EX Partners

What EX Partners does

EX Partners (株式会社エクスパートナーズ) is a Tokyo-based, privately held utility intermediary and alliance marketing company founded in December 2019 as a member of the Exlayer Group conglomerate. The company connects Japanese real estate management companies and agencies with electricity, gas, and internet service providers, handling all tenant communications on behalf of partner agents. Its portfolio spans new electricity (新電力), city gas, fixed-line broadband, pocket Wi-Fi, budget SIM, water servers, storage batteries, solar generation systems, and web marketing services — all delivered without a proprietary technology platform, mobile app, or public API.

Revenue is generated through two primary mechanics: recurring subscription resale of utility and connectivity services (where EX Partners earns spread on consumer contracts) and affiliate/referral fees from real estate channel partners under a two-model commission structure (purchase/inquiry-based and results/contract-based). The go-to-market is channel-partner-led, supported by an internal contact center, direct-to-consumer website inquiries, and digital advertising via Google Analytics and Yahoo Japan ad tags. The headquarters, relocated in September 2023 to Shinjuku Island Tower 25F, also houses a contact center that handles inbound tenant and partner inquiries.

The company holds a Japanese telecommunications business registration (notification number A-01-17758) and is led by Representative Director Yuichiro Ogawa (小川祐一郎). Its geographic footprint is national within Japan, with active coverage in the Kanto region and restrictions only in Okinawa and outside the service areas of Tokyo Gas, Osaka Gas, Toho Gas, and Seibu Gas. No external funding rounds, no proprietary AI capabilities, no patents or trademarks, and no subsidiary structure have been disclosed; the company operates as a single-entity subsidiary of the Exlayer Group alongside Exlayer Co., Ltd. and Exgate, Inc.

Name

EX Partners

Legal name

株式会社エクSPORTナーズ

Website

https://expartners.co.jp

Company type

Private

Founded year

2019

Operating status

Operating

Short description

EX Partners is a Tokyo-based utility intermediary that connects Japanese real estate management companies and agencies with electricity, gas, and internet providers for tenants, earning revenue through affiliate referral fees and recurring subscription resale of bundled lifeline services.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Utility Referral and Energy Services

NAICS

Telecommunications Resellers (517121), Telecommunications Resellers and Agents for Wireless Telecommunication Services (51712)

SIC

Gas & Other Services Combined (4932), Electric Services (4911)

akta.pro primary industry

Retail Energy Brokerage (Residential & SMB Switching) (EUAGAEAA)

akta.pro secondary industries

Energy Supplier Partner Networks / White-Label Brokerage Programs (EUAGAEAK), Dual-Fuel Retail Supply (Electric + Gas Bundles) (EUAGABAD)

Keywords

• Utility referral services
• Electricity retail
• Gas supply services
• Internet broadband services
• Real estate partnerships

Headquarters

HQ city

Tokyo

HQ country

Japan

HQ region

Asia

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2B and B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

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

Revenue model

1. New Electricity (新電力) Services: EX Partners resells electricity under new electricity provider plans using existing transmission infrastructure, generating recurring revenue from household and business consumers.
2. Urban Gas Services: Natural gas supply services using existing pipeline infrastructure, provided through partner gas companies.
3. Internet Services: Fixed-line broadband, pocket Wi-Fi, and budget SIM services sold to consumers, generating recurring subscription revenue.
4. Water Server Services: Water server provision with free delivery; recurring revenue from ongoing water purchases.
5. Alliance Partner Referral Fees: EX Partners earns referral fees from real estate partner companies for introducing tenants. Two commission models are offered: purchase model (paid per inquiry) and results model (paid per completed contract).
6. Web Marketing Services: Website production and owned media management services provided to business clients, generating project-based and retainer fees.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion2 records

Distribution channels3 records

Marketing channels3 records

Core offering

EX Partners operates an alliance-partner program that recruits real estate management companies and agencies to refer their tenants for bundled lifeline services (electricity, city gas, and internet). The company resells electricity under new-electricity retail plans, supplies city gas through partner gas utilities, and offers fixed-line broadband, pocket Wi-Fi, budget SIM, water server, and storage battery products. It generates revenue from utility service subscriptions, referral commissions paid by the company to real estate partners under two models (purchase/inquiry and results/contract), and web marketing services.

