltd.) is a Japanese SaaS company founded in 2017 and headquartered in Shibuya, Tokyo. It provides the ApplyNow series — a cloud-based recruitment platform that enables asynchronous recorded video screening, live web interview scheduling, and electronic employment contract execution. The core product, ApplyNow (スマート選考), allows candidates to respond to employer-set questions via video, text, or multiple-choice from any browser-equipped device, with hiring teams reviewing submissions on their own schedule. The platform is supplemented by Interview Cloud, a live interview scheduling and execution service using dedicated interviewers, and ApplyNow Sign, an electronic employment contract module that extends the workflow from screening through to a signed digital agreement.
The company operates on a tiered subscription model (Light, Standard, and Enterprise plans for 1,000+ employee customers) with quote-based pricing and optional paid add-ons including AI-assisted evaluation, SMS outreach, scheduling, and on-site support. Customers span high-volume part-time employers in foodservice and retail (Wonder Table, Kichiri Holdings), mid-market services (Adish Corporation), and local government municipalities (Asuka Village Office, Tadaoka Town Office). Distribution combines direct sales and website self-service with a strategic channel via Mynavi Byte's Entry Pocket ATS integration, which exposes ApplyNow to Mynavi Byte's ~1,400 enterprise customers under a 2020 capital and business partnership with Mynavi Corporation.
The platform holds ISO 27001 and Privacy Mark certifications, was recognized with the ASPIC IoT AI Cloud Award 2021 Encouragement Award, and is sold exclusively within Japan. The CEO is Katsuhara Akira. No revenue, headcount, or funding amount is publicly disclosed beyond the 2020 strategic investment from Mynavi.
ApplyNow firmographics
Firmographics- Name
- ApplyNow
- Legal name
- 株式会社ApplyNow
- Website
- https://biz.applynow.jp
- Company type
- Private
- Founded year
- 2017
- Operating status
- Operating
- Headcount range
- 1–10 employees
- Short description
- ApplyNow is a Japanese SaaS company offering a cloud-based video screening platform (ApplyNow) plus an electronic employment contract module (ApplyNow Sign) and live interview scheduling (Interview Cloud) for SMB, enterprise, and municipal employers across Japan.
- Ownership category
- akta.pro rank
ApplyNow industry classification
Industry- Product category
- Recruitment / Hiring Software (Video Screening SaaS)
- NAICS
- Employment Placement Agencies (561311), Employment Services (5613)
- SIC
- Services-Employment Agencies (7361), Services-Prepackaged Software (7372)
- akta.pro primary industry
- Talent Acquisition (Recruiting) & Applicant Tracking (ATS) (BPACAPAD)
- akta.pro secondary industries
- Skills Assessment & Talent/Employability Testing Platforms (EDAFADAM), Recruiting Administration Outsourcing (Recruitment Support, Scheduling, Onboarding Ops) (BPACAKAG)
Keywords
Where ApplyNow is headquartered
LocationHeadquarters
- HQ city
- Tokyo
- HQ country
- Japan
- HQ region
- Asia
Offices1 record
Markets served
ApplyNow business model
Business model- GTM type
- B2B
- Offering type
- Software
- Cost components
- Technology or R&D, Personnel, Marketing or Sales, Infrastructure, Operations
Revenue model
- SaaS Subscription Plans (Light / Standard / Enterprise): Monthly or annual subscription revenue based on tiered plans (Light, Standard, Enterprise). Pricing is quote-based for Enterprise; lower tiers offer fixed feature sets with unlimited applications and ID issuance on Standard, and capped recruitment slots on Light. Additional paid options include AI evaluation, SMS, scheduling, face-to-face support, and the ApplyNow Sign electronic contract module.
Pricing tiers
| Model | Billing | Price |
|---|---|---|
| Subscription | Annual | Light Plan — capped recruitment slots, unlimited applications and IDs, email/phone support |
| Subscription | Annual | Standard Plan — unlimited recruitment slots and full feature set, email/phone support |
| Subscription | Multi-year contract | Enterprise Plan — custom-quoted for large enterprises with 1,000+ employees |
Go-to-market motion1 record
Distribution channels2 records
Marketing channels6 records
ApplyNow product offering
Product offeringCore offering
ApplyNow provides a cloud-based SaaS "smart selection" (スマート選考) recruitment platform that enables employers to conduct asynchronous recorded video, text, and multiple-choice screening of job applicants via any browser on PC, tablet, or mobile — no app download required. The core platform is complemented by ApplyNow Sign, a cloud-based electronic employment contract service, and Interview Cloud, a live web interview scheduling and execution service using dedicated interviewers. Together these offerings cover the full hiring lifecycle from video screening to electronic contract signing, primarily for Japanese companies and local government organizations.
