Nae
Tokyo-based, founder-controlled design firm operating a dual model of B2B design consulting across healthcare, government, and enterprise sectors alongside proprietary wellbeing products (Koecle AI platform, chakoro tea ware, 'from' e-commerce, kosokoso voice app).
- Company typePrivate
- Founded2021
- HeadquartersToranomon, Japan
- Headcount1–10
- GTM typeB2B and B2C
- OfferingServices
What Nae does
nae Inc. is a Tokyo-based, founder-controlled design firm that operates a dual model combining a B2B design consultancy with proprietary product development. The consultancy practice spans brand, product, graphic, digital, space, service, and business design, serving marquee clients across healthcare and wellness (BHS Corporation, FAMMEDICO/Angfa, Biolux), government and public sector (Yokohama City, the Cabinet Bureau of Personnel Affairs, the City of Shikokuchuo), and manufacturing enterprises (Daikin, Mitsubishi Electric, Light Chemical Industries, Honda, GRAYSCALE STUDIO). Revenue is generated through custom design project fees, quote-based corporate workshops (with published 1-Day Team Workshop pricing starting at ¥180,000 excluding tax), and increasingly through consumer sales of in-house wellbeing products.
The product portfolio operationalizes methods refined in client work and includes 'from' (a beta-launched e-commerce platform for wellbeing products at from-gokigen.com, Japan-only with international shipping in preparation), 'chakoro' (an in-house tea incense burner using traditional Mino ware craftsmanship), 'Koecle' (an AI Interview & Insight Platform in closed beta that conducts deep interviews and articulates unspoken insights for articles, personas, and 1-on-1 preparation), and 'kosokoso' (a voice input application for macOS currently in development). Distribution runs through direct B2B inquiry and corporate workshop sales for consulting, owned e-commerce for consumer goods, and closed beta/waitlist for Koecle.
The firm is privately held, formally incorporated on July 12, 2021 (with the underlying practice dating to 2019), headquartered at Toranomon Hills Business Tower 15F in Minato-ku, Tokyo since May 2023, operates with 1-10 employees, has no disclosed external funding, and is led by founder/CEO Yuki Shinohara (篠原由樹), whose prior tenure at Takram and specialization in women's wellbeing and Japanese craftsmanship anchor the firm's positioning.
Nae firmographics
Firmographics- Name
- Nae
- Legal name
- nae Inc.
- Website
- https://nae-inc.co.jp
- Company type
- Private
- Founded year
- 2021
- Operating status
- Operating
- Headcount range
- 1–10 employees
- Short description
- Tokyo-based, founder-controlled design firm operating a dual model of B2B design consulting across healthcare, government, and enterprise sectors alongside proprietary wellbeing products (Koecle AI platform, chakoro tea ware, 'from' e-commerce, kosokoso voice app).
- Ownership category
- akta.pro rank
Where Nae is headquartered
LocationHeadquarters
- HQ city
- Toranomon
- HQ country
- Japan
- HQ region
- Asia
Offices1 record
Markets served
Nae business model
Business model- GTM type
- B2B and B2C
- Offering type
- Services
- Cost components
- Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Technology or R&D
Revenue model
- Design Partner Business: End-to-end design consulting from upstream (research, strategy, requirements definition, product design) with focus on employee and customer experience. Supports companies unfamiliar with design in building internal design capabilities.
- Wellbeing Product Business: Planning, production, and distribution of physical and digital products that enhance physical and mental wellbeing, in close collaboration with partner companies. Includes e-commerce sales through 'from' platform.
- Design Training Business: Training and workshop programs for designer development and design literacy. Includes corporate team-building workshops (1-Day Workshop starting from ¥180,000), creative skill training, and job acquisition support.
- Workshop Services: Corporate team-building workshops focused on psychological safety and team collaboration. 'Designing the Future of Your Team – 1-Day Workshop' priced from ¥180,000 (excluding tax).
Pricing tiers
| Model | Billing | Price |
|---|---|---|
| Other | Multi-year contract | 1-Day Team Workshop - Standard |
Go-to-market motion3 records
Distribution channels4 records
Marketing channels6 records
Nae product offering
Product offeringCore offering
nae Inc. is a Tokyo-based design consultancy that provides end-to-end design services spanning upstream research, strategy, requirements definition, and product/brand/service design for enterprise and government clients. The firm also plans, produces, and distributes its own wellbeing products (e.g., the chakoro tea incense burner), operates an e-commerce platform called 'from', and is developing AI software products such as the Koecle interview platform and kosokoso voice input app.
