Start Innovation
Start Innovation is a privately held, founder-owned Japanese business development agency in Shibuya, Tokyo, offering seven consulting lines (new business, CVC, startup, succession, M&A, SME acquisition, Instagram marketing) alongside a consumer iOS family encouragement app called Cheermee.
- Company typePrivate
- Founded2014
- HeadquartersShibuya, Japan
- Headcount—
- GTM typeB2B and B2C
- OfferingServices
What Start Innovation does
Start Innovation (株式会社 スタート・イノベーション) is a privately held, founder-owned Japan-based business development agency founded in December 2014 by Yoshio Ikeda and headquartered in Shibuya, Tokyo. The firm operates a dual-structure business. Its consulting arm delivers seven service lines — new business development, CVC support, startup entrepreneurship support, business succession, startup M&A/exit, SME acquisition support, and Instagram marketing operations — serving clients ranging from seed-stage entrepreneurs and SMEs to large enterprises and mega-ventures, primarily across the Tokyo Metropolitan Area. Distribution is sales-led, relying on direct inquiry forms, online seminars (free 30-minute Instagram intros and paid ¥5,000+ practical workshops), and CEO-led thought leadership at venues such as Startup Hub Tokyo.
The education arm consists of Cheermee (チアミー), a consumer iOS app released in August 2023 that enables families to instantly praise children's studying and chores through stamps to build habitual positive reinforcement; the app is distributed via the App Store under an undisclosed (likely freemium) revenue model. The firm describes itself as a 少数精鋭 (small, elite team) and does not disclose headcount, revenue, or external funding. Ownership appears concentrated in the founder, with no disclosed VC, PE, or strategic investor. Core technology is not explicitly disclosed; no patents, certifications, APIs, or AI/ML capabilities are evidenced in the available material, and the firm's go-to-market is built on human consulting relationships and content marketing rather than proprietary technology.
Start Innovation firmographics
Firmographics- Name
- Start Innovation
- Legal name
- 株式会社スタート・イノベーション
- Website
- https://startinnovation.jp
- Company type
- Private
- Founded year
- 2014
- Operating status
- Operating
- Short description
- Start Innovation is a privately held, founder-owned Japanese business development agency in Shibuya, Tokyo, offering seven consulting lines (new business, CVC, startup, succession, M&A, SME acquisition, Instagram marketing) alongside a consumer iOS family encouragement app called Cheermee.
- Ownership category
- akta.pro rank
Start Innovation industry classification
Industry- Product category
- Management Consulting
- NAICS
- Marketing Consulting Services (541613), Advertising Agencies (54181)
- SIC
- Services-Management Consulting Services (8742), Services-Advertising (7310), Services-Prepackaged Software (7372)
- akta.pro primary industry
- Entrepreneurship & Small Business Workforce Programs (EDAAAOAM)
- akta.pro secondary industries
- Business Planning, Pitching & Competitions (Pitch Decks, Demo Days) (EDAMAHAB), Marketing, Branding & Sales Skills (EDAMAHAG)
Keywords
Where Start Innovation is headquartered
LocationHeadquarters
- HQ city
- Shibuya
- HQ country
- Japan
- HQ region
- Asia
Offices1 record
Markets served
Start Innovation 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
- Consulting Services: Professional consulting services for new business development, CVC support, startup support, business succession, M&A advisory, and Instagram marketing support. Services span from strategy formulation to execution support.
- Education - Cheermee App: Family encouragement app for children's studying and helping at home. Available on App Store. Revenue model not explicitly disclosed but likely freemium or subscription-based.
Pricing tiers
| Model | Billing | Price |
|---|---|---|
| Other | Multi-year contract | Consulting - Full-time positions |
| Other | Multi-year contract | Education/Product - Full-time positions |
| Freemium | Pay-as-you-go | Instagram Consulting - Free Seminar |
| Unit Pricing | Pay-as-you-go | Instagram Consulting - Practical Skills Seminar |
Go-to-market motion2 records
Distribution channels3 records
Marketing channels4 records
Start Innovation product offering
Product offeringCore offering
Start Innovation is a Japan-based business development agency providing consulting services covering new business development, CVC investment support, startup entrepreneurship support, business succession, M&A/exit advisory, SME acquisition, and Instagram marketing operations for startups, SMEs, and large enterprises. In addition, it operates Cheermee, a consumer mobile application that enables parents to instantly praise children for studying and chores via stamps to reinforce habitual behavior.
Product overview
Start Innovation operates a dual business structure: (1) Cheermee, a mobile app enabling instant stamp-based praise for children's studying and chores to build habitual positive reinforcement, and (2) seven consulting services covering new business support, CVC investment support, startup entrepreneurship support, business succession, startup M&A/exit, SME acquisition, and Instagram marketing operations. The consulting portfolio supports clients ranging from startups to large enterprises across all business phases.
