MBN
MBN Co., Ltd. is a privately held Japanese software company offering a free, cloud-based business network platform — covering invoicing, bookkeeping, estimates, and document workflows — targeted at Japanese small and medium enterprises navigating invoice and electronic record-keeping compliance.
- Company typePrivate
- Founded1984
- HeadquartersOsaka, Japan
- Headcount1–10
- GTM typeB2B
- OfferingSoftware
What MBN does
MBN Co., Ltd. (エムビーエヌ株式会社 / Main Business Network) is a privately held Japanese software company founded in 1984 and headquartered in Osaka, Japan. The company operates a cloud-based business network platform called MBN Service that enables enterprise-to-enterprise communication and document workflows — including invoice transmission and reception, bookkeeping, estimates, orders and purchases, delivery notes, and transaction record storage/search — offered free of charge to Japanese small and medium enterprises (SMEs). The platform is positioned around compliance with Japan's インボイス制度 (invoice system) and 電子帳簿保存法 (electronic record-keeping law), targeting SMEs seeking to replace higher-cost legacy business systems.
The company's product architecture is a platform-plus-modules model. Beyond the core MBN Service, MBN bundles a free DX (digital transformation) tool called SKYSALES — providing internal SNS, chat, blogs, employee education, and real-time timeline features — and partners with Zero-Soft (zero-soft.jp) to deliver free sales management, accounting, and payroll software. Distribution is entirely direct and self-serve through the company website, with remote customer support delivered via TeamViewer and presence on X (Twitter) and Facebook.
MBN's business model is freemium: core services are provided at zero cost (0円) with the stated strategic intent to build a network of up to 1 million companies. No revenue, headcount, funding, or paying customer figures are disclosed, and no management team, investors, or parent company are identified in available data. The company operates without disclosed external venture capital or institutional backing and presents itself as a purpose-driven platform provider serving the Japanese SME market.
MBN firmographics
Firmographics- Name
- MBN
- Legal name
- MBN Co., Ltd.
- Website
- https://mbn.co.jp
- Company type
- Private
- Founded year
- 1984
- Operating status
- Operating
- Headcount range
- 1–10 employees
- Short description
- MBN Co., Ltd. is a privately held Japanese software company offering a free, cloud-based business network platform — covering invoicing, bookkeeping, estimates, and document workflows — targeted at Japanese small and medium enterprises navigating invoice and electronic record-keeping compliance.
- Ownership category
- akta.pro rank
MBN industry classification
Industry- Product category
- Business Management Software
- NAICS
- Software Publishers (5132), Computing Infrastructure Providers, Data Processing, Web Hosting, and Related Services (51821)
- akta.pro primary industry
- Remote Monitoring & Management (RMM) Services (BPAEABAA)
Keywords
Where MBN is headquartered
LocationHeadquarters
- HQ city
- Osaka
- HQ country
- Japan
- HQ region
- Asia
Offices1 record
Markets served
MBN business model
Business model- GTM type
- B2B
- Offering type
- Software
- Cost components
- Technology or R&D, Personnel, Operations, Infrastructure, Marketing or Sales
Revenue model
- Free Platform with Premium Services: MBN provides free core services to attract a large user base (targeting 1 million companies), monetizing through premium features, partnerships, and potentially advertising to the SME network
Pricing tiers
| Model | Billing | Price |
|---|---|---|
| Freemium | Others | Free tier - MBN business network services from free |
Go-to-market motion1 record
Distribution channels1 record
Marketing channels3 records
MBN product offering
Product offeringCore offering
MBN provides a cloud-based business network platform (MBN Service / Main Business Network) that enables enterprise-to-enterprise communication, including invoice transmission/reception, bookkeeping, estimates, orders/purchases, and delivery note management, with data transaction record storage and search. The company also offers free business management software (sales, accounting, payroll) through a Zero-Soft partnership and a DX tool called SKYSALES for internal information activation. All offerings are provided at no cost to Japanese SMEs.
Product overview
MBN is a platform-plus-modules architecture offering a cloud-based business network infrastructure called Main Business Network (MBN) as its core product. The platform enables cloud-based enterprise-to-enterprise communication for managing estimates, orders/purchases, delivery documents, invoice transmission/reception, and bookkeeping storage. The ecosystem includes complementary free business management software (sales management, accounting, and payroll) from zero-soft.jp, and the DX tool SKYSALES for internal information activation via internal SNS, chat, employee education, and timeline features.
Differentiator
Problem solved
Functional benefit
Brands
- MBN (メインビジネスネットワーク / Main Business Network): Cloud-based business network platform enabling enterprise invoice transmission/reception, bookkeeping, estimates, order/purchase management, and delivery note handling across companies on a single platform. Provided free of charge.
- SKYSALES
- Zero Soft (ゼロソフト)
Products and services
- MBN Service (Main Business Network / メインビジネスネットワーク) A cloud-based business network platform that enables enterprise-to-enterprise communication, allowing companies to manage estimates, orders/purchases, delivery documents, invoice transmission/reception, and bookkeeping storage within one platform. Provided free of charge and targeting Japanese SMEs.
