AEC Corporation

What AEC Corporation does

AEC Corporation (AEC CO.,LTD.) is a privately held Japanese company founded in 1999 and headquartered in Nagoya, Aichi Prefecture. Originally a daily goods business, the company pivoted in 2018 into fitness and now operates an integrated fitness hardware, software, and gym chain platform under multiple sub-brands. Its flagship is ECOFIT24, a 24-hour unmanned fitness gym chain priced at ¥2,980 per month (tax included ¥3,278) with 35 or more machines per store. As of June 2026 the chain has reached 61 stores nationwide and surpassed 40,000 cumulative members.

The underlying technology stack is proprietary and vertically integrated. AEC designs and sells its own commercial and home fitness machines under ECOLECO FITNESS, plus adjacent products including the ECOST dynamic stretching machine, RECOLTE pilates machine, and ECOGOLF simulation golf system. The TRESUL gym-specialized store management system is sold or licensed to operators alongside the hardware and is also used inside ECOFIT24 itself. The company monetizes through six streams: ECOFIT24 monthly memberships, ECOFIT24 FC franchise licensing, ECOLECO FITNESS equipment sales, gym-opening consulting, corporate welfare support, and simulation golf. Distribution is a hybrid of directly operated ECOFIT24 stores, franchise-operated stores, direct e-commerce for equipment, and B2B service contracts. AEC raised approximately ¥350 million in December 2025 from a four-bank syndicate (Bank of Nagoya, Juroku Bank, Ogaki Kyoritsu Bank, Shoko Chukin Bank) to fund further store rollouts.

Name

AEC Corporation

Legal name

AEC CO.,LTD.

Website

https://aec-co.net

Company type

Private

Founded year

1999

Operating status

Operating

Short description

AEC Corporation is a Japan-based fitness company operating the ECOFIT24 24-hour unmanned gym chain alongside proprietary fitness hardware (ECOLECO FITNESS), a gym management system (TRESUL), pilates and stretching machines, and a franchise program serving individual consumers and B2B operators.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Fitness Centers

NAICS

Fitness and Recreational Sports Centers (713940), Commercial and Service Industry Machinery Manufacturing (333310)

SIC

Services-Membership Sports & Recreation Clubs (7997), Sporting & Athletic Goods, Nec (3949)

akta.pro primary industry

Fitness & Wellness Operations Support (On-site Gyms/Wellness Rooms) (IMAIALAL)

akta.pro secondary industry

Fitness Equipment & Performance Accessories Retail (CRAMABAD)

Keywords

• 24-hour fitness gym
• Unmanned gym operation
• Fitness equipment sales
• Gym management software
• Gym franchise services

Headquarters

HQ city

Nagoya

HQ country

Japan

HQ region

Asia

Offices2 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

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

Revenue model

1. ECOFIT24 Membership Fees: Monthly membership fees for 24-hour access to ECOFIT24 fitness gyms. The gym operates on an unmanned model enabling low pricing while maintaining quality equipment.
2. ECOFIT24 FC (Franchise): Franchise system for ECOFIT24 allowing low investment and early recovery through proprietary machines and systems.
3. Fitness Equipment Sales (ECOLECO FITNESS): Sales of commercial and home fitness machines under the ECOLECO FITNESS brand, serving both gym operators and individual consumers.
4. Gym Opening Support Services: Consulting services for gym opening, combining machine installation expertise from ECOLECO FITNESS and self-operated gym experience from ECOFIT24.
5. Welfare Support Services: Corporate wellness programs combining ECOLECO FITNESS machines with TRESUL system to support employee health management.
6. Simulation Golf (ECOGOLF): Simulation golf business using high-speed dual camera technology for high-quality golf simulation experience.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion2 records

Distribution channels3 records

Marketing channels3 records

Core offering

AEC Corporation (AEC CO.,LTD.) operates the ECOFIT24 24-hour unmanned fitness gym chain across Japan with 61 stores and 40,000+ cumulative members at a 2,980 yen/month subscription price. The company also manufactures and sells proprietary fitness machines under the ECOLECO FITNESS brand, licenses the TRESUL gym management software system, and offers gym-opening consulting and franchise (ECOFIT24 FC) programs.

