Innovation Partners

What Innovation Partners does

Innovation Partners (株式会社イノベーションパートナーズ) is a Tokyo-based, privately held Japanese regional revitalization firm founded December 5, 2018, operating as a subsidiary of Hibiya Kadan (日比谷花壇). The company runs four integrated business lines: HK Business (house agency for Hibiya Kadan's flower e-commerce, subscription, wedding, and funeral digital properties), Promotion Business (PR, branding, web/video/event production), Regional Revitalization Business (consulting, satellite offices, workation for municipalities and ryokans), and Education/Training (DX human resource development at 242,000 JPY per person and Regional Revitalization Producer training at 63,000 JPY per session). Its core proprietary platform is the "hot spring ryokan office model," in which traditional Japanese inns convert underutilized guest rooms into corporate satellite offices and workcation spaces, first implemented at Wataya Bessou in Ureshino, Saga, in 2020.

The company serves four primary customer segments: local governments and municipalities (Ureshino, Arita, Taku, Myoko, Gamagori, Kashima), hot spring ryokans seeking new revenue streams (Wataya Bessou, Hirano-ya, Ginpa-so, Lotte Arai Resort), regional producers and SMBs needing digital/EC support (multiple Ureshino tea farms, Arita pottery makers, Okinawa mozuku brand Shi-works), and enterprises seeking rural satellite offices. Its go-to-market combines direct enterprise field sales via location agreements with municipal governments, inside sales through website contact forms, and on-site satellite office facilities as both product and channel. Revenue is generated through professional services fees, EC revenue share (Hit Making EC at 10,000 JPY + 9,800 JPY/month), satellite office and workation subscriptions (e.g., Niigata Well-being Stage from 500,000 JPY/month), and managed services for the Hibiya Kadan portfolio.

Disclosed revenue for the 6th fiscal period was 3.2億円 (320 million JPY). The company operates nine locations across Japan, was awarded the 2023 Cabinet Office Minister for Regional Revitalization Award, and is led by CEO Honda Shinichiro with Wataya Bessou CEO Ohara Yoshiakira as outside director.

Name

Innovation Partners

Legal name

株式会社イノベーションパートナーズ

Website

https://innovation-partners.jp

Company type

Private

Founded year

2018

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1–10 employees

Short description

Innovation Partners is a Tokyo-based Japanese firm (founded 2018) that operates hot spring ryokan satellite offices, regional revitalization consulting, and house-agency digital services for parent Hibiya Kadan, serving municipalities, ryokans, regional producers, and rural satellite-office tenants across nine Japan locations.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Regional Revitalization and Marketing Services

NAICS

Management Consulting Services (54161), Advertising Agencies (541810), Advertising, Public Relations, and Related Services (5418)

SIC

Services-Management Consulting Services (8742), Services-Advertising Agencies (7311)

akta.pro primary industry

Innovation, Product & R&D Consulting (BPAHACAM)

Keywords

• Regional revitalization consulting
• Branding and promotion services
• Satellite office leasing
• E-commerce enablement
• Workation services

Headquarters

HQ city

Tokyo

HQ country

Japan

HQ region

Asia

Offices9 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

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

Revenue model

1. Regional Revitalization Consulting & Promotion Services: Revenue generated from consulting fees for regional revitalization projects, branding support for local governments, corporate promotion campaigns, and site production for municipalities and businesses. Services include website production, PR strategy, event planning, and corporate promotion.
2. Hit Making EC (Revenue Share): EC site construction and sales promotion support for regional products using a revenue-share model. Initial cost is minimal (10,000 JPY + 9,800 JPY/month), with the company taking a share of EC sales generated. Supports local product branding, sales route optimization, and PR promotion.
3. Satellite Office Sublease & Workcation Services: Rental income from leasing renovated guest rooms in hot spring ryokans as satellite offices to companies, plus workcation membership fees offering workspace rental, concierge services, and local experience content.
4. HK (House Agency) Services for Hibiya Kadan Group: As the house agency for Hibiya Kadan Group, the company earns fees for operating digital marketing, EC site management, PR, and platform services for flower gift sites (hibiyakadan.com), subscription services (Hana no Hi 365days), wedding services, and funeral services.
5. Education & Training Programs: Revenue from DX human resource development training (242,000 JPY per person for 12-hour programs) and Regional Revitalization Producer training programs (63,000 JPY for first session), targeting local government staff, corporate employees, and entrepreneurs.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion2 records

Distribution channels4 records

Marketing channels5 records

Core offering

Innovation Partners provides regional revitalization consulting, branding and marketing/promotion services, and digital operations (including house-agency support for the Hibiya Kadan Group). It operates Japan's first satellite offices inside hot spring ryokans, runs a workation membership program, delivers EC site development and revenue-share sales support for regional producers, and offers training programs for regional revitalization producers and DX human resource development.