Product overview
Nae is a design consultancy that offers both consulting services and proprietary products. The consulting practice spans brand, product, graphic, digital, space, service, and business design across healthcare, government, education, and hospitality sectors. The product portfolio includes Koecle (AI-powered interview and insight platform in closed beta), kosokoso (voice input app for macOS in development), chakoro (wellbeing tea incense burner product), and from (wellbeing e-commerce platform). Nae operates a dual model where consulting methods inform proprietary products and product development insights flow back into client work.
Differentiator
Problem solved
Functional benefit
Brands
- from: An online store for wellbeing products, curated by nae. Launched in beta in March 2023. Currently available in Japan with plans for international shipping.
- chakoro
- koecle
- kosokoso
Products and services
- Design Partner Business (Design Consulting) End-to-end design consulting from upstream research, strategy, and requirements definition through product, brand, service, and business design. Targets enterprises and government agencies seeking to build internal design capabilities and develop employee and customer experience.
- Designing the Future of Your Team — 1-Day Workshop One-day corporate workshop focused on psychological safety, team direction clarification, and behavioral guidelines development. Offered at client offices, external venues, or online, with starting price of ¥180,000 (excluding tax).
- Koecle AI Interview & Insight Platform that conducts deep questioning, extracts narratives, and articulates unspoken thoughts during interviews. Generates insights for articles, personas, and 1-on-1 meeting preparation. Currently in closed beta.
- chakoro Traditional Japanese tea incense burner (chakoro) combined with a teapot (kyusu), made using Mino ware craftsmanship. Lets users enjoy the aroma of roasted tea leaves and then brew tea in the same vessel. Sold via the from e-commerce platform.
- from (Wellbeing E-commerce Platform) Online store for wellbeing, curated by nae, that sells products for daily life wellbeing, features interviews with product makers, and supports partner companies' product distribution.
Companies that use Nae
Customer profileNamed customers10 records
Segments5 records
Ideal customer profiles5 records
Nae technology and API
TechnologyTechnology focussed Yes
API detail
- Has API
- No
- API docs
- API detail
Core technology
AI maturity
App detail
AI capability2 records
Feature4 records
Nae partnerships and signals
Strategic signalPartnerships
Eleven partnerships are on record, tiered core, major and minor.
- FAMMEDICO Inc. (Angfa Group)corenae joined as promotion partner in the hug you project led by FAMMEDICO Inc., part of Angfa Group. The project aims to raise awareness about women's health issues and improve screening rates for health checkups among women. nae contributes design and technology solutions to enhance employee experiences and create devices for understanding and caring for the body.
- Policy Garage (NPO)coreCollaboration with NPO Policy Garage for service design work with Yokohama City's support program for people in financial hardship. Policy Garage contributes research and workshop expertise while nae handles design and implementation.
- Deloitte Tohmatsu Financial AdvisorymajorJoint project with Deloitte Tohmatsu Financial Advisory for Shikokuchuo City promotion logo and slogan development. nae handled logo design, ceremony direction, and commemorative goods while Deloitte supported strategic advisory.
- PCP (Company)majorThree-party collaboration with PCP and BHS Corporation for preventive healthcare brand Be.We.X development. PCP contributes 'performance up' wellness vision while nae handles brand development and product design.
- Biolux Inc.majorProduct design partnership for OTOtoron renewal model - an integrated system for Ima Sound beauty equipment. nae developed sophisticated aesthetic design with enhanced functionality for beauty professionals.
- conte & Co.minorSpace design partnership for conte Shibuya PARCO exhibition. nae handled spatial zoning, experience design, and 3D spatial planning for the art platform's popup exhibition.
- Futarino Inc.minorRebranding partnership for 'Futarino' service - a media platform for couples. nae restructured VISION, MISSION, VALUES and designed gender-neutral brand identity.
- GRAYSCALE STUDIO Inc.majorProduct design and engineering partnership for Re:FACE FIRE PIT - GRAYSCALE STUDIO's first product in the #0 EXPERIENCE SERIES. nae developed product design and structural engineering.
