346 Design
346 Design (株式会社346) is a Japan-based industrial design and product development consultancy founded in 2017 that delivers end-to-end services — design, prototyping, mass production, and branding — to enterprise and startup clients, using dual-skilled 'design engineers' under its 'Design As A Value Chain Integrator' methodology.
- Company typePrivate
- Founded2017
- HeadquartersKoganei City, Japan
- Headcount—
- GTM typeB2B
- OfferingServices
What 346 Design does
346 Design (株式会社346, Sanyoronku) is a Japanese industrial design and product development consulting firm founded in July 2017 and headquartered in Takasaki City, Gunma Prefecture, with a Tokyo office located on the Tokyo University of Agriculture and Technology Koganei Campus. The company delivers end-to-end product creation services spanning business planning, industrial and mechanical design, prototyping, mass production setup, branding, and marketing — operating under a proprietary 'Design As A Value Chain Integrator' methodology that consolidates typically fragmented development phases into a single integrated engagement.
Its core offering rests on a 'design engineer' staffing model in which practitioners hold dual competencies in industrial design and hardware engineering, bridging the traditional misalignment between designers and engineers. Services are delivered as project-based B2B consulting engagements to a mix of Japanese enterprise clients (e.g., WOTA, Image Tech, Tokyo Kikai Seisakusho) and startups (e.g., S'UIMIN, PowerWave). The firm also operates a small proprietary branded product line, DAVI, anchored by a consumer can opener sold via its own e-commerce site. Revenue derives primarily from professional services fees, supplemented by minor hardware sales; pricing is not publicly disclosed and quotations are handled via direct contact.
The firm holds ISO 9001 certification for its development management function and is led by co-founders Saegusa Morihito and Kanno Shu, whose prior tenures span Kuwasawa Design Institute, RICOH, WHILL, Accenture, and OKI ProServe. Notable credentials include the 2020 Good Design Grand Award (Prime Minister's Award), multiple Good Design Awards, a Red Dot Best of the Best, the 2022 National Invention Award from Keidanren, and the 2026 TECH BEAT Shizuoka Executive Committee Chairman's Award. The firm has grown from 4 to approximately 20 employees over 2022-2024 without external funding.
346 Design firmographics
Firmographics- Name
- 346 Design
- Legal name
- 株式会社３４６
- Website
- https://346design.com
- Company type
- Private
- Founded year
- 2017
- Operating status
- Operating
- Short description
- 346 Design (株式会社346) is a Japan-based industrial design and product development consultancy founded in 2017 that delivers end-to-end services — design, prototyping, mass production, and branding — to enterprise and startup clients, using dual-skilled 'design engineers' under its 'Design As A Value Chain Integrator' methodology.
- Ownership category
- akta.pro rank
346 Design industry classification
Industry- Product category
- Industrial Design Services
- NAICS
- Industrial Design Services (541420), Other Specialized Design Services (54149), Graphic Design Services (541430)
- akta.pro primary industry
- Industrial/Product & Furniture Design (BPAHAKAM)
- akta.pro secondary industry
- Brand Experience (BX) & Service Design (BPAFAEAI)
Keywords
Where 346 Design is headquartered
LocationHeadquarters
- HQ city
- Koganei City
- HQ country
- Japan
- HQ region
- Asia
Offices2 records
Markets served
346 Design business model
Business model- GTM type
- B2B
- Offering type
- Services
- Cost components
- Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Technology or R&D
Revenue model
- Design and Product Development Consulting: B2B consulting services providing comprehensive design and product development support. The company acts as a business development partner, offering services from concept through mass production. Revenue is generated through project-based consulting engagements, with offerings that include design strategy, industrial design, mechanical/exterior design, prototyping, and manufacturing process design.
- Manufacturing Consulting and Process Design: Consulting services covering manufacturing process design, quality management systems (ISO 9001 compliant), and production setup, helping clients optimize their manufacturing value chain.
- Branded Product Sales (DAVI): 346 Design also develops and sells its own branded products, such as the DAVI can opener, under its own brand.
Go-to-market motion1 record
Distribution channels1 record
Marketing channels3 records
346 Design product offering
Product offeringCore offering
346 Design provides B2B industrial design and product development consulting services for companies developing physical products. Core offerings span the full product lifecycle including business planning, industrial and mechanical design, prototyping, mass production setup, and branding/marketing support. The company also sells its own branded consumer product, the DAVI can opener, under the DAVI sub-brand.
Product overview
346 Design is an industrial design company providing comprehensive product development and manufacturing support services. Their core offering integrates business consulting, design engineering (combining industrial design and hardware engineering), UI/UX design, branding/marketing support, and manufacturing consulting. They operate both as a consulting firm for client projects and as a manufacturer with their own branded product 'DAVI Can Opener'. The company applies 'Design As A Value Chain Integrator' philosophy to transform fragmented and inefficient development processes into consistent, innovative product creation across nearly all areas of product development.
Differentiator
Problem solved
Functional benefit
Brands
- DAVI: A proprietary brand product line including DAVI罐オープナー (can opener), sold as a consumer product through davi.co.jp
Products and services
- Comprehensive Product Development and Manufacturing Consulting (事業企画・設計・量産立上・製造支援)
Quantifiable outcome
- WOTA won the Good Design Grand Award (Prime Minister's Award) selected from 4,769 entries with 346's support
- +2 more outcomes
Companies that use 346 Design
Customer profileNamed customers5 records
Segments2 records
Ideal customer profiles2 records
346 Design technology and API
TechnologyTechnology focussed No
API detail
- Has API
- No
- API docs
- API detail
Core technology
AI maturity
App detail
Feature3 records
346 Design partnerships and signals
Strategic signalPartnerships
Five partnerships are on record, tiered core and flagship.
- イメージテック株式会社 (Image Tech Co., Ltd.)core346 Design and Image Tech collaborated on the development of an X-ray generator, with 346 providing comprehensive support including exterior/mechanical design, prototype production, and prototype assembly. This collaborative case study won the TECH BEAT Shizuoka AWARD Executive Committee Chairman's Award in 2026. The partnership demonstrates 346's ability to serve as a strategic development partner for companies requiring specialized industrial equipment design.
- 株式会社東京機械製作所 (Tokyo Kikai Seisakusho / TKS Group)core346 Design supported Tokyo Mechanical Works in developing the '一望打塵' autonomous cleaning robot — providing design, enclosure/mechanical design, prototype production, and mass production support. The project involved managing complex autonomous navigation, dust collection systems (~35L capacity), and 5-hour continuous operation requirements.
- 株式会社パワーウェーブ (PowerWave Inc.)core346 Design partnered with PowerWave to develop a wireless power charging unit for micromobility (electric kickboards) using capacitive coupling technology, providing design and prototype production support. Additionally, 346 supported the development of a continuously running EV demonstration model for Expo 2025 (Osaka/Kansai), showcasing PowerWave's wireless power transmission technology in a futuristic urban infrastructure concept.
- WOTA株式会社 (WOTA Corporation)flagship346 Design supported WOTA in developing an autonomous decentralized water circulation system, providing exterior/mechanical/UX design and parts procurement support. This project achieved the highest honor at the Good Design Awards 2020 — the Good Design Grand Award (Prime Minister's Award) — selected from 4,769 entries, making it one of 346's flagship case studies.
- 株式会社S'UIMINcore346 Design provided comprehensive product branding support for S'UIMIN's sleep measurement service, including exterior design, UX design, and packaging design, demonstrating 346's capabilities beyond hardware to encompass service product branding.
Scale indicators1 record
Recent moves6 records
Expansion highlights5 records
346 Design competitors and assessment
Company assessmentDirect peers
- Takram: Tokyo-based industrial design and innovation consulting firm offering design engineering, prototyping, and product development services to enterprise and startup clients. Highly comparable in size, Japanese market focus, and "design as strategy" positioning to 346.
- Nendo: Renowned Japanese industrial design studio led by Oki Sato, producing award-winning product and brand design across consumer goods, furniture, and tech. Comparable as a Japan-based, award-rich industrial design firm working with global brands.
Broad incumbents
- IDEO: Pioneer of design thinking and a global design/innovation consultancy serving enterprise clients with integrated product, brand, and strategy services. Comparable in one-stop design-to-product methodology but at far larger scale and global footprint.
- frog (frog design): Global industrial design and innovation consultancy with deep expertise in hardware product development, branding, and engineering integration. Comparable integrated industrial-design-to-production model, though operates at significantly larger scale.
- Hakuhodo Design: Major Japanese advertising/group company with a substantial design and innovation practice, including industrial design, branding, and CX. Comparable as a large Japanese player offering design-driven product and brand consulting to enterprise clients.
Regional players
- Tezzo Design Consulting: Japanese product and brand design consultancy supporting manufacturers across industrial design, mechanical engineering, and branding. Comparable in focus on Japanese manufacturers and integrated product-development support.
- Designworks (BMW Group): Industrial design consultancy affiliated with BMW operating in the US and Europe; provides integrated design-engineering services to mobility and consumer hardware clients. Comparable integrated industrial-design + engineering offering, though serves automotive-first markets.
Others
- Whill (Autonomous Mobility): Japanese mobility startup where co-founder Kanno Shu previously worked; close prior-affiliation with 346 Design. Relevant as an ecosystem/portfolio reference illustrating the type of high-design hardware ventures 346's team supports.
- Balmuida: Japanese premium consumer-electronics and appliance brand that built its identity through design-led product development. Comparable as a Japan-based example of design-driven hardware success; relevant for benchmarking consumer-facing design outcomes.
Market position
Strengths4 records
Weaknesses4 records
Competitive moat3 records
Key risks7 records
Key highlights7 records
Customer concentration
346 Design social profiles
Digital presence346 Design compliance and trust
Trust signalCompliance1 record
346 Design financial estimates
Financial estimateRevenue estimate
Valuation estimate
346 Design leadership team
Management profileNumber of profiles
Profiles2 records
346 Design funding detail
Funding detailFunding overview
Funding rounds
Investors
Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
346 Design M&A and investment
M&A and investmentM&A
Investments
M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Frequently asked questions about 346 Design
What does 346 Design do?
346 Design provides B2B industrial design and product development consulting services for companies developing physical products. Core offerings span the full product lifecycle including business planning, industrial and mechanical design, prototyping, mass production setup, and branding/marketing support. The company also sells its own branded consumer product, the DAVI can opener, under the DAVI sub-brand.
Is 346 Design a public or private company?
346 Design is a private company. It is classified as founder individual operated bootstrapped and is currently operating.
When was 346 Design founded?
346 Design was founded in 2017.
Where is 346 Design based?
346 Design is headquartered in Koganei City, Japan, in the Asia region.
How does 346 Design make money?
Three revenue lines are on record. Design and Product Development Consulting is the primary driver. The others are manufacturing Consulting and Process Design and branded Product Sales (DAVI).
Who are 346 Design's main competitors?
Direct peers on record are Takram and Nendo. Broad incumbents are IDEO, frog (frog design) and Hakuhodo Design. Regional players are Tezzo Design Consulting and Designworks (BMW Group). Others are Whill (Autonomous Mobility) and Balmuida.
Does 346 Design have an API?
No public API is recorded for 346 Design.
What industry is 346 Design in?
346 Design's product category is Industrial Design Services. Its primary akta.pro industry code is BPAHAKAM, Industrial/Product & Furniture Design, with a secondary code of BPAFAEAI, Brand Experience (BX) & Service Design. Its NAICS code is 541420.