Digital Twins

What Digital Twins does

Digital Twins (株式会社 Digital Twins) is a privately-held Japanese engineering services firm headquartered in Susono City, Shizuoka Prefecture, that provides digital twin simulation technology and Model-Based Development (MBD) support to the automotive industry. The company develops a library of pre-built vehicle and component simulation models—including full EV, HV (hybrid), and engine vehicle models, plus battery, battery thermal, motor/generator, three-phase inverter, brake actuator, and injector models—all built using the international standard Hardware Description Language IEC61691-6 (VHDL-AMS). These models support Software-In-the-Loop Simulation (SILS) and enable virtual testing and digital authentication intended to reduce reliance on physical prototypes across automotive development cycles. The portfolio also extends to non-automotive simulation, including a solar panel model and a hydrogen system model delivered under a RIKEN contract.

Revenue is generated through three streams: one-time licensing of pre-built simulation models (including educational licenses to international universities), professional services for MBD technical consulting and embedded control development, and government/research contracts such as Japan's METI FY2020 'Next-Generation Automotive Development Simulation Platform Project,' a RIKEN hydrogen system engagement, and a Shizuoka Prefecture FY2023 grant. The company maintains a multi-tier partner ecosystem spanning measurement/processing firms, engine prototyping shops, vehicle modifiers, and embedded control developers, allowing it to deliver end-to-end digital twin implementation plus physical verification capabilities to automotive OEMs and suppliers.

Digital Twins is founder-led by CEO Kimitoshi Tsuji (辻 公壽), who brings 5 years of semiconductor R&D experience and 31 years at a major automotive OEM spanning power electronics, EV and HV vehicle development, and advanced engine development. The firm markets primarily through JSAE forums, the international EVTeC conference, technical YouTube content, and direct inquiry-led sales. Despite its small scale, it has earned niche-technology recognition (featured in the 'Niche Enterprise Name Directory' (技術を楽 しむニッチ企業名鑑) in 2024) and continues to present and host seminars at Japanese automotive and academic forums through 2026.

Name

Digital Twins

Legal name

株式会社　Digital Twins

Website

https://hp-digital-twins.com

Company type

Private

Operating status

Operating

Short description

Digital Twins is a Japanese engineering firm providing Model-Based Development digital twin simulation models and MBD consulting to automotive OEMs, suppliers, and educational institutions, leveraging VHDL-AMS (IEC61691-6) standards for EV, HV, and engine vehicle simulation.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Automotive Engineering Simulation Software

NAICS

Other Measuring and Controlling Device Manufacturing (334519)

SIC

Industrial Instruments For Measurement, Display, And Control (3823)

akta.pro primary industry

Automotive & Mobility Simulation (powertrain, aerodynamics, ADAS twins) (HDAGAEAG)

akta.pro secondary industries

Digital Twin for Manufacturing & Production Optimization (IMAIAMAO), Digital Twins & Scenario-Based Systems Training (Equipment/Process Simulators) (EDAFAJAJ)

Keywords

• Digital twin simulation
• Vehicle modeling
• Model-based development
• Automotive simulation
• Embedded control

Headquarters

HQ city

Susono

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. Digital Twin Model Sales and Licensing: Sale and licensing of simulation models including EV models, engine models, and solar panel models. EV models are licensed to international universities for educational purposes. Models can be customized (e.g., modifying parameters for different vehicles).
2. Government and Research Contracts: Digital twin consulting and technical support services under government-funded programs and research contracts. Includes METI 'Next-Generation Automotive Development Acceleration Simulation Platform Project' and collaborations with RIKEN (Rikagaku Kenkyuusho).
3. Technical Consulting and MBD Support: Model-Based Development (MBD) technical consulting and embedded control development support for automotive OEMs and suppliers.

Go-to-market motion3 records

Distribution channels2 records

Marketing channels4 records

Core offering

Digital Twins sells and licenses standardized digital twin simulation models for electric, hybrid, and engine vehicles, plus component subsystems (battery, motor/generator, inverter, brake actuator, injector, solar panel), all built on international standard HDL IEC61691-6 (VHDL-AMS). The company complements these models with Model-Based Development (MBD) consulting services and embedded control development support for automotive OEMs, suppliers, and educational institutions. Customers can purchase pre-built models, request customized variants, or commission new model development under technical consulting engagements.

