8 rising startups in Japan

This week’s roundup features a robo-adviser, an armband that mimics Minority Report, and two investments from Sony.

Full details below:

Money Design

Photo credit: sifotography / 123RF.

Money Design, the company behind the Theo robo-adviser, is making a return to our weekly roundup. Its series C was announced last November, but the funding amount was not released. Its newest investor, Fenox Venture Capital, topped up the round which is now worth US$13.4 million. The Japan Investment Advisers Association says that, as of September 2016, Money Design has the most assets under management with approximately US$45 million.

Alarmbox

Photo credit: geralt.

Alarmbox, a credit risk service, has secured funding from Mizuho Capital, KLab Venture Partners, and Digital Hollywood. The funding follows an October 2016 round featuring lesser known investors like Office Busters and the Credit Exchange Agency. In total, Alarmbox has raised approximately US$900,000.

The startup offers two services. Securebox provides a warranty in case a client’s accounts receivable are delayed or cannot be obtained. Alarmbox is a credit management service for users to determine the financial risk of current or potential clients.

Doki Doki

Photo credit: Alexis Brown

Doki Doki believes it has found a new way to bring people together. Kyoto University Incubation Capital is also a believer to the tune of US$450,000 in pre-seed funding. The app is called Baby and is voice centric. Users can record five-second voice messages which are accessible by other Baby users near your location. Depending on how you sound, other users will decide whether or not to meet up. Messages automatically disappear so conversations with new acquaintances or old friends can remain discreet.

Baby is the latest project from Takahito Eguchi, the man behind Japan’s answer to Google Glass.

Splyza

Photo credit: nexusplexus / 123RF.

Mamorio

A10 Lab

H2L

Cocon