Turning daily check-ins into better academic performance

This article is a part of Startup Spotlight, a series that features young, up-and-coming startups.

Photo credit: Ryosuke Takenaka

Ryosuke Takenaka grew up in a family of educators but was forbidden from teaching. He joined a Japanese corporate firm and watched capable adults suffer mental breakdowns. Realizing these struggles begin in childhood, he launched Wiillow Inc.

😟 Problem

Schools prioritize academics, while foundational skills like motivation remain rarely practiced. This pressure takes a heavy toll globally. In Japan, 353,970 students missed over 30 days of school in 2024.

Meanwhile, one in five US students remains chronically absent. Teachers lack the bandwidth for extra lessons, yet 80% handle behavior problems weekly. Educators need simple tools to manage classrooms.

💡 Solution

Wiillow turns social-emotional learning into a five-minute daily routine. The platform combines daily practice with actionable analytics for educators, including:

• Students complete a quick feelings check-in and a research-based exercise.
• Monthly surveys measure student autonomy, competence, and belonging.
• Teachers view daily dashboards to identify struggling students early.
• Principals track aggregate skill growth across distinct classes and grades.

Image credit: Wiilow Inc

📊 Market size

The company estimates its market at US$4.03 billion. Policy shifts in Japan and the US now mandate stronger student well-being initiatives. National device rollouts make daily digital check-ins feasible.

🤝 Team

Ryosuke Takenaka. Founder and CEO. He holds a master of education degree and has founded schools in Tokyo and Cambodia, with over 13 years of experience in education. 

🚀 Traction

• Deployed pilot programs in three schools across Japan and New York.
• Currently supports 660 active students.
• Maintains 95% monthly usage at its largest client school.

🏆 Competition

Traditional curricula like Second Step require weekly classes that busy teachers struggle to schedule. Survey platforms such as Panorama Education measure skills infrequently. They fail to help students actively build resilience. 

Mood trackers monitor wellbeing but stop short of actual skill development. Wiillow combines daily practice with real-time measurement built on self-determination theory. The platform works natively in Japan and the US.

💰 Financials

🚩 Risks