Welby

Basic Information

Stock Code
4438
Industry
Information and Communications
Category Detail
Systems & Software
Prefecture
Tokyo
Establishment Year
September 2011
Listing Year
March 2019
Official Website
https://welby.jp/
TSE Information
TSE Information
Yahoo! Finance
Yahoo! Finance
Other Companies
Image One, Data Horizon, Fine Index, Softmax, Software Service, Medical Data Vision, Social Wire, Kanamic Network, G.C., CE Holdings, JMDC, EM Systems, Second X

Overview

Welby is a leading information and communications company established in 2011, headquartered in Chuo-ku, Tokyo, providing personal health information management platform services.

Current Situation

Welby recorded net sales of 864 million yen and a net loss of 353 million yen for the fiscal year ended December 2020, and is in a growth phase. The company primarily develops business centered on mobile apps that support personal health management, strengthening its competitive edge through capital and business alliances with medical institutions and pharmaceutical companies. In technology development, it has launched diabetes care apps and others, aiming to expand the utilization of medