㈱Gakken LEAP

What ㈱Gakken LEAP does

株式会社Gakken LEAP is a six-person EdTech subsidiary wholly owned by Gakken Holdings (TSE: 9470), Japan's most established educational publishing group. Established in December 2021 with ¥50 million in capital, the company was created to serve as the Gakken Group's digital transformation and open-innovation vehicle, coordinating DX initiatives across the parent's portfolio brands including Manamiru, Kotoba Park, G-PAPILS, kimini, and hugmo, and participating as a limited partner in the Global Brain 8th Fund for startup investment exposure.

The company's primary commercial product is Shikaku Pass, a mobile-first direct-to-consumer qualification exam preparation platform launched in June 2023. The platform delivers 5-minute video lessons taught by expert instructors across multiple certification categories including FP (Financial Planner), TOEIC, TOPIK (Korean language proficiency), and 宅建士 (real estate transaction agent). The technology stack is built on Google Cloud and incorporates generative AI for personalization, with company engineers featured in Google Cloud's Leader's Story case study validating the implementation. Customer acquisition is executed through high-visibility Japanese media channels including national TV commercials featuring talent Robert Akiyama as brand ambassador, YouTube advertising, taxi advertising, and major train station placements.

The business model is B2C subscription-based with a low-friction entry point (¥550 trial) and multiple higher subscription tiers, targeting Japanese working professionals seeking flexible, on-demand exam preparation. The lean 6-person operating model is structured to leverage the broader Gakken Group's content production, distribution, and back-office infrastructure rather than building these capabilities in-house. CEO Hosoya Hitoshi, a former McKinsey director, provides strategic leadership, while the company also functions as the Gakken Group's CVC and corporate development arm through its Global Brain fund participation.

Name

㈱Gakken LEAP

Legal name

株式会社Gakken LEAP

Website

https://gakken-leap.co.jp

Company type

Private

Founded year

2021

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1–10 employees

Short description

株式会社Gakken LEAP is a six-person EdTech subsidiary of Gakken Holdings (TSE: 9470) that operates Shikaku Pass, a mobile-first subscription platform for Japanese working professionals preparing for FP, TOEIC, TOPIK, and real estate licensing exams, while serving as the group's DX and open-innovation coordinator.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Headquarters

HQ city

Tokyo

HQ country

Japan

HQ region

Asia

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Software

Cost components

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

Revenue model

1. Shikaku Pass Subscription & Course Sales: Online qualification exam preparation service generating recurring/subscription revenue from individual consumers purchasing short video courses (e.g., FP3級+2級 bundles, TOEIC Basic, Korean TOPIK, 宅建士). Sold directly via shikakupass.com with campaign pricing and discounts.
2. Ed-Tech & IT Services Consulting for Gakken Group: DX consulting and IT services for Gakken Holdings group companies and external enterprises, covering planning, design, development, implementation, and operational support of IT services and digital transformation projects.
3. Startup Investment & Open Innovation: Participates in the Global Brain Fund 8 as a corporate venture capital vehicle, investing in startups to drive next-generation education services and open innovation across the Gakken ecosystem.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion2 records

Distribution channels3 records

Marketing channels6 records

Core offering

Gakken LEAP operates Shikaku Pass, a mobile-first online qualification exam preparation platform delivering short 5-minute expert-led video lessons for certifications including FP (Financial Planner), TOEIC, Korean TOPIK, and real estate licensing (宅建士), along with curated past exam questions and progress tracking. As the wholly-owned digital transformation subsidiary of Gakken Holdings, the company also provides Ed-Tech and IT consulting services to Gakken Group companies and coordinates a broader education ecosystem spanning services for children, families, schools, and enterprises.

Product overview

株式会社Gakken LEAP operates as the Gakken Group's digital transformation and Ed-Tech subsidiary, managing a portfolio of educational services across consumer and institutional segments. The company serves as both a direct service provider (offering Shikaku Pass, a mobile-first qualification exam preparation platform featuring 5-minute video lessons) and as an ecosystem aggregator, coordinating related Gakken Group services including language learning platforms (kimini, Kotoba Park), educational systems (New Course, hugmo), nursing education (Gakken Nursing Support), and library services (Gakken Library).

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• Shikaku Pass (資格合格アプリ): Online qualification exam learning platform offering short video lectures and past exam practice through smartphone, enabling users to study for certifications in spare time.
• G-PAPILS

Products and services

• Shikaku Pass Mobile-based online qualification exam preparation platform offering short 5-minute video lessons with professional instructor content and curated past exam questions, targeted at working professionals seeking efficient certification study on smartphone.
• Manamiru (マナミル) Learning service operated by G-LEAP providing educational support content for children and families.
• Ed-Tech and IT Consulting Services DX consulting and IT services for Gakken Holdings group companies and external enterprises, covering planning, design, development, implementation, and operational support of IT services and digital transformation projects.

Quantifiable outcome

• Shikaku Pass宅建 YouTube channel: 200,000+ subscribers

Segments2 records

Ideal customer profiles1 record

Technology focussed Yes

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

AI capability4 records

Feature2 records

Scale indicators3 records

Recent moves7 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Broad incumbents

• Benesse Corporation (ベネッセコーポレーション): Major Japanese education conglomerate operating KDDI-Republish, Benesse-style testing services, and Udemy Japan — a broad incumbent with overlapping adult-learning offerings and significantly larger scale than Gakken LEAP.

Others

• RareJob (株式会社レアジョブ): Subscription-based online English conversation service for Japanese learners — adjacent to Shikaku Pass's TOEIC/Korean offerings with a comparable online subscription business model and audience, but distinct language-product category.

Emerging players

• Progate (株式会社Progate): Online programming and IT-skills education platform serving adult learners and working professionals in Japan — comparable mobile-first, video-driven EdTech model, though focused on programming/IT rather than certification prep.
• AVILEN (株式会社AVILEN): AI-focused EdTech company offering courses and corporate training in data science and AI — comparable in its Google-Cloud-aligned AI narrative and target learner (Japanese working professionals), though narrower in category.
• Studyplus (スタディプラス株式会社): Japan's leading study-tracking and learning community app — adjacent rather than directly competing, but its large installed base of self-directed learners overlaps with Shikaku Pass's persona and represents a potential distribution or partnership channel.

Direct peers

• ForTest (株式会社フォーサイト): Specializes in online qualification exam prep with a strong focus on FP and 宅建 — directly comparable to Shikaku Pass's category-leading courses and overlapping target learner (professionals seeking efficient certification study).
• KIYO Learning (スタディング運営): Operates スタディング (Study-ing), a leading Japanese mobile-first online qualification-exam preparation platform covering FP, TOEIC, 宅建, and similar certifications — the closest direct competitor to Shikaku Pass in product, audience (busy working adults), and short-video learning format.
• Udemy Japan (Benesse): Japanese arm of the global online video learning marketplace, offering subscription and per-course access to professional and certification content — overlaps with Shikaku Pass's video-based, mobile-friendly learning model for adult learners.
• schoo (株式会社Schoo): Online live and video-based learning platform for working professionals and lifelong learners in Japan — competes for the same reskilling/qualification-up audience as Shikaku Pass, with broader category breadth.
• manabo: Online qualification exam prep platform targeting working professionals with short-form video lessons for FP, TOEIC, and other certifications — competes head-to-head with Shikaku Pass on format, audience, and category coverage.

Market position

Strengths4 records

Weaknesses4 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/Gakken_LEAP
• YouTubeyoutube.com/@ShikakuPass
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/gakken-leap

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles9 records

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 ㈱Gakken LEAP