What WAKEI does

WAKEI Inc. (和慧株式会社) is a Tokyo-headquartered digital marketing firm founded in October 2025 by CEO Takeshi Iryo, structured around two integrated service lines that monetize the Japan–Taiwan cross-border corridor. The first line is a platform-agnostic Independent Trading Desk (ITD) that runs programmatic advertising campaigns across app, CTV, DOOH, and web inventory using third-party demand-side platforms, with positioning that emphasizes transparency and zero media-owner markup. The second is a Japan–Taiwan cross-border marketing service providing end-to-end strategic planning, execution, and co-marketing programs for Japanese brands entering Taiwan and Taiwanese brands entering Japan.

The company builds its competitive offering on proprietary audience data accessed via partnership rather than owned infrastructure: Taiwan's largest consumer purchase database (4 billion+ records, 9M+ app downloads via Invos Data), Taiwanese travel itinerary data (Funliday), and aggregated behavioral signals (MicroAd's UNIVERSE platform aggregating 220+ enterprise data partners in Japan). The model enables pre-trip, during-trip, and post-trip behavioral tracking of Taiwanese consumers, packaged into offerings such as 'Funliday Offers' (launched February 2026) and an Invos Data coupon program (launched March 2026).

WAKEI generates revenue through advertising spend management on its ITD business and through professional services for cross-border marketing engagements; pricing is quote-based and not publicly disclosed. Distribution is concentrated in enterprise field sales led by VP of Sales Tomoya Kawaguchi (joined July 2026), supplemented by strategic partner referrals from Ho-Chwan Investment (the co-founding family investment vehicle of Taiwan's Hotai Group) and MicroAd. The company is privately held, capitalized at approximately JPY 130 million (~USD 850K) following a June 2026 seed round led by Ho-Chwan Investment and MicroAd, and operates with 1-10 employees from its headquarters at GranTokyo South Tower in Marunouchi.

Name

WAKEI

Legal name

和慧株式会社 (WAKEI Inc.)

Website

https://wakei-inc.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

2025

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1–10 employees

Short description

WAKEI Inc. is a Tokyo-based digital marketing firm operating a platform-agnostic Independent Trading Desk (ITD) and Japan–Taiwan cross-border marketing business, serving Japanese brands, Taiwanese brands, and app advertisers with proprietary Taiwanese consumer purchase and travel itinerary data accessed through partners Invos Data, Funliday, Ho-Chwan Investment, and MicroAd.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Headquarters

HQ city

Tokyo

HQ country

Japan

HQ region

Asia

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Revenue model

1. ITD (Independent Trading Desk) Services: Programmatic advertising operations providing transparent, platform-agnostic campaign management across app, CTV, DOOH, and web inventory. Revenue generated through advertising spend management with no intermediary markups.
2. Japan-Taiwan Cross-Border Marketing: End-to-end marketing services for Japanese brands entering Taiwan and Taiwanese brands entering Japan, including strategic planning, execution, and data-driven co-marketing programs with retail and brand partners.
3. Coupon-Based Reward Advertising: Inbound marketing programs connecting Taiwanese tourists with relevant retail and brand experiences through coupon-based reward advertising, powered by consumer purchase data from Ho-Chwan portfolio companies.

Go-to-market motion2 records

Distribution channels3 records

Marketing channels3 records

Core offering

WAKEI operates an Independent Trading Desk (ITD) providing platform-agnostic programmatic advertising operations across multiple DSPs, and runs a Japan-Taiwan cross-border marketing business that supports brands from each market entering the other. The company leverages proprietary first-party tourist data and partner integrations to plan, execute, and measure advertising campaigns for advertisers targeting Japan and Taiwan.