Product overview

Digital Twins provides digital twin consulting and technical services for manufacturing DX and cloud-based production. The portfolio centers on Model-Based Development (MBD) support services encompassing digital twin implementation consulting and embedded control development support. The core offering consists of simulation models across two domains: (1) Automotive technologies including EV vehicle models, HV vehicle models, engine vehicle models (average map level and transient/simple combustion), battery models, battery thermal models, motor/generator models, three-phase vector control and inverter models, brake actuator models, and injector models; and (2) Environmental technologies including solar panel models. All automotive models are developed using international standard HDL IEC61691-6 and support SILS (Software-in-the-Loop Simulation) applications through C code or DLL implementations. The company also offers commissioned model development and identification services using actual vehicle measurement.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Digital Twin Support / Model-Based Development (MBD) Support Core consulting and technical support service for digital twin implementation, leveraging simulation models for automotive development including EV, HV, and engine vehicle models. Targeted at automotive OEMs and suppliers requiring MBD expertise.
• Embedded Control Support Technical support for embedded control systems, primarily focused on the automotive sector, providing expertise in control development and implementation in collaboration with embedded control partner companies.
• EV Vehicle Model Electric vehicle simulation model developed using international standard HDL IEC61691-6, enabling energy efficiency and powertrain performance calculations through customizable vehicle parameters, motor characteristic maps, and battery characteristic maps. Control can be implemented in C code or DLL for SILS. Available for license to automotive OEMs, suppliers, and overseas universities.
• HV Vehicle Model Hybrid vehicle simulation model enabling fuel economy and powertrain performance analysis through customizable vehicle parameters and engine characteristic maps.
• Engine Vehicle Model Full engine vehicle simulation model developed using HDL IEC61691-6, available at average-map and transient/simple-combustion levels, allowing fuel economy, performance, vibration, and control development analyses through customizable engine characteristic maps.
• Battery and Battery Thermal Models Battery simulation model and battery thermal model for EV and hybrid vehicle development, supporting battery performance, lifecycle, and thermal management analysis.
• Motor/Generator and Inverter Models Motor and generator simulation model paired with a three-phase vector control and inverter model for electric powertrain analysis, optimization, and power electronics applications.
• Brake Actuator and Injector Models Brake actuator simulation model for vehicle dynamics/safety system development and injector simulation model for fuel injection system analysis in engine development.
• Commercial / Convoy Vehicle Model Commercial/conveyor vehicle simulation model for logistics and transportation simulation applications.
• Solar Panel Model Solar panel simulation model for environmental technology applications and renewable energy analysis.

Quantifiable outcome

• Digital twin models enable virtual testing reducing the need for physical prototypes
• +2 more outcomes

Named customers4 records

Segments3 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed Yes

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature9 records

Partnerships

Three partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• Measurement, Processing, and Engine Prototyping Companies (Measurement/加工・エンジン試作企業群)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerEcosystem of partner companies specializing in measurement, processing, engine prototyping, and vehicle modification. These partners enable the company to offer comprehensive digital twin solutions including both virtual simulation and physical verification capabilities. The company leverages these partnerships to provide services that automotive OEMs cannot easily access internally.
• Embedded Control Development Companies (組み込み制御開発企業)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartner companies specializing in embedded control development. These partnerships extend the company's digital twin offerings to include actual embedded control implementation and SILS (Software-In-the-Loop Simulation) validation, creating an end-to-end solution from virtual modeling to real-world deployment.
• TechnoPro Co., Ltd. (株式会社テクノプロ)minorChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorListed as a business transaction/collaboration partner. TechnoPro is a major Japanese engineering services company with a Design Division (テクノプロ・デザイン社) serving automotive and manufacturing clients.

Scale indicators3 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Direct peers

• AVL: AVL is a leading automotive powertrain and vehicle development company with its own simulation toolchain (AVL CRUISE, FIRE). It competes head-on with Digital Twins in EV/HV/ICE vehicle modeling for OEMs, particularly in the Japanese market.
• VI-grade: VI-grade provides vehicle dynamics and NVH simulation software used by automotive OEMs. It is a focused competitor in the vehicle and powertrain digital-twin segment Digital Twins serves.
• Maplesoft: Maplesoft (MapleSim) is a Modelica-based multi-domain modeling environment for automotive and mechanical system simulation. Like Digital Twins, it serves engineers building reusable component and vehicle models.
• dSPACE: dSPACE provides hardware-in-the-loop and software-in-the-loop simulation tools for automotive ECU and powertrain development. Digital Twins' SILS-capable VHDL-AMS models compete with dSPACE's vehicle and plant models in the same MBD workflow.
• MathWorks: MathWorks (MATLAB/Simulink/Simscape) is the dominant MBD and automotive simulation platform. Digital Twins competes for the same MBD budget pool at automotive OEMs and suppliers, with its IEC61691-6 models acting as a complementary or alternative content layer.

Broad incumbents

• ANSYS: ANSYS provides multiphysics simulation (electronics, fluids, structures) widely used in automotive development. It competes in battery, motor, and electronics simulation segments where Digital Twins' component models operate.
• Altair Engineering: Altair provides multi-physics simulation and digital-twin tools (especially MotionSolve, Flux) used in automotive mechanical, electric, and battery development, overlapping with Digital Twins' component model library.
• Siemens Digital Industries Software: Siemens (Simcenter, Amesim) offers a broad CAE/MBD portfolio that includes vehicle, powertrain, and battery simulation. It is a deep-pocketed incumbent competing for the same automotive simulation wallet as Digital Twins.
• Dassault Systèmes: Dassault Systèmes (CATIA, SIMULIA) provides integrated automotive engineering and simulation. Its broad systems engineering platform competes for the same OEM digital-twin and MBD engagements.

Emerging players

• Synopsys: Synopsys provides VHDL-AMS-based electronic system-level and analog/mixed-signal simulation tools. As a fellow VHDL-AMS ecosystem participant, it is technically adjacent to Digital Twins' IEC61691-6 model stack.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 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 Digital Twins