Product overview

EX Partners (株式会社エクSPORTナーズ) operates as a multi-service utility and partnership company with three main divisions: the Alliance Business (アライアンス事業) recruiting partners for utility services, the Energy Solutions Business (エネルギーソリューション事業) providing electricity, gas, storage batteries, and solar systems, and Internet Services. The core offering is the Lifestyle Line Referral Service (ライフライン紹介サービス) which connects real estate companies with electricity, gas, and internet providers for new residents. The company also offers new electricity (新電力), city gas (都市ガス), internet services, water servers (ウォーターサーバー), storage batteries (蓄電池), and web marketing (WEBマーケティング) as individual product lines.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Lifeline Referral Service (ライフライン紹介サービス) A referral service for real estate companies that handles electricity, gas, and internet utility setup for new residents, reducing administrative burden while generating referral income for partner real estate agencies.
• Alliance Business Partnership Program (アライアンス事業) Partnership recruitment division offering multiple utility and service products including optical collaboration models, new electricity, mobile Wi-Fi routers, and water servers for partner companies to add value to their existing services.
• Energy Solutions Business (エネルギーソリューション事業) Energy solutions providing electricity and gas supply plans, storage batteries, and solar power generation systems with one-stop service from consultation to activation.
• New Electricity Service (新電力) New electricity retail service using existing power grid infrastructure, maintaining safety and quality standards equivalent to traditional power providers.
• City Gas Service (都市ガスサービス) City gas supply service utilizing existing pipeline infrastructure to deliver gas safely and reliably to customers within Tokyo Gas, Osaka Gas, Toho Gas, and Seibu Gas service regions.
• Internet Services (インターネットサービス) Internet services including fixed-line broadband, pocket Wi-Fi, and budget SIM plans tailored to customer needs.
• Water Server Service (ウォーターサーバー) Water server delivery service providing natural spring water suitable for infants, delivered free of shipping costs with only water refills charged monthly.
• Storage Battery (蓄電池) Large-capacity battery systems for backup power during outages caused by earthquakes, typhoons, or strong winds, capable of covering daily electricity consumption.
• Web Marketing Service (WEBマーケティング) Web marketing services including website production and owned media operation, tailored to client requirements.

Quantifiable outcome

• Real estate partner (testimonial A) reported revenue increased more than 2x after switching to EX Partners; monthly revenue ~¥1.5 million with 4 agents
• +1 more outcomes

Named customers2 records

Segments3 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Partnerships

Three partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• エクスレイヤグループ (EXLAYER Group)coreOthersEX Partners is a member of the EXLAYER Group, which also includes 株式会社エクスレイヤ (EXLAYER Co., Ltd.) and 株式会社エクスゲート (EXGATE Inc.). The group structure provides organizational backing and shared corporate governance.
• Real Estate Management Companies and Agencies (Partner Network)coreChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorEX Partners recruits real estate management companies and agencies as alliance partners to refer tenants for bundled lifeline services. Partners earn referral commissions through two models (inquiry-based and contract-based). Services covered include electricity, gas, and internet.
• Electricity, Gas, and Internet Utility Providers (Strategic Partners)minorStrategic or Co-development PartnerEX Partners works with electricity providers (新電力), gas companies (都市ガス), and internet service providers to offer bundled services under the 光コラボレーション model and other utility programs. Partnerships enable new electricity supply using existing grid infrastructure and city gas services.

Scale indicators1 record

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Direct peers

• Enechange: Enechange operates Japan's leading electricity/gas price comparison and switching platform for residential and SMB customers, channeling switchers to retail energy providers. Directly comparable to EX Partners' energy brokerage and switching business model.
• ietty: ietty provides utility concierge services (electricity, gas, internet) to tenants of rental properties at move-in, partnering with real estate agencies. Closely mirrors EX Partners' lifeline introduction model and channel partner structure.
• H.I.S. Energy / H.I.S. Mobile: H.I.S. operates retail energy (H.I.S. Electricity) and MVNO telecom (H.I.S. Mobile) services for consumer customers in Japan — a similar consumer-facing reseller model spanning energy and internet categories.

Broad incumbents

• Tokyo Gas: Tokyo Gas is Japan's largest city gas utility, which has expanded into retail electricity, internet, and bundled home services. Competes head-on with EX Partners' city gas supply, new electricity, and dual-fuel bundle offerings.
• RENOSY (GA Technologies): GA Technologies' RENOSY is a major proptech platform in Japan covering real estate transactions, property management, and adjacent services. Its scale and tenant touchpoints represent both a partner opportunity and a competitive threat to EX Partners' real estate channel.
• Looop: Looop is one of Japan's largest independent new electricity retailers serving residential and SMB customers, with its own retail supply operations. Comparable as a competing new electricity provider in EX Partners' core retail energy category.
• LIFULL: LIFULL operates Japan's leading real estate portal (LIFULL HOME'S) and adjacent services. As a property ecosystem incumbent, it could either partner with or disintermediate EX Partners' real estate-driven utility introduction model.
• KDDI (au Energy / au HIKARI): KDDI offers retail electricity (au Denki), fixed-line internet (au HIKARI), and mobile services bundled to Japanese consumers. Competes in the same bundled utility and broadband categories as EX Partners with significantly greater scale.
• SoftBank (SoftBank Energy / SoftBank Air): SoftBank sells retail electricity, mobile, and fixed-line broadband (SoftBank Air, SoftBank Hikari) bundled to consumers. Overlaps with EX Partners' internet and energy offerings, though SoftBank is far broader and incumbent.
• ENEOS (ENEOS Denki): ENEOS is one of Japan's largest energy companies and a major retail electricity and gas provider. Competes with EX Partners in the retail energy space with far greater scale, brand, and infrastructure resources.

Market position

Strengths4 records

Weaknesses4 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 EX Partners