Product overview
ApplyNow is a smart selection (スマート選考) recruitment solution offered as a platform-plus-modules architecture. The core product is ApplyNow, a recorded video screening platform where job applicants answer employer-set questions via video, text, or multiple-choice from any mobile device or PC. This core platform is supplemented by two integrated modules: ApplyNow Sign (電子雇用契約サービス), an electronic employment contract service that enables fully digital hiring agreements with cloud storage and audit trails; and Interview Cloud (面接官シェアリング), a live web interview scheduling and execution service using dedicated experienced interviewers. Together, the three products aim to cover the full hiring lifecycle from job posting and video screening through live interviews and employment contract signing, all without paper.
Differentiator
Problem solved
Functional benefit
Products and services
- ApplyNow (スマート選考ソリューション / Smart Selection)
Quantifiable outcome
- Per-candidate screening time reduced from ~30 minutes to 3–5 minutes (effectively ~90–95% reduction); some companies report handling 100+ screening evaluations per day
- +3 more outcomes
Companies that use ApplyNow
Customer profileNamed customers5 records
Segments3 records
Ideal customer profiles3 records
ApplyNow technology and API
TechnologyTechnology focussed Yes
API detail
- Has API
- No
- API docs
- API detail
Core technology
AI maturity
App detail
Integration3 records
AI capability3 records
Feature6 records
ApplyNow partnerships and signals
Strategic signalPartnerships
Two partnerships are on record, tiered core.
- Mynavi Byte (�ード): Entry Pocket (株式会社�ード)coreApplyNow integrated with Mynavi Byte's Entry Pocket ATS (採用管理システム), enabling ~1,400 enterprise customers using Entry Pocket to initiate ApplyNow recorded video screening directly from their existing recruitment management workflow. This integration creates a seamless, end-to-end digital hiring process from application to screening. Mynavi Byte and ApplyNow (then Open Cloud) entered a capital and business partnership in May 2020, with the Mynavi Byte platform integration launching November 2020 and the Entry Pocket integration in December 2021.
- LINE Corporation (ライン協定)coreApplyNow offers optional LINE integration (LINE連携機能) allowing recruiters to connect with candidates via LINE messaging as part of the hiring workflow. The LINE integration is an optional feature that enables asynchronous candidate communication and is available to both enterprise and individual users.
Scale indicators4 records
Recent moves7 records
Expansion highlights5 records
ApplyNow competitors and assessment
Company assessmentMarket position
Competitive moat4 records
Key risks7 records
Key highlights6 records
Customer concentration
ApplyNow social profiles
Digital presenceApplyNow compliance and trust
Trust signalCompliance3 records
ApplyNow financial estimates
Financial estimateRevenue estimate
Valuation estimate
ApplyNow leadership team
Management profileNumber of profiles
Profiles1 record
ApplyNow funding detail
Funding detailFunding overview
Funding rounds
Investors
Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
ApplyNow 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 ApplyNow
What does ApplyNow do?
ApplyNow provides a cloud-based SaaS "smart selection" (スマート選考) recruitment platform that enables employers to conduct asynchronous recorded video, text, and multiple-choice screening of job applicants via any browser on PC, tablet, or mobile — no app download required. The core platform is complemented by ApplyNow Sign, a cloud-based electronic employment contract service, and Interview Cloud, a live web interview scheduling and execution service using dedicated interviewers. Together these offerings cover the full hiring lifecycle from video screening to electronic contract signing, primarily for Japanese companies and local government organizations.
Is ApplyNow a public or private company?
ApplyNow is a private company. It is classified as corporate owned and is currently operating.
When was ApplyNow founded?
ApplyNow was founded in 2017. It employs 1 to 10 people.
Where is ApplyNow based?
ApplyNow is headquartered in Tokyo, Japan, in the Asia region.
How does ApplyNow make money?
One revenue line is on record: saaS Subscription Plans (Light / Standard / Enterprise).
Does ApplyNow have an API?
No public API is recorded for ApplyNow.
What industry is ApplyNow in?
ApplyNow's product category is Recruitment / Hiring Software (Video Screening SaaS). Its primary akta.pro industry code is BPACAPAD, Talent Acquisition (Recruiting) & Applicant Tracking (ATS), with a secondary code of EDAFADAM, Skills Assessment & Talent/Employability Testing Platforms. Its NAICS code is 561311 and its SIC code is 7361.