Product overview

WAKEI operates two core business lines delivered as integrated services rather than as discrete software products: an Independent Trading Desk (ITD) providing transparent, platform-agnostic programmatic campaign management across app, CTV, DOOH, and web inventory; and a Japan–Taiwan Cross-Border Marketing Business providing end-to-end growth support for brands expanding across the Japan–Taiwan corridor, built on consumer purchase data from Taiwan and coupon-based reward advertising. A notable sub-product under the cross-border business is Funliday Offers, a Japan inbound coupon program developed with travel partner Funliday. The two business lines are mutually reinforcing: the ITD platform powers ad delivery for cross-border campaigns while cross-border operations leverage proprietary audience data to enhance ITD targeting.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Independent Trading Desk (ITD) Platform-agnostic programmatic advertising operations service that runs campaigns across multiple self-serve DSPs on behalf of advertisers, applying algorithmic expertise and proprietary audience signals to optimize media buying and campaign performance.
• Japan-Taiwan Cross-Border Marketing Specialized cross-border marketing service that assists Japanese and Taiwanese brands in planning and executing advertising campaigns to reach consumers in the other market, leveraging bilingual team expertise and tourist data signals.
• Funliday Offers Travel and retail coupon/offer platform product promoted through WAKEI's advertiser campaigns, leveraging tourist data to drive visits and purchases among inbound travelers between Japan and Taiwan.

Quantifiable outcome

• 4 billion+ purchase data records available for targeting
• +1 more outcomes

Segments4 records

Technology focussed Yes

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature3 records

Partnerships

Three partnerships are on record, tiered core.

• Invos DatacoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerTaiwan's leading consumer purchase data platform with over 9 million downloads and 4 billion+ purchase data records. Key data partner enabling WAKEI's cross-border marketing programs with full behavioral tracking capabilities. WAKEI launched Japan inbound coupon program with Invos Data targeting Taiwanese tourists in Japan.
• FunlidaycoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerTaiwan's major travel planning platform widely used by Taiwanese visitors to Japan. Strategic partner enabling WAKEI's 'Funliday Offers' Japan inbound coupon program, connecting travel planning data with retail and brand experiences for inbound tourism marketing.
• Hotai Group (和泰集団)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerTaiwan's largest mobility conglomerate and exclusive distributor for Toyota, Lexus, and Hino Motors. With 70+ years of market presence and extensive business assets spanning mobility, financial services, and retail, Hotai Group provides the foundational network and trust that underpins Ho-Chwan Investment's digital ecosystem investments, including WAKEI.

Scale indicators6 records

Recent moves8 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Direct peers

• InMobi: Global mobile-first ad tech platform with significant Japan operations, overlapping with WAKEI's programmatic app advertising proposition. Iryo previously led InMobi Japan.
• ValueCommerce: Japan-listed affiliate and performance marketing company with cross-border Asia capabilities. Comparable as a Japanese-listed digital marketing services competitor with overlapping advertiser relationships.
• Appier: Taiwan-headquartered AI-driven cross-screen advertising and marketing platform with deep APAC presence. Directly comparable to WAKEI as an APAC programmatic/marketing platform, and was CEO Takeshi Iryo's previous employer.
• i-mobile: Japan-focused mobile ad network and programmatic platform serving Japanese app advertisers. Directly comparable as a domestic Japan competitor in the same ITD/app advertising category WAKEI is pursuing.
• Outbrain (Teads): Global native and performance ad platform post-Teads combination with established Japan operations. Comparable in offering managed programmatic/native buying for advertisers; Iryo previously led Outbrain Japan.
• Mobvista / Mintegral: Mobile ad tech and programmatic mediation platform with strong APAC and global footprint. Directly comparable to WAKEI's ITD/app advertising focus, and was led by Iryo as CEO Japan previously.
• FreakOut Holdings: Japan-listed digital advertising company operating DSP, DMP, and cross-border marketing businesses. Directly comparable as a Japan-based programmatic/ITD competitor chasing similar advertiser budgets.

Broad incumbents

• D.A. Consortium: Japan-listed digital advertising holding group offering programmatic, performance, and cross-border marketing services. Comparable as a broad incumbent in the same Japanese advertiser segment WAKEI targets.
• CyberAgent: Japan's largest internet advertising company and parent of the broader digital ad ecosystem (including MicroAd's origins). Comparable as the dominant Japanese adtech incumbent WAKEI must position against.
• MicroAd: TSE Growth-listed Japanese data-driven adtech company operating the UNIVERSE platform with 220+ partner data sources. Comparable as both strategic investor/director of WAKEI and a larger incumbent offering overlapping ITD and data capabilities.

Market position

Strengths4 records

Weaknesses4 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Funding overview

Funding rounds1 record

Investors2 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 WAKEI