Differentiator
Problem solved
Functional benefit
Brands
- Cheermee（チアミー）: 子どもの勉強やお手伝いが習慣化するスタンプ・コミュニケーションアプリ。すぐ褒めることで子どもの自己肯定感を高める家庭教育支援アプリ。
Products and services
- New Business Support (新規事業支援)
Companies that use Start Innovation
Customer profileNamed customers1 record
Segments6 records
Ideal customer profiles7 records
Start Innovation technology and API
TechnologyTechnology focussed Yes
API detail
- Has API
- No
- API docs
- API detail
Core technology
AI maturity
App detail
Start Innovation partnerships and signals
Strategic signalPartnerships
One partnership is on record.
- グラフェン ユニファイ株式会社 (Graphene Unify Inc.)minorCompany representative 池田慈生 appointed as external auditor (社外監査役) at Graphene Unify Inc., a graphene technology company. This represents a personal board position rather than a company-level partnership.
Scale indicators2 records
Recent moves5 records
Expansion highlights5 records
Start Innovation competitors and assessment
Company assessmentDirect peers
- Social Geek Media: Japanese agency specializing in Instagram and social media marketing consulting, training, and operations support. Closest direct peer to Start Innovation's Instagram運用支援 service.
- Plug and Play Japan: Japan arm of the global Plug and Play accelerator. Operates a startup accelerator/investment platform that overlaps directly with Start Innovation's startup launch support and CVC portfolio services for early-stage founders.
- Samurai Incubate Inc. Japanese startup support and seed-incubation firm providing fundraising, mentoring, and growth support to founders — directly comparable to Start Innovation's startup launch and CVC advisory offerings.
- Strike Co., Ltd. (ストライク): Listed Japanese M&A intermediary specializing in SME succession transactions. Closest direct peer to Start Innovation's seller-side business succession and SME M&A advisory practice.
- M&A Capital Partners Co., Ltd. Japanese M&A advisory firm focused on small and mid-sized company transactions. Directly comparable on the SME succession and sell-side M&A services that Start Innovation offers.
- SunBridge Group: Japanese venture support firm providing incubation, investment, and global expansion services to startups. Comparable to Start Innovation's entrepreneur support and startup M&A/exit advisory services.
Emerging players
- LITALICO Inc. Japanese education and employment services company operating consumer-facing educational and habit-building platforms. Emerging player that overlaps with the Cheermee family/education product side of Start Innovation's business.
Broad incumbents
- CyberAgent, Inc. Major Japanese digital advertising and internet media company with significant Instagram and social media marketing capabilities through subsidiary Cygames/Abema. Comparable broad incumbent on the Instagram marketing and digital consulting side.
- Link and Motivation Inc. Listed Japanese consulting firm offering management consulting, organizational development, and new business creation services. Comparable broad incumbent competing for similar enterprise clients.
- Deloitte Tohmatsu Consulting: Major Japanese consulting arm of Deloitte that offers CVC advisory, new business development, and corporate strategy services. A much larger incumbent that competes for the same enterprise and CVC mandates as Start Innovation.
Market position
Strengths5 records
Weaknesses5 records
Competitive moat3 records
Key risks6 records
Key highlights6 records
Customer concentration
Start Innovation social profiles
Digital presenceStart Innovation financial estimates
Financial estimateRevenue estimate
Valuation estimate
Start Innovation leadership team
Management profileNumber of profiles
Profiles1 record
Start Innovation funding detail
Funding detailFunding overview
Funding rounds
Investors
Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Start Innovation 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 Start Innovation
What does Start Innovation do?
Start Innovation is a Japan-based business development agency providing consulting services covering new business development, CVC investment support, startup entrepreneurship support, business succession, M&A/exit advisory, SME acquisition, and Instagram marketing operations for startups, SMEs, and large enterprises. In addition, it operates Cheermee, a consumer mobile application that enables parents to instantly praise children for studying and chores via stamps to reinforce habitual behavior.
Is Start Innovation a public or private company?
Start Innovation is a private company. It is classified as founder individual operated bootstrapped and is currently operating.
When was Start Innovation founded?
Start Innovation was founded in 2014.
Where is Start Innovation based?
Start Innovation is headquartered in Shibuya, Japan, in the Asia region.
How does Start Innovation make money?
Two revenue lines are on record. Consulting Services are the primary driver. The others are education - Cheermee App.
Who are Start Innovation's main competitors?
Direct peers on record are Social Geek Media, Plug and Play Japan, Samurai Incubate Inc., Strike Co., Ltd. (ストライク), M&A Capital Partners Co., Ltd. and SunBridge Group. LITALICO Inc. is listed as an emerging player. Broad incumbents are CyberAgent, Inc., Link and Motivation Inc. and Deloitte Tohmatsu Consulting.
Does Start Innovation have an API?
No public API is recorded for Start Innovation.
What industry is Start Innovation in?
Start Innovation's product category is Management Consulting. Its primary akta.pro industry code is EDAAAOAM, Entrepreneurship & Small Business Workforce Programs, with a secondary code of EDAMAHAB, Business Planning, Pitching & Competitions (Pitch Decks, Demo Days). Its NAICS code is 541613 and its SIC code is 8742.