Unit

What Unit does

Unit (株式会社UNIT) is a Tokyo-headquartered, privately-held Japanese company founded in October 2011 that operates a gourmet-specialized digital marketing platform serving restaurants and food-service businesses. The company originally launched with SEO services tailored to the restaurant industry in 2011 and added restaurant-focused owned-media consulting in 2013, before releasing its flagship product, the gourmet-focused influencer marketing platform 'ユニット' (Unit), in 2022. Today Unit's core offering is a two-sided platform where restaurants post campaigns and registered micro-influencers (the network exceeds 10,000 members) apply to promote them across Instagram, TikTok, X, and YouTube.

The technical surface combines a self-serve web and mobile app for campaign management, influencer search, scheduling, and post-campaign reporting with a separate WordPress-based restaurant website production service called Ownd Site (ユニットオウンド), which embeds user-generated social content from the influencer platform, integrates with Google Business Profile for MEO, and adds SEO optimization plus Google Maps / Instagram syncing. Complementary services include curated 'Selected Influencer' matching (impression-based pricing) and an inbound-tourism influencer tier with Korean, Traditional Chinese, and English speakers, targeting restaurants that serve foreign visitors to Japan.

Unit sells through a hybrid go-to-market combining direct enterprise sales for restaurant chains (Corporate Plan) with self-serve onboarding for SMB restaurants (Store Plan at ¥30,000/month entry point) and tiered website maintenance subscriptions (Simple ¥5,000/month, Plus ¥10,000/month, Premium custom). Revenue streams comprise platform subscription fees, recurring website maintenance fees, transaction-based influencer services, and lead-generation whitepaper downloads. The company has 50 team members (per company overview page), ¥38M registered capital, no disclosed external funding, and named customers spanning Tokyu Hotels & Resorts, KFD, Nankai Kogyo, Chitaka International Foods, Smile Linkle, INGS, Denise, and Meika Kachuka, with cumulative restaurant website production exceeding 5,000 stores since inception. Recent strategic moves include April 2026 partnerships with Kobe Bussan and Chitaka International Foods and ongoing editorial placement in trade publications such as Gekkan Shokudo and Insho-ku Keiei.

Name

Unit

Legal name

株式会社UNIT

Website

https://unit-g.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

2011

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

Unit (株式会社UNIT) is a Tokyo-based Japanese company that operates a gourmet-focused influencer marketing platform and restaurant website production service, connecting restaurants and food-service businesses with 10,000+ registered micro-influencers across Instagram, TikTok, X, and YouTube.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Restaurant Influencer Marketing Platform

NAICS

Media Representatives (541840)

SIC

Services-Advertising Agencies (7311)

akta.pro primary industry

Influencer Marketing Platforms (Discovery/Search/CRM) (MPACAGAA)

akta.pro secondary industry

Influencer Marketing & Creator Marketplaces (BPAMALAG)

Keywords

• Influencer marketing platform
• Restaurant digital marketing
• Gourmet influencer matching
• Micro-influencer campaigns
• Restaurant website production

Headquarters

HQ city

Tokyo

HQ country

Japan

HQ region

Asia

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Software

Cost components

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

Revenue model

1. Platform Subscription Fees: Monthly subscription fees for restaurant access to the influencer platform, with tiered pricing based on plan level (Store, Plus, Premium). Provides ongoing recurring revenue from active restaurant clients.
2. Website Production Services: Monthly website maintenance fees for restaurant website production and hosting services, with three plan tiers (Simple, Plus, Premium) offering different feature sets.
3. Influencer Services: Curated influencer matching and campaign execution services for restaurants seeking premium influencer partnerships, with impression-based pricing.
4. Whitepaper and Content Downloads: Lead generation through downloadable whitepapers and guides on restaurant marketing topics, used to capture business contacts.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion3 records

Distribution channels4 records

Marketing channels4 records

Core offering

Unit runs a gourmet-specialized influencer marketing platform that connects restaurants with 10,000+ registered micro-influencers across Instagram, TikTok, X, and YouTube for social media campaigns, paired with a WordPress-based restaurant website production service featuring SEO/MEO optimization and user-generated content integration. Restaurants pay tiered monthly subscriptions for self-serve platform access or custom pricing for curated premium influencer matching and inbound (international tourist) influencer services.