Product overview

Innovation Partners Inc. is a Japanese regional revitalization company offering a portfolio of integrated services rather than a unified software product. The core offerings include: HK Business (house agency services for Hibiya Kadan Group covering digital marketing and e-commerce operations), Promotion Business (comprehensive marketing, PR, and production services), Regional Revitalization Business (consulting for local governments and businesses), and Education/Training Services (regional producer training and DX human resource development). Key sub-brands include Onsen Workation (workation services at hot spring inns), Niigata Well-being Stage (satellite offices at Lotte Arai Resort), Hit Making EC Service (e-commerce support for regional products), the Wataya Bessou Corporate Location Project (converting inn rooms to offices), and Onsen Incubation Center (startup support facility). The company operates multiple satellite offices across Japan (Saga, Niigata, Arita, Taku, Myoko, Gamagori, Kashima, Tokushima, Izu) and focuses on regional revitalization through tourism promotion, company recruitment, and local product branding.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• HK Business (Hibiya Kadan House Agency)

Named customers10 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

Partnerships

Twelve partnerships are on record, tiered minor, core and flagship.

• ENGAWA株式会社minorStrategic or Co-development Partner · 8 April 2024ENGAWA and Innovation Partners signed a business partnership in regional revitalization to strengthen global perspective, high-value-addition for primary products, and relationship population creation. The partnership enhances inbound tourism promotion and international marketing capabilities for regional clients.
• 平野屋・旬景浪漫銀波荘 (Hirano-ya / Ginpa-so)coreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 30 September 2023Two historic ryokans in Gamagori (Hirano-ya and Ginpa-so) partnered with Innovation Partners to renovate guest rooms into satellite offices, implementing the 'Ureshino Model' in Aichi Prefecture. These ryokans leverage Aichi Prefecture's accommodation high-value-addition subsidy program for facility renovations.
• 愛知県蒲郡市 (Gamagori City)coreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 22 September 2023Gamagori City partnered with Innovation Partners for a comprehensive regional revitalization initiative including satellite office development in local ryokans, primary industry activation (mandarin oranges, deep-sea fish), and tourism promotion. The city provides subsidies for high-value-added accommodation facility renovations. Innovation Partners opened Gamagori Neighborworks as its first central region base in April 2024.
• あいおいニッセイ同和損害保険株式会社 (Aioi Nissay Dowa)minorStrategic or Co-development Partner · 31 August 2023Aioi Nissay Dowa Insurance signed a comprehensive partnership with Innovation Partners and Wataya Bessou to provide risk consulting services for companies in the Onsen Incubation Center and satellite office ecosystem. The partnership supports startups and local businesses with risk management as part of the regional revitalization ecosystem.
• 新潟県妙高市 (Myoko City)coreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 9 August 2022Myoko City signed a mutual cooperation agreement with Innovation Partners for regional revitalization through satellite offices and workcation programs. The city provides relocation subsidies and administrative support while Innovation Partners operates the Niigata Well-being Stage satellite office at Lotte Arai Resort and promotes regional tourism.
• ロッテアライリゾート (Lotte Arai Resort)coreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 9 August 2022Lotte Arai Resort hosts the Niigata Well-being Stage satellite office in its NEST building. The partnership enables companies to lease renovated guest rooms as offices while accessing resort facilities (ski resort, hot springs, pool, gym). Lotte Arai Resort's 245-room, all-season resort provides the infrastructure for the workcation model.
• 和多屋別荘 (Wataya Bessou)flagshipStrategic or Co-development Partner · 7 May 2020Flagship partnership with 70-year-old hot spring ryokan in Ureshino. Wataya Bessou is Innovation Partners' original and most significant partner, hosting the first Japan-in-hot-spring-ryokan satellite office (2020), the Onsen Incubation Center (OIC) co-founded in 2022, and multiple joint business development initiatives including Reborn Wataya Project, workcation services, and the Hit Making EC regional product initiative. Wataya Bessou representative Ohara Yoshiakira serves as outside director of Innovation Partners since December 2023.
• 日比谷花壇 (Hibiya Kadan)flagshipStrategic or Co-development PartnerInnovation Partners is the HK (house agency) for Hibiya Kadan Group, operating digital marketing, EC sites, and PR for Hibiya Kadan's flower businesses including hibiyakadan.com, Hana no Hi 365days subscription, Hibiya Kadan Wedding, and Hibiya Kadan funeral services. Hibiya Kadan is also the parent company, providing group resources and brand credibility. The partnership also enables flower-related content and events at partner ryokans.
• 多久市 (Taku City)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerTaku City signed a mutual cooperation agreement with Innovation Partners for regional revitalization, including corporate attraction, digital support for local businesses, and tourism promotion. The city provides the TAQUA resort facility for the Taku Incubation Center, along with municipal subsidy programs for businesses relocating to the area.
• 有田町 (Arita Town)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerArita Town signed a location agreement with Innovation Partners for the ARITA Creator House satellite office, with a focus on supporting Arita pottery (有田焼) makers' digital transformation and EC sales expansion. The office is located in the traditional preservation district area of Arita.
• Flags NiigataminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerFlags Niigata (800+ members, Gen Z/Millennial Niigata natives) collaborates with Innovation Partners on office concept design and construction for the Niigata Well-being Stage, providing local insight and community engagement for the Myoko satellite office project.
• レグナテック株式会社 (Regna-tech)minorChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorFurniture manufacturer Regna-tech supplies office furniture for Innovation Partners' satellite offices under the 'ROOT' brand, supporting the 'live like you live there' concept. Collaboration includes furniture sales and leasing services for companies moving into satellite offices.