- Honda Motor Co., Ltd.minorWorkshop engagement with Honda's Resource Circulation Planning Division. Team participated in nae's workshop for new business initiative concept development and shared understanding building.
- CIC Tokyominornae relocated headquarters to CIC Tokyo in May 2023. The innovation hub houses diverse innovative companies and provides a collaborative environment for nae's next business phase.
- Tohoku Institute of TechnologyminorCEO Yuki Shinohara serves as part-time lecturer at Tohoku Institute of Technology Faculty of Life Design, teaching 'User Research Theory' since academic year 2021.
Scale indicators3 records
Recent moves5 records
Expansion highlights5 records
Nae competitors and assessment
Company assessmentOthers
- Frog Design:
- Plug and Play Japan: Innovation platform and accelerator based in CIC Tokyo, the same innovation hub where nae is headquartered. Comparable as ecosystem/ecosystem-adjacent player supporting Japanese corporate innovation, though not a direct design competitor.
Broad incumbents
- IDEO: Global design and innovation consultancy whose human-centered design methodology is foundational to nae's approach. Comparable in service offering and category, though significantly larger and globally distributed.
- Pentagram: Independent multidisciplinary design firm doing branding, product and digital design. Comparable in design-led, partner-led model; bigger brand portfolio but similar service philosophy.
- HAKUHODO: Largest Japanese advertising and creative agency. Overlaps with nae on brand strategy, service design, and corporate-purpose projects for major Japanese enterprises, but operates at vastly greater scale and breadth.
Direct peers
- Loftwork: Japanese creative consultancy operating across digital, spatial, and product design with strong overlap to nae's service design, community platform and corporate-client work in Japan.
- Takram: Tokyo-based design innovation firm where nae's founder Yuki Shinohara previously worked. Closest direct peer — same geographic base, overlapping design innovation / strategy / product design service offering, and overlapping client base across Japanese corporates and government.
- Nendo: Iconic Japanese industrial and product design studio led by Oki Sato. Directly comparable as a Tokyo-headquartered design firm doing product design, branding and wellbeing-adjacent work for global consumer and enterprise clients.
- TENT (Takram alumni spinoff / sister studio): Tokyo design studio founded by former Takram members focusing on service design and societal challenges. Direct comparable as a small, Tokyo-based, mission-driven design consultancy operating in similar service design space.
Emerging players
- Btrax: Japan/US design and innovation firm serving Japanese corporates on design thinking, UX and digital transformation. Comparable in size, Japan focus, and bilingual B2B service offering.
Market position
Strengths5 records
Weaknesses5 records
Competitive moat4 records
Key risks7 records
Key highlights7 records
Customer concentration
Nae social profiles
Digital presenceNae financial estimates
Financial estimateRevenue estimate
Valuation estimate
Nae leadership team
Management profileNumber of profiles
Profiles2 records
Nae funding detail
Funding detailFunding overview
Funding rounds
Investors
Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Nae 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 Nae
What does Nae do?
nae Inc. is a Tokyo-based design consultancy that provides end-to-end design services spanning upstream research, strategy, requirements definition, and product/brand/service design for enterprise and government clients. The firm also plans, produces, and distributes its own wellbeing products (e.g., the chakoro tea incense burner), operates an e-commerce platform called 'from', and is developing AI software products such as the Koecle interview platform and kosokoso voice input app.
Is Nae a public or private company?
Nae is a private company. It is classified as founder individual operated bootstrapped and is currently operating.
When was Nae founded?
Nae was founded in 2021. It employs 1 to 10 people.
Where is Nae based?
Nae is headquartered in Toranomon, Japan, in the Asia region.
How does Nae make money?
Four revenue lines are on record. Design Partner Business are the primary driver. The others are wellbeing Product Business, design Training Business and workshop Services.
Who are Nae's main competitors?
Others on record are Frog Design and Plug and Play Japan. Broad incumbents are IDEO, Pentagram and HAKUHODO. Direct peers are Loftwork, Takram, Nendo and TENT (Takram alumni spinoff / sister studio). Btrax is listed as an emerging player.
Does Nae have an API?
No public API is recorded for Nae.