MCS

What MCS does

MCS株式会社 is a Tokyo-headquartered Japanese corporation founded in August 2000 that operates a vertically integrated refurbished PC business anchored by its Microsoft Authorized Refurbisher (MAR) certification — one of only seven such certified partners in Japan since July 2015. The company's core operations source lease-return PCs primarily from government agencies and corporate lessors, then process them through a defined 3R (Reduce, Reuse, Recycle) workflow: receiving inspection, MAR-based legitimate Windows OS installation, a six-point quality check (CD/DVD, monitor, keyboard, audio, video playback, network), cleaning, and secure packaging before resale. MCS reports handling capacity of 10,000+ units per month and approximately 100,000+ units annually, supported by five domestic locations (Tokyo HQ, Nihonbashi, Okinawa, Saitama, Aichi Recycle Center).

The company monetizes through multiple streams: refurbished PC hardware sales (the primary line, served by the ウケトル.com corporate collection service launched in 2023 and the UQ Storage custody/kitting service launched in December 2024), MAR-licensed OS attachment, system development and system engineering services (SI/SES/commissioned development for B2B clients), an Adobe Certified Professional training school (Illustrator/Photoshop, ¥73,040 total tuition), and the legacy APPRECIATE DVD game strategy series (Ikaruga 2003, Shikigami no Shiro II 2004, Shikigami no Shiro III 2006). Go-to-market is sales-led and direct, relying on the corporate website (m-cs.co.jp), dedicated service URLs (uqstorage.com, uketoru.com), and direct enterprise engagement with named counterparties including Sony Network Communications, Microsoft Japan, Kaga Electronics, Hitachi Capital Services, and Yokogawa Rental & Lease.

Capital structure is founder-controlled and bootstrapped: paid-in capital grew from ¥10 million at founding to ¥95 million by August 2020 through three organic capital increases funded by retained earnings, with no disclosed external institutional investors. The company is led by Representative Director Koji Seki (関 浩司), who founded MCS and has overseen its diversification from early e-commerce and media distribution into MAR-certified refurbished PCs, system development, and managed corporate IT asset services.

Name

MCS

Legal name

MCS株式会社

Website

https://m-cs.co.jp

Company type

Private

Founded year

2000

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

MCS株式会社 is a Tokyo-based Japanese firm that refurbishes and resells lease-return PCs as a Microsoft Authorized Refurbisher (MAR), serving corporate and government clients across Japan with hardware resale, system development, and managed PC asset services.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

IT Asset Refurbishment and Recycling

NAICS

Electronic and Precision Equipment Repair and Maintenance (8112), Materials Recovery Facilities (562920)

SIC

Services-Computer Rental & Leasing (7377), Electronic Computers (3571)

akta.pro primary industry

Enterprise Hardware Recycling (Servers, Storage, Networking) (BPALAIAI)

akta.pro secondary industry

Data Recovery, Device Unlocking & Software Repair Services (CRACAJAJ)

Keywords

• Recycled PC sales
• IT asset refurbishment
• Microsoft authorized refurbisher
• System development services
• Corporate IT recycling

Headquarters

HQ city

Yanagibashi

HQ country

Japan

HQ region

Asia

Offices5 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2B and B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

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

Revenue model

1. Recycled PC Sales: Sales of refurbished PCs sourced from government and corporate lease returns. PCs undergo inspection, OS installation via MAR program, quality checks, cleaning, and secure packaging before resale.
2. System Integration Services: Custom software development and system integration consulting. Includes requirement analysis, solution design, development, and delivery with ongoing progress reporting.
3. System Engineering Services (SES): Contract-based software development and system operations support with engineers placed at client sites. Covers IT consulting, software development, and system management.
4. Commissioned Development Services: Custom software development based on client ideas, with NDA protection and in-house development capability suitable for startups without office space.
5. Adobe Training School: Adobe Certified Professional preparation courses for Illustrator and Photoshop. 15-hour curriculum plus 2 hours of remedial instruction.
6. APPRECIATE DVD Series: Gaming strategy DVD series for arcade games like Ikaruga, featuring expert player guides and demonstrations.
7. Corporate PC Collection Service (ウケトル.com): Free corporate PC pickup service with data erasure. Also purchases relatively new PCs. Revenue from PC resale after refurbishment.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion2 records

Distribution channels5 records

Marketing channels4 records

Core offering

MCS procures used PCs primarily from government and corporate lease returns, then refurbishes them through inspection, data erasure, legitimate OS installation via the Microsoft Authorized Refurbisher (MAR) program, 6-point quality checks, cleaning, and secure packaging for resale. The company also provides custom system development, system engineering staffing, and Adobe certification training.

Product overview

MCS Inc. is a Japanese company operating recycling PC services, system development, and Adobe training. The core offerings include a recycling PC business that refurbishes and resells used computers with legitimate Microsoft OS (MAR program), complemented by system integration/development services. Recent additions include UQ Storage (PC storage/kitting service launched Dec 2024) and Uketoru.com (corporate PC collection launched Jan 2023). The company also produces the APPRECIATE DVD series of video game strategy guides and operates an Adobe Certified Professional training school.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• ウケトル.com: Corporate PC collection and data erasure service for businesses.
• UQストレージ
• APPRECIATE DVD

