What IP Survey does

IP Survey Corporation (株式会社IP Survey) is a Yokohama-based private Japanese company founded on July 19, 2023, that provides patent evaluation technology, technology trend research, and IP strategy support to Japanese enterprises, startups, universities, and investors. The company is built around a proprietary patent competitiveness evaluation methodology that uses four parameters linking patent characteristics to product/service development stage, market competitiveness, and litigation potential — a framework that, according to customer testimonials, differentiates IP Survey from general patent analysis tools. Its product portfolio comprises three offerings: (1) Trend Research (動向調査), a professional research service mapping technology elements and forecasting future developments; (2) Evaluation Software (評価ソフト), a proprietary software tool for patent competitiveness scoring and patentability diagnosis, sold or licensed on a recurring basis; and (3) IPization Support (知財化サポート), a consulting engagement covering related-art research, claim drafting, and specification development for litigation-resistant patents.

The business model is a hybrid of professional services and software, delivered via direct, sales-led consultation through CEO Koji Kageyama. No public pricing is disclosed, and engagement begins via direct email inquiry. Target customer segments include corporate R&D and new business development teams in manufacturing, deep-tech startups and venture capital investors evaluating IP-backed opportunities, university researchers and TTOs, and early-stage technologies needing IP strategy support. Named reference customers span Loftwork (creative), Tomorrow Never Knows (research/nonprofit), Linkers Corporation (patent analysis), and Monozukuri Ventures (deep-tech investment), with active co-development of the 'IP GENE' visualization tool under the Timemachine AI project launched in November 2024 with Tomorrow Never Knows.

Operationally, IP Survey is a single-country, Japan-focused firm with headquarters in Yokohama, an ecosystem of strategic partnerships (Loftwork, Monozukuri Innovation Lab, A-map, Tokyo Science University Tamura-kai Mirai Juku), and ongoing workshop and event activity that doubled as a GTM channel — including a Kyoto workshop in April 2026 drawing 15+ participants from six industries, with a planned Osaka event in June 2026. The company has not disclosed funding, revenue, or headcount, and remains in a very early, founder-led build phase anchored by Kageyama's Oxford PhD in materials science, Nippon Steel R&D background, and prior CTO experience at metal 3D printing startup Sun Metalon.

Name

IP Survey

Legal name

株式会社IP Survey

Website

https://ip-survey.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

2023

Operating status

Operating

Short description

IP Survey is a Yokohama-based private Japanese company, founded in 2023, that provides proprietary patent competitiveness evaluation, technology trend research, and IP strategy consulting to Japanese manufacturers, deep-tech startups, VCs, and universities via direct sales-led engagement.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Intellectual Property Services

NAICS

Other Scientific and Technical Consulting Services (541690)

SIC

Investment Advice (6282)

akta.pro primary industry

IP Valuation, Damages & Royalty Analysis (BPAHAMAH)

akta.pro secondary industries

IP Search, Watch & Competitive Intelligence (BPAHAMAI), IP Litigation & Dispute Resolution (BPAHAMAE), IP Filing, Annuities & Renewals Administration (BPAHAMAJ)

Keywords

• Patent evaluation services
• Technology trend research
• IP strategy consulting
• Patent competitiveness analysis
• Intellectual property valuation

Headquarters

HQ city

Yokohama

HQ country

Japan

HQ region

Asia

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Technology or R&D, Marketing or Sales, Operations

Revenue model

1. Technology Trend Research Services: IP Survey conducts technical trend research combining technology element mapping with competitiveness evaluation analysis to provide insights for predicting future technology developments.
2. Patent Evaluation Software: Proprietary software tools for patent competitiveness evaluation and patent eligibility diagnosis, sold or licensed to enterprise customers.
3. IP Strategy Support Services: Full-service IP strategy support including technology research, claim proposals, and specification drafting to build litigation-resistant patents and competitive IP portfolios.

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels1 record

Marketing channels5 records

Core offering

IP Survey provides patent evaluation technology, technology trend research, and IP strategy support services aimed at helping businesses maximize the potential of their inventions. Its proprietary methodology uses four competitiveness parameters to assess patent strength, market competitiveness correlation, and litigation potential, enabling clients to transform existing IP from 'protected assets' into 'market entry starting points.' The offering combines a proprietary evaluation software tool with strategic consulting delivered through direct consultation.

