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This week’s roundup features horse-racing analytics, a platform that enables travel-related side gigs, and a fledgling enterprise focused on end-of-life preps for Japan’s aging population.
Gauss
AI-focused Gauss is collaborating with fashion brand ANAP to create a site where users can upload images of clothes, allowing it to search the web for similar items.
Now in beta version, the startup is also working on another joint project: SIVA, a horse-racing predictive tool. Siva gathers information from tens of thousands of races every day to bring big data to the world of horse racing.
In addition, Gauss is developing other AI data analytic tools as well as natural language processing features.
Gauss recently received US$1.5 million from three companies, including ANAP and job portal DIP Corp.
Sagojo
Sagojo enables travelers to turn their experiences into a side gig. The company lists jobs that people can apply for, such as uploading photo diaries, writing articles about unique travel experiences, ,, and so on. Since its release a year and a half ago, the startup has acquired 7,500 registered users, of which 200 plus are using it for work purposes.
While Sagojo did not disclose details, it recently accumulated hundreds of thousands of dollars from Anex Ventures, Apptli, and multiple angel investors.
Crowd Cast
Created by Crowd Cast, Staple is an app that simplifies expense reporting for small to medium-sized businesses. More than 10,000 companies are using the service, and the startup is acquiring new customers at a rate of about 300 per month. The service is partnered with more than 10 accounting softwares and other programs like Office 365 for seamless integration.
Crowd Cast just received US$880,000 from business partner MTI.
New Revo
Developed by New Revo, Logikura is looking to digitize Japan’s antiquated logistics industry by moving it past analog forms of management like fax, paper, and email. Its cloud-based AI platform can do everything from creating barcodes and shipping labels to managing invoices.
The company estimates that in Japan alone, there is about US$480 billion of excess inventory sitting in warehouses. Logikura’s goal is to reduce time spent on logistics by 80 percent and cut excess inventory by 30 percent. To achieve the latter goal, it’s working on an AI analytics demand prediction tool.
Logikura is not yet available to the public, but about 50 companies have pre-registered since it started the process in mid-November.
The company recently secured US$440,000 from Genesia Ventures from its third round of fundraising.
Baseconnect
After graduating from accelerator Code Republic’s second batch of startups in April, Baseconnect is ending 2017 by raising a seed round of over US$880,000 from several investors, including Genesia Capital, Mizuho Capital, Kyoto Startup Support Fund, User Local, YJ Capital, and East Ventures.
Baseconnect is developing BaseconnectList, a database of business contacts that can be used for sales. Thousands of businesses contact lists can be accessed in about 30 seconds.
A beta version of BaseconnectList is up and running, but it’s not open to the public for now.
Shuukatsu Netto
The brainchild of by 22-year-old University of Tokyo student Shota Iwasaki, Shuukatsu Netto is a website that zeroes in on end-of-life preparations for Japan’s ageing populace.
While lots of Japanese startups are addressing the inevitable problems that come post-population decline such as workforce deterioration, Shuukatsu Netto deals with more pressing issues in the now, such as elderly care. The site features articles about funeral ceremonies, grave sites, and other related concerns, written by a team of 20 people. Most of its readers are 40- to 50-year olds who are preparing for their parents.
Shuukatsu Netto just raised a round of US$730,000 from a round led by angel investor Yuto Kono of Genesia Ventures,This follows its seed round and brings its total funding to over US$880,000.
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