Product overview

Unit operates a platform-plus-services model centered on the gourmet-focused influencer platform 'ユニット' (Unit), which connects restaurants with micro-influencers for social media marketing. The platform includes two pricing tiers (Store Plan for single locations and Corporate Plan for chains) and supports four SNS platforms. Complementary services include selected premium influencer matching, inbound tourism influencer services for international visitors, and a proprietary restaurant website builder called ユニットオウンド that integrates UGC from the influencer platform. The company also previously offered SEO services (2011) and owned media consulting (2013) before focusing on the current platform business.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• グルメ特化型インフルエンサープラットフォーム「ユニット」: 飲食店や通販商品の体験とインフルエンサーが持つ影響力をマッチングするグルメ特化型プラットフォーム。
• ユニットオウンド

Products and services

• グルメ特化型インフルエンサープラットフォーム「ユニット」(Gourmet-Specialized Influencer Platform "Unit") Self-serve influencer marketing platform connecting restaurants and food product businesses with micro-influencers (1,000-10,000 followers) for social media marketing campaigns on Instagram, TikTok, X, and YouTube. Restaurants can independently search influencers, manage campaigns, and track post-report analytics. Available with Store Plan (¥30,000/month for single locations) and Corporate Plan (multi-brand pricing for chains).
• グルメ特化型「厳選インフルエンサー」(Selected Influencer Service) Premium concierge influencer matching service using proprietary data and Unit's accumulated restaurant-marketing expertise to curate influencers for restaurants seeking high-performing partnerships with impression-based pricing.
• グルメ特化型「インバウンドインフルエンサー」(Inbound Influencer Service) Inbound tourism-focused influencer service that connects restaurants with Korean, Traditional Chinese, and English-speaking influencers to attract international visitors. Designed for restaurants in tourist-heavy Japanese districts.
• グルメ特化型「オウンドサイト制作」(Owned Site Production) WordPress-based website development service for restaurants and food-service businesses, with built-in SEO optimization, MEO (Map Engine Optimization), Google Business Profile integration, and Instagram/GBP UGC display. Three plan tiers: Simple (¥5,000/month, 5 pages), Plus (¥10,000/month, 12 pages), and Premium (custom quote, full features with photography). Track record of 5,000+ restaurant websites produced.

Quantifiable outcome

• Engagement rate of 42.9% achieved for food service clients
• +3 more outcomes

Named customers9 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

Integration7 records

Feature5 records

Partnerships

Six partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• Kobe Bussan Co., Ltd. (株式会社神戸物産)coreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 21 April 2026Strategic partnership announced in April 2026 for joint influencer marketing initiatives targeting restaurant and food service clients. Collaborative campaign development and mutual client referral arrangement.
• Chitaka International Foods Co., Ltd. (チタカ・インターナショナル・フーズ株式会社)minorStrategic or Co-development Partner · 9 April 2026Case study collaboration with Chitaka International Foods, operator of multiple restaurant brands, showcasing successful Instagram marketing results.
• Thomas and Chikaraishi TC Network (トーマスアンドチカライシTCネットワーク)minorOthersMember of Thomas and Chikaraishi TC Network business association, providing business connection opportunities within the restaurant and service industry.
• Japan Restaurant Association (的一般社団 日本飲食団体連合会)minorOthersMember of general incorporated association Japan Restaurant Association, providing industry representation and networking within the food service sector.
• Mizuho Bank (みずほ銀行)minorOthersPrimary banking relationship with Mizuho Bank Roppongi branch for corporate banking services.
• Seibu Shinkin Bank (西武信用金庫)minorOthersBanking relationship with Seibu Shinkin Bank Ebisu branch for corporate banking services.

Scale indicators5 records

Recent moves9 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Direct peers

• Leverages (i-Cast/I-GIVE): Japanese digital marketing company running influencer agency businesses (i-Cast) that connect brands with creators. Comparable as a Japan-based influencer marketing service provider for brand clients.
• Findr (TRILL/Soramitsu): Influencer marketing platform in Japan offering creator discovery and campaign management tools. Comparable as a Japan-focused influencer marketing SaaS/marketplace competing for the same brand marketing budgets.
• IZ*ONE (Asobi System): Japanese influencer marketing agency and platform serving brand clients in Japan. Comparable as a domestic influencer marketing competitor with similar brand-matching and campaign execution services.
• BitStar: Japanese influencer marketing platform and agency focused on connecting brands with creators. Directly comparable as a Japan-based influencer marketing platform serving similar B2B customers with campaign management and creator matching.

Broad incumbents

• Aspire (formerly AspireIQ): Global influencer marketing platform serving enterprise brands with creator discovery, campaign management, and analytics. Comparable as a broader, better-capitalized incumbent in the same category Unit competes in.
• CreatorIQ: Enterprise influencer marketing platform with global brand customers. Comparable as a scaled incumbent offering creator CRM and campaign analytics for brand marketers.
• Shopify: Global e-commerce and restaurant website/ordering platform. Comparable as a broad incumbent offering website building and digital marketing tools that restaurants could choose instead of Unit's platform.

Emerging players

• TORANOANA: Japanese creator economy platform serving otaku/foodie content creators and brands. Comparable as a Japan-based creator-brand matching platform with vertical specializations including gourmet.
• Stores.jp (STORES): Japanese SMB website and e-commerce builder. Comparable as a domestic SMB website-building platform that competes with Unit's restaurant website (Unit Owned) service.

Regional players

• TABLEALL: Japan-focused restaurant marketing and reservation solutions. Comparable as a Japan-specific restaurant marketing platform, though focused on reservations rather than influencer marketing.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Instagraminstagram.com/unit_jp_

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 Unit