Products and services

• Recycled PC Business (リサイクルPC事業) Refurbished PC sales and recycling service that procures used computers from government and enterprise leases, performs data erasure, cleaning, OS installation via MAR program, 6-point quality checks, and resells them under the 3R (Reduce, Reuse, Recycle) principles. Targets enterprises, government agencies, and cost-conscious buyers.
• MAR Program Business (MAR事業) Microsoft Authorized Refurbisher program providing legitimate Windows OS licenses for refurbished PCs. MCS is one of only 7 certified companies in Japan authorized by Microsoft to directly handle this program, enabling installation of genuine licensed OS on recycled hardware.
• System Development Services (システム開発) Custom system development, system integration, and System Engineering Services (SES) including IT consulting, requirement analysis, solution design, software development, delivery, and on-site engineer staffing. Also offers NDA-protected commissioned development suitable for startups without office space.
• MCS Adobe Training School Adobe-certified training school offering preparation courses for Adobe Certified Professional qualifications in Illustrator and Photoshop. Features a 15-hour curriculum plus 2 hours of remedial instruction taught by active designers. Tuition: ¥64,000 + ¥2,400 materials fee.
• ウケトル.com (Corporate PC Collection Service) Corporate PC collection service offering free pickup of unwanted PCs with complete data erasure for businesses. Also purchases relatively new PCs. Revenue derived from PC resale after refurbishment. Targets enterprises needing to dispose of unused lease PCs.
• UQ Storage (UQストレージ) PC custody and kitting service providing corporate clients with PC storage, management, and pre-deployment setup services. Enables enterprises to store PCs and have them configured (kitting) before distribution to end users.
• APPRECIATE DVD Series Video game strategy DVD series featuring expert player gameplay demonstrations for arcade shooters. Includes Ikaruga (April 25, 2003, ¥4,800), Shikigami no Shiro II (April 22, 2004, ¥5,800), and Shikigami no Shiro III (October 20, 2006, ¥6,800). Targeted at gaming enthusiasts and competitive players.

Quantifiable outcome

• Annual CO2 reduction of approximately 8,000 tons through handling 100,000+ recycled PCs (80kg per unit)
• +1 more outcomes

Named customers12 records

Segments4 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature3 records

Partnerships

Eight partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• Microsoft Japan Corporation (日本microsoft株式会社)coreTechnology or Integration · 1 July 2015MCS is certified as Microsoft Authorized Refurbisher (MAR) partner since July 2015, one of only 7 certified companies in Japan. This partnership enables legitimate Windows OS installation on recycled PCs through direct Microsoft contract.
• NTT East Japan (NTT東日本) - 光俱楽部minorChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorMCS joined NTT East's Hikari Club program in 2017, potentially expanding distribution reach through NTT's customer network.
• Nightride Semiconductor Corporation (ナイトライド・セミコンダクター株式会社)minorStrategic or Co-development PartnerCollaborated on new business development project for high-power UV-LED resin curing systems and 3D decorative products, supported by Shikoku Bureau of Economy, Trade and Industry.
• Microsquare Corporation (マイクロスクェア株式会社)minorStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartnered with Nightride Semiconductor and MCS on high-power UV-LED technology development project for 3D decoration products and on-demand services.
• Japanese Computer System Sales Association (JCSSA) - 一般社団法人日本コンピュータシステム販売店協会minorOthersMCS joined JCSSA in November 2014 for industry networking and business development.
• Computer Software Association (CSAJ) - 一般社団法人コンピュータソフトウェア協会minorOthersMCS joined CSAJ in May 2015 for industry association and software business development.
• Okinawa IT Industry Association (IIA) - 公益社団法人沖縄県情報産業協会minorOthersMCS joined IIA in October 2017 to strengthen presence in Okinawa region.
• EO TokyominorOthersMCS joined EO Tokyo entrepreneur organization in September 2017 for networking and business growth.

Scale indicators6 records

Recent moves19 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Broad incumbents

• GEO Corporation / ゲオ: GEO is one of Japan's largest used-electronics/used-goods retailers and has partnered with MAR-certified refurbishers for certified reuse PCs. It competes broadly with MCS in the secondary PC market but at significantly larger scale across multiple used-good categories.
• Iron Mountain (ITAD division): Iron Mountain operates one of the largest global IT Asset Disposition (ITAD) businesses, offering enterprise-grade data destruction, refurbishment, and resale services. It is a broader incumbent that could expand into Japan's enterprise PC recovery market where MCS competes.
• Sims Lifecycle Services (Sims Metal Management): Sims Lifecycle Services is a global ITAD and electronics reuse operator serving enterprise and telco customers. Comparable to MCS in ITAD/refurbishment activity but at significantly larger international scale across enterprise hardware recycling.
• EcoAct (Veolia Japan) / Veolia: Veolia's Japanese operations offer e-waste and IT asset disposition services to enterprises and municipalities, including certified data destruction and refurbishment — broadly comparable to MCS's enterprise PC recovery and recycling business.

Direct peers

• ReNet Japan (リネットジャパン): ReNet Japan is a Japanese MAR-certified recycler/refurbisher and operator of a PC recovery/ITAD business model very close to MCS's Uketoru.com. It directly competes for corporate PC pickup and refurbishment resale contracts in Japan.
• Sofmap / ソフマップ (Bic Camera Group): Sofmap operates a major used-electronics retail business in Japan, including refurbished PCs with warranty — competing with MCS for end-customer refurbished PC purchases and for trade-in/return inventory.
• Janpara / じゃんぱら (Be-Stone): Janpara is a Japanese used-PC/used-electronics retailer with store and online channels selling refurbished computers — directly comparable to MCS's recycled PC sales line in terms of customer and product overlap.

Market position

Strengths4 records

Weaknesses4 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

Compliance4 records

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles1 record

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 MCS