Product overview

AEC Corporation operates a unified fitness ecosystem centered around ECOFIT24, its 24-hour unmanned fitness gym chain, supported by proprietary products including ECOLECO FITNESS (fitness machines), TRESUL (gym management system), and ECOGOLF (simulation golf). The company offers related services including gym opening consultation, franchise programs (ECOFIT24 FC), and corporate employee welfare support, all leveraging its self-developed machine and system technology to create a comprehensive fitness business model.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• ECOFIT24: 24-hour unmanned fitness gym chain offering monthly membership at 2,980 yen with high-quality free weights and machines.
• ECOLECO FITNESS
• ECOST
• RECOLTE
• TRESUL
• ECOGOLF
• ECOFIT24 FC
• GYM OPENING SUPPORT
• WELFARE SUPPORT

Products and services

• ECOFIT24 24-hour unmanned fitness gym chain offering monthly memberships at 2,980 yen (tax included 3,278 yen) with 35+ fitness machines per location including cardio, strength training, and free weights, targeting individual fitness consumers across Japan.
• ECOLECO FITNESS Fitness machine brand offering commercial and home gym equipment including treadmills and strength training machines at low prices while maintaining high quality, sold to gym operators and individual consumers.
• ECOST

Quantifiable outcome

• Expanded to 61 stores nationwide with 40,000+ cumulative members
• +1 more outcomes

Named customers1 record

Segments1 record

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed Yes

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature5 records

Scale indicators4 records

Recent moves5 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Direct peers

• FASTGYM24: FASTGYM24 is a 24-hour unmanned fitness chain in Japan, highly comparable to ECOFIT24 in operating model, target customer, and price positioning.
• Tipness: Tipness runs a network of fitness clubs in Japan including 24-hour formats, overlapping with ECOFIT24's value proposition of accessible, anytime-access fitness for individual consumers.
• JOYFIT: JOYFIT operates a nationwide chain of 24-hour fitness gyms in Japan under JCF. Direct competitor to ECOFIT24 in mid-price 24-hour access fitness, with broader studio and amenity offerings.
• Curves Japan: Curves operates a chain of women-only 30-minute circuit training gyms in Japan. A direct peer in the chain-fitness category, with a more niche, gender- and format-focused positioning than ECOFIT24.
• Fast Fitness Japan (Anytime Fitness Japan): Master franchisee of Anytime Fitness in Japan, operating a large 24-hour access fitness chain. Direct peer to ECOFIT24 in the 24-hour budget fitness segment, though typically staffed during business hours.
• RIZAP Group (chocoZAP): RIZAP Group's chocoZAP is a 24-hour unmanned fitness gym chain in Japan, the most direct competitor to ECOFIT24 in the low-price, unmanned 24/7 segment, with significantly larger scale and brand recognition.

Broad incumbents

• Central Sports: Central Sports is a long-established full-service fitness and swim club operator in Japan. A broad incumbent competing in the same end market as ECOFIT24 but with premium service offerings and staffed facilities.
• KONAMI Sports Club: KONAMI Sports is a large, established full-service fitness club operator in Japan with broader facilities (pools, studios, kids). A broad incumbent against which ECOFIT24 competes on price and accessibility rather than amenity breadth.
• Gold's Gym Japan: Gold's Gym operates premium fitness facilities in Japan, targeting serious training customers. A broad incumbent in the same fitness category as ECOFIT24, with the opposite end of the price/positioning spectrum.

Emerging players

• Feelfit: Feelfit is a smaller emerging 24-hour unmanned fitness chain in Japan. Compares to ECOFIT24 as a similarly formatted but less scaled emerging player in the same niche.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles1 record

Funding overview

Funding rounds1 record

Investors4 records

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 AEC Corporation