Product overview

IP Survey offers a three-service portfolio centered on patent evaluation and intellectual property strategy: (1) 動向調査 (Trend Research) - a proprietary research service analyzing technology trends and competitive positioning; (2) 評価ソフト (Evaluation Software) - a standalone software tool that evaluates patent competitiveness and diagnoses patentability using four competitive parameters; and (3) 知財化サポート (IPization Support) - consulting services to build litigation-strong patents from ideation through specification drafting. The services are designed to work together, enabling clients to research technology landscapes, evaluate their IP assets, and develop strong intellectual property strategies.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Trend Research (動向調査)

Quantifiable outcome

• Patent keywords used as 'catalysts' to generate market hypotheses and new business ideas through workshop format
• +1 more outcomes

Named customers4 records

Segments4 records

Ideal customer profiles4 records

Technology focussed Yes

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature4 records

Partnerships

Five partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• Loftwork Inc. (株式会社ロフトワーク)coreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 22 April 2026Co-hosted workshop 'Transforming Existing IP into New Business Seeds - New Market Connection Workshop from Strong Patents' at FabCafe Kyoto. Loftwork is a creative company that plans and executes diverse projects with external experts, researchers, and creators. IP Survey served as the navigator/facilitator for the workshop focused on using patent keywords as catalysts for market hypothesis generation.
• Monozukuri Innovation LabminorStrategic or Co-development Partner · 18 June 2025Participation in Monozukuri Innovation Lab as of June 18, 2025. Monozukuri Innovation Lab appears to be an innovation ecosystem focused on manufacturing and deep-tech领域.
• A-map (AICHI Manufacturing Acceleration Program)minorGTM or Marketing Partner · 20 December 2024Delivered a lecture on IP strategy for startups at the A-map (AICHI Manufacturing Acceleration Program) event on December 20, 2024. A-map is a manufacturing acceleration program in Aichi Prefecture, Japan.
• Tokyo Science University Tamura-kai Mirai Juku (東京科学大学田村会ミライ塾)minorOthers · 1 December 2024Participated as a mentor in the Tokyo Science University Tamura-kai Mirai Juku program from December 2024 to March 2025. The program appears to support students and alumni in future career development.
• Tomorrow Never Knows (Tomorrow Never Knows)coreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 20 November 2024Collaboration on 'Timemachine AI project' starting November 2024. Tomorrow Never Knows (TNK) is a general incorporated association that works with university researchers, venture capitalists, startups, and corporate R&D departments. The partnership focuses on developing 'IP GENE' to visualize how inventions will change society and verify future value of startup technologies.

Scale indicators1 record

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Others

• Monozukuri Ventures: Japanese deep-tech VC firm focused on manufacturing and hardware startups. A documented customer/partner of IP Survey (牧野代表) for IP-due-diligence purposes; adjacent rather than competitive since Monozukuri Ventures is an investor using IP inputs for deal decisions.
• Linkers Corporation (リンカーズ株式会社): Japanese technology matching platform connecting university and corporate IP with businesses. A documented customer of IP Survey (Linkers'国井所長) and adjacent in IP intermediation, though Linkers focuses on matching/transaction rather than evaluation methodology.

Direct peers

• PatSnap: Global AI-powered patent analytics platform offering patent search, competitive intelligence, and trend analysis. Direct overlap with IP Survey's patent evaluation and technology trend research services, though PatSnap operates at much larger scale with broader data coverage.
• Questel (Orbit Intelligence): Major global IP intelligence platform offering patent search, analytics, and IP strategy tools. Comparable in patent evaluation and IP management capabilities, with a focus on professional IP users including law firms and corporate IP departments.
• Patent Result Co., Ltd. (株式会社パテント・リザルト): Japanese patent analytics firm specializing in patent scoring and competitive analysis for Japanese corporates and IP professionals. Closely comparable as a Japan-focused patent evaluation specialist competing for similar enterprise customers.

Emerging players

• Patentics: AI-driven patent search and analytics platform with strong semantic analysis capabilities. Comparable in patent retrieval and analysis features, primarily serving Asian patent markets though its primary markets differ from IP Survey's.

Broad incumbents

• Clarivate (Derwent Innovation): Global IP intelligence and analytics business offering Derwent patent data, IPfolio, and related tools. Broadly comparable as a comprehensive IP analytics and strategy platform, with deeper enterprise integrations and global coverage than IP Survey's Japan-centric offering.
• LexisNexis PatentSight: Patent analytics platform within LexisNexis focused on patent valuation and portfolio quality measurement. Overlaps with IP Survey's patent competitiveness evaluation, with a higher-end enterprise focus and broader data assets as part of the LexisNexis portfolio.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat3 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

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 IP Survey