RICH

What RICH does

株式会社RICH (RICH Inc.) is a Hokuriku-region business consulting and startup support firm founded in November 2023 and headquartered (as of June 2026) in Komatsu City, Ishikawa Prefecture, Japan. The company operates with 10 employees plus a contracted network of expert advisors, and provides hands-on (伴走型) new business development services to small and mid-market enterprises, universities, and researchers in the Toyama, Ishikawa, and Fukui prefectures. Service offerings include business plan formulation, new business launch support, intellectual property strategy, DX/AI adoption support, investment evaluation, public funding application support, and sustained accompaniment through execution. The company serves as the execution organization for the Hokuriku RDX (HOKURIKU Regional DX) platform, an industry-academia-government-finance collaboration initiative that originated from METI's J-NEXUS program in 2021 and transitioned to a permanent, subsidy-independent structure in April 2026.

RICH's core differentiator is its Shared Value fee model (Shared Value方式), under which consulting fees are tied to the outcomes and profits generated by the client's new business rather than upfront fixed fees. This reduces financial barriers for SMEs and university researchers while aligning RICH's incentives with client success. The company supplements this with access to a senior expert network including board members from I-O Data Device, Mitani Sangyo, Being Holdings, and senior counsel from leading Tokyo legal and IP firms. Go-to-market is consultative and relationship-based, relying on direct engagement, government subsidy referrals, the HOKURIKU Innovation Summit, content marketing (note.com, blog, CEO column), and the Hokuriku RDX partner network of 34 participating organizations including four national universities, regional banks, and DBJ.

Revenue is derived from three primary streams: (1) outcome-based Shared Value consulting fees, (2) government contract services under METI and SME Agency subsidy programs (4-year consecutive Innovation Producer selection; 2-year consecutive Regional Core Enterprise Support selection), and (3) traditional project-based professional consulting fees. Capital of ¥43 million was raised at founding from approximately 29 Hokuriku-based angel investors. Revenue figures are not publicly disclosed.

Name

RICH

Legal name

株式会社RICH

Website

https://rich-hokuriku.co.jp

Company type

Private

Founded year

2023

Operating status

Operating

Short description

株式会社RICH is a Hokuriku-region consulting firm providing hands-on new business creation, IP strategy, and DX support to regional SMEs, universities, and researchers, operating as the execution organization for the Hokuriku RDX industry-academia-government-finance collaboration platform under an outcome-based Shared Value fee model.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Headquarters

HQ city

Nomi

HQ country

Japan

HQ region

Asia

Offices2 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

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

Revenue model

1. Shared Value Consulting Fees: Fees for business consulting services are tied to the outcomes and profits generated by the client's new business. Clients pay from the value created, reducing upfront financial burden. This aligns RICH's incentives with client success.
2. Government Contract Services: RICH is continuously selected for government subsidy programs (METI, SME Agency), earning fees for delivering肩型支援 services under government contracts. These include Innovation Producer programs and regional core enterprise support initiatives.
3. Professional Consulting Services: Direct consulting engagements including business plan development, IP strategy, DX support, investment evaluation, and hands-on business coaching, billed through traditional project-based fees in some engagements.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion3 records

Distribution channels2 records

Marketing channels6 records

Core offering

RICH is a Hokuriku-region business consulting and new business creation support firm that helps SMEs, universities, and research institutions commercialize innovations through hands-on accompaniment. It provides business planning, IP strategy, DX support, investment evaluation, public funding applications, and Shared Value (outcome-tied fee) consulting, while operating as the execution organization for the Hokuriku RDX industry-academia-government-finance platform.

Product overview

RICH operates as a consulting and business support services company offering a portfolio of professional services including business planning, new business launch support, investment evaluation, intellectual property strategy, public funding support, policy development, and hands-on accompaniment services. The company employs a unique Shared Value model where compensation is tied to successful outcomes. RICH also serves as the execution organization for the Hokuriku RDX platform, an industry-academia-government-finance collaboration initiative supporting regional innovation in the Hokuriku region (Toyama, Ishikawa, Fukui). Services are delivered through a network of top-class experts in technology, legal affairs, intellectual property, and finance.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Shared Value Support Service
• Hokuriku RDX Platform

Quantifiable outcome

• 54+ 推進計画 supported over 5 years, resulting in new product orders, major corporate partnerships, and government subsidy acquisitions
• +1 more outcomes

Named customers6 records

Segments4 records

Ideal customer profiles4 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature1 record

Partnerships

Eleven partnerships are on record, tiered minor and core.