Scale indicators5 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Broad incumbents

• Hakuhodo Inc. Hakuhodo is Japan's second-largest advertising and PR agency with regional revitalization, branding, and tourism promotion practices - overlapping Innovation Partners' Promotion Business on branding, PR strategy, and event production at much broader scale.
• Pasona Group: Pasona Group is a broad Japanese HR, employment, and regional revitalization firm operating Temp Staff, BPO, and government-facing regional employment programs - comparable to Innovation Partners in the regional revitalization and corporate attraction domains, but with much broader scale.
• Recruit Holdings: Recruit operates Japan's leading job-matching, real estate, and lifestyle platforms including regional hiring products - comparable to Innovation Partners' corporate attraction and regional matching activities, though Recruit is vastly broader in scope.
• Dentsu Inc. Dentsu is Japan's largest advertising agency group with extensive government, regional promotion, and tourism marketing practices - directly comparable to Innovation Partners' promotion and regional PR activities, but at portfolio scale across many industries.
• Hibiya Kadan (日比谷花壇): Hibiya Kadan is Innovation Partners' parent company and Japan's largest flower company, with which Innovation Partners runs the HK (house agency) business across ecommerce, subscription, wedding, and funeral verticals - overlapping on digital marketing, EC, and brand operations at parent scale.

Others

• Aioi Nissay Dowa Insurance: Aioi Nissay Dowa is a partner that provides risk consulting services into Innovation Partners' Onsen Incubation Center ecosystem - comparable as a complementary insurance and risk advisory provider targeting the same startup and corporate satellite office clients.
• Regna-tech Co., Ltd. Regna-tech supplies the ROOT brand office furniture used in Innovation Partners' satellite offices - comparable as a satellite-office furnishing partner enabling Innovation Partners' 'live like you live there' positioning.

Regional players

• Wataya Bessou (和多屋別荘): Wataya Bessou is the flagship hot spring ryokan partner in Ureshino whose guest-room conversion into a satellite office originated Innovation Partners' core model - comparable as a Saga-based hot spring ryokan offering workation and corporate office experiences.

Direct peers

• Relo Club (Relo Group): Relo Club operates Japan's largest workation membership program with resort, hot spring, and rural facility partnerships - directly comparable to Innovation Partners' Onsen Workation subscription service and Niigata Well-being Stage satellite office offering.
• ENGAWA Co., Ltd. ENGAWA is a Japanese regional revitalization and inbound tourism consultancy that partners with municipalities and regions on promotion, workation, and international marketing - directly comparable to Innovation Partners' regional revitalization and promotion business lines.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks5 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 Innovation Partners