- Sales Management, Accounting, and Payroll Software (販売管理・会計・給与ソフト) Free business management software covering sales management, accounting, and payroll functions for small and medium enterprises, provided in partnership with zero-soft.jp. Sales management software also offers order customization.
- SKYSALES A digital transformation (DX) tool for information activation within companies, featuring internal SNS, internal chat, internal blog, employee education, and latest timeline information to support business growth. Provided free of charge.
Quantifiable outcome
- Zero-cost business software enabling budget reallocation to new initiatives
Companies that use MBN
Customer profileSegments1 record
Ideal customer profiles1 record
MBN technology and API
TechnologyTechnology focussed Yes
API detail
- Has API
- No
- API docs
- API detail
Core technology
AI maturity
App detail
Feature3 records
MBN partnerships and signals
Strategic signalPartnerships
Two partnerships are on record, tiered core.
- Zero-Soft (ゼロソフト)corePartnership provides free sales management, accounting, and payroll software (販売管理・会計・給与ソフト) accessible via zero-soft.jp, integrated into MBN's free business software ecosystem for SMEs
- SKYSALEScoreDX tool partnership providing information activation tools including internal SNS, chat, blog, employee education, and timeline features to complement MBN's business management platform
Scale indicators1 record
Recent moves4 records
Expansion highlights4 records
MBN competitors and assessment
Company assessmentDirect peers
- freee K.K. freee offers cloud accounting, payroll, and HR software targeted at Japanese SMEs—directly overlapping MBN's free accounting/payroll/invoicing modules and competing for the same SMB compliance-driven buyer.
- Yayoi Co., Ltd. Yayoi is the legacy market-leader in accounting software for Japanese small businesses; both companies target SME bookkeepers and compete on affordability for the same downstream segment.
- Misoca Co., Ltd. Misoca offers a cloud invoicing and expense tool for Japanese SMEs and freelancers (a Sansan subsidiary)—directly comparable to MBN's invoice and delivery-note modules in the same micro-business SMB segment.
- TKC Corporation: TKC provides accounting, tax filing, and ERP software for Japanese SMEs and accounting firms—overlapping with MBN's bookkeeping and SMB workflow modules, particularly through accountant-served SMB distribution.
- Obic Business Consultant (OBC): OBC develops accounting, payroll, and ERP solutions sold through Japanese CPA firms to small and mid-sized businesses—directly comparable to MBN's accounting/payroll SMB target audience and similar distribution logic.
- Money Forward, Inc. Money Forward delivers cloud accounting, finance, and SaaS management platforms for Japanese businesses—directly competing with MBN in SMB accounting and invoicing, and a much larger publicly listed competitor.
- Sansan, Inc. Sansan operates Bill One, a cloud invoice reception and data-entry platform for Japanese businesses—directly overlapping with MBN's invoice sending/receiving and storage functionality for the same SMB base.
Emerging players
- Chatwork Co., Ltd. Chatwork is Japan's leading cloud business-chat platform—directly competing with MBN's SKYSALES module for internal SNS and chat use cases within the same SMB customer base.
- SmartHR, Inc. SmartHR is a cloud HR/labor-management platform for Japanese SMEs—adjacent to MBN's free payroll software offering, competing for the same SMB HR/operations buyer and increasingly overlapping in payroll functionality.
Broad incumbents
- Cybozu, Inc. Cybozu provides kintone (low-code app platform) and Garoon (groupware) as a broader SME business app suite—overlapping MBN's SKYSALES internal-comms and broader workflow ambitions through multiple paid product lines.
Market position
Strengths5 records
Weaknesses5 records
Competitive moat4 records
Key risks6 records
Key highlights6 records
Customer concentration
MBN social profiles
Digital presenceMBN financial estimates
Financial estimateRevenue estimate
Valuation estimate
MBN leadership team
Management profileNumber of profiles
MBN funding detail
Funding detailFunding overview
Funding rounds
Investors
Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
MBN 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 MBN
What does MBN do?
MBN provides a cloud-based business network platform (MBN Service / Main Business Network) that enables enterprise-to-enterprise communication, including invoice transmission/reception, bookkeeping, estimates, orders/purchases, and delivery note management, with data transaction record storage and search. The company also offers free business management software (sales, accounting, payroll) through a Zero-Soft partnership and a DX tool called SKYSALES for internal information activation. All offerings are provided at no cost to Japanese SMEs.
Is MBN a public or private company?
MBN is a private company. It is classified as unknown and is currently operating.
When was MBN founded?
MBN was founded in 1984. It employs 1 to 10 people.
Where is MBN based?
MBN is headquartered in Osaka, Japan, in the Asia region.
How does MBN make money?
One revenue line is on record: free Platform with Premium Services.
Who are MBN's main competitors?
Direct peers on record are freee K.K., Yayoi Co., Ltd., Misoca Co., Ltd., TKC Corporation, Obic Business Consultant (OBC), Money Forward, Inc. and Sansan, Inc.. Emerging players are Chatwork Co., Ltd. and SmartHR, Inc.. Cybozu, Inc. is listed as a broad incumbent.
Does MBN have an API?
No public API is recorded for MBN.
What industry is MBN in?
MBN's product category is Business Management Software. Its primary akta.pro industry code is BPAEABAA, Remote Monitoring & Management (RMM) Services. Its NAICS code is 5132.