• 株式会社WarisminorStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 June 2025Tokyo-based consulting company specializing in female workplace advancement. RICH used Waris's employment rule template to design its new internal work rules (2025). Waris's co-founders provided commentary on this initiative as a model for regional companies.
• 富山大学coreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 March 2021National university in Toyama Prefecture. Part of the Hokuriku RDX core consortium as a participating university. RICH collaborates with Toyama University on industry-academia linkage, technology commercialization, and hands-on business support for regional companies.
• 金沢大学coreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 March 2021National university in Ishikawa Prefecture. As a core participating university in Hokuriku RDX, Kanazawa University works with RICH on promoting industry-academia collaboration, supporting faculty researchers, and facilitating technology commercialization through the consortium.
• 福井大学coreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 March 2021National university in Fukui Prefecture. Participates in the Hokuriku RDX consortium and collaborates with RICH on industry-academia partnership, technology transfer, and joint support for regional enterprises and researchers.
• 北陸先端科学技術大学院大学 (JAIST)coreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 March 2021Japan Advanced Institute of Science and Technology. A core university partner in the Hokuriku RDX consortium. JAIST collaborates extensively with RICH on advanced science and technology commercialization, startup support, and innovation ecosystem development.
• 一般財団法人北陸産業活性化センターcoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 March 2021Core consortium member and secretariat organization for Hokuriku RDX. RICH operates as the execution function of Hokuriku RDX, with the center serving as the secretariat and RICH providing hands-on support services for supported companies.
• 公益財団法人石川県産業創出支援機構 (ISICO)coreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 March 2021Public support organization for Ishikawa companies. Core member of Hokuriku RDX. Collaborates with RICH in referring companies for hands-on support and co-implementing regional enterprise support programs.
• ふくい産業支援センターcoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 March 2021Public support organization for Fukui companies. Core member of Hokuriku RDX. Works with RICH on supporting Fukui-based enterprises through industry-academia-government collaboration.
• 富山県新世紀産業機構coreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 March 2021Public support organization for Toyama companies. Core member of Hokuriku RDX. Collaborates with RICH on regional enterprise support and new business creation in Toyama Prefecture.
• 森・濱田松本律师事务所coreImplementation/ SI/ Consulting Partner · 1 March 2021Leading Tokyo law firm providing legal and project finance expertise. RICH's board member Maeda Hiroshi is a senior counsel at this firm, and multiple lawyers serve as RICH advisors (IP, legal). This firm is a cooperating organization in Hokuriku RDX.
• RYUKA国際特許事務所coreImplementation/ SI/ Consulting Partner · 1 March 2021International patent firm providing IP strategy advisory to RICH and its client companies. RICH's IP advisor 龍華明裕 serves as director of this firm. Cooperating organization in the Hokuriku RDX network.

Scale indicators5 records

Recent moves7 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Others

• New Energy and Industrial Technology Development Organization (NEDO): Japanese government organization promoting industrial technology, R&D, and startup support through funding programs. Overlaps with RICH as a key Japanese innovation ecosystem actor and potential program partner/competitor for government-backed projects.
• Japan External Trade Organization (JETRO): Government-related organization supporting Japanese companies' overseas expansion and inbound investment. Relevant peer in the public-sector business-support ecosystem, occasionally collaborating with regional consulting firms on cross-border projects.

Direct peers

• Leave a Nest Co., Ltd. Japanese deep-tech and science-based startup support company that bridges universities, corporates, and researchers to commercialize technology. Operates a similar ecosystem-orchestration model connecting regional research talent with corporate and investor partners.
• Industrial Growth Platform, Inc. (IGPI): Japan-based management consulting and investment firm specializing in corporate turnaround, new business creation, and regional revitalization. Highly comparable in providing senior-led consulting plus hands-on execution support for SMEs and mid-market companies.
• Plug and Play Japan: Japan arm of the global Plug and Play innovation platform, running corporate-startup accelerator programs. Comparable to RICH in serving as an intermediary that connects SMEs and startups with large enterprises and capital, with a focus on program-based engagement.

Broad incumbents

• KPMG Consulting Japan: Big-4-affiliated advisory firm in Japan covering strategy, management consulting, and innovation support. Comparable offering scope (business planning, IP, M&A support) but serves a fundamentally different client segment than RICH's regional SMEs.
• Boston Consulting Group Japan: Global strategy consulting leader with a Tokyo office serving Japanese enterprises and government entities. Overlaps with RICH in business strategy and innovation advisory but at far higher price points and serving primarily large-cap clients.
• Accenture Japan: Global consulting and technology services firm with deep Japan presence. Competes in DX support, strategy consulting, and innovation services that overlap with RICH's service portfolio, though targeting large-enterprise rather than regional SME clients.
• Deloitte Tohmatsu Consulting: Big-4-affiliated consulting firm offering broad strategy, technology, and operations consulting in Japan. Overlaps with RICH's business planning, DX, and new business creation offerings, but serves enterprise clients with a much larger delivery model and price point.

Emerging players

• Recruit Works Institute: Japanese research and advisory organization focused on workforce, regional economy, and productivity topics. Comparable in publishing insights and convening stakeholders around regional innovation, though primarily research-oriented rather than execution-focused.

Market position

Strengths4 records

Weaknesses4 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles8 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 RICH