Top 13 AI startups in Japan
Feb 03, 2026
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18
1
Funding: $368.6M
Sakana AI develops LLM models for Japan. Founded in 2023 by former Google researchers, it creates accessible generative AI models that perform well on small datasets and are optimized for the Japanese language and culture. The company focuses on the defense and manufacturing sectors. Its technological research is inspired by the natural principles of evolution and collective intelligence. The developers say that evolution in nature is a masterful search algorithm, generating complex solutions over millennia and they aim to adapt this incredible search algorithm to AI-based research.
Sakana AI develops LLM models for Japan. Founded in 2023 by former Google researchers, it creates accessible generative AI models that perform well on small datasets and are optimized for the Japanese language and culture. The company focuses on the defense and manufacturing sectors. Its technological research is inspired by the natural principles of evolution and collective intelligence. The developers say that evolution in nature is a masterful search algorithm, generating complex solutions over millennia and they aim to adapt this incredible search algorithm to AI-based research.
2
Funding: ¥44.6B
Preferred Networks develops technologies related to autonomous driving and connected cars. They also apply machine learning and deep learning to robotics and machine tools, and conduct research and development of object recognition, control, anomaly detection, and optimization technology, medical images such as CT and MRI, and develop systems to allow early diagnosis of cancer using blood samples.
Preferred Networks develops technologies related to autonomous driving and connected cars. They also apply machine learning and deep learning to robotics and machine tools, and conduct research and development of object recognition, control, anomaly detection, and optimization technology, medical images such as CT and MRI, and develop systems to allow early diagnosis of cancer using blood samples.
3
Funding: $236M
SoftBank Robotics develops robots and offers robot-related products and services, including “Pepper”.
SoftBank Robotics develops robots and offers robot-related products and services, including “Pepper”.
4
Funding: $175.9M
Mujin develops automation solutions for industrial robots to simplify factory and logistics automation and increase worldwide productivity.
Mujin develops automation solutions for industrial robots to simplify factory and logistics automation and increase worldwide productivity.
5
Funding: $125M
Ubie, a Tokyo based health-tech startup, provides AI-based healthcare products. Hospital SaaS product and AI symptom checker.
Ubie, a Tokyo based health-tech startup, provides AI-based healthcare products. Hospital SaaS product and AI symptom checker.
6
Funding: ¥13.6B
AI Medical Service develops AI-based software and device to support endoscopic imaging of the stomach and detect gastric cancer. The company has already received certification (in Japan) for its AI-based endoscopic detection add-on device, which operates inside the stomach. The AI system analyzes endoscopic images of the stomach obtained by endoscopic equipment during an endoscopic examination. The device then detects areas in the images suspicious for early gastric adenoma and assists physicians in diagnosing these lesions by placing a frame within the image and playing a sound. These mechanisms help the observer to focuse attention, interpret the image and detect lesions.
AI Medical Service develops AI-based software and device to support endoscopic imaging of the stomach and detect gastric cancer. The company has already received certification (in Japan) for its AI-based endoscopic detection add-on device, which operates inside the stomach. The AI system analyzes endoscopic images of the stomach obtained by endoscopic equipment during an endoscopic examination. The device then detects areas in the images suspicious for early gastric adenoma and assists physicians in diagnosing these lesions by placing a frame within the image and playing a sound. These mechanisms help the observer to focuse attention, interpret the image and detect lesions.
8
Funding: $42.4M
Cinnamon is an AI startup that develops products aimed at reducing the amount of time people spend on mundane tasks. Its Flax Scanner takes lengthy documents and extracts only the most pertinent information, while Lapis Engine is an natural language processing (NLP) based search engine designed to give recommendations for applications such as e-commerce or a recruiting platform, and Scuro Bot is a chatbot which can also process natural languages.
Cinnamon is an AI startup that develops products aimed at reducing the amount of time people spend on mundane tasks. Its Flax Scanner takes lengthy documents and extracts only the most pertinent information, while Lapis Engine is an natural language processing (NLP) based search engine designed to give recommendations for applications such as e-commerce or a recruiting platform, and Scuro Bot is a chatbot which can also process natural languages.
11
Funding: ¥3.1B
RevComm is the startup company developing Voice x AI-enabled cloud services .
RevComm is the startup company developing Voice x AI-enabled cloud services .
12
Funding: $3.7M
Studio Ousia develops artificial intelligence question answering system that understands questions and returns answers in seconds allows to automate customer helpdesks and work FAQs.
Studio Ousia develops artificial intelligence question answering system that understands questions and returns answers in seconds allows to automate customer helpdesks and work FAQs.
13
Funding: ¥450M
Heroz develops mobile media, mobile marketing and SNS-related services. It has developed the most cutting edge artificial intelligence, “Ponanza” programme to play Japanese chess 'Shogi', which defeated an active professional player in a public match for the first time ever,
Heroz develops mobile media, mobile marketing and SNS-related services. It has developed the most cutting edge artificial intelligence, “Ponanza” programme to play Japanese chess 'Shogi', which defeated an active professional player in a public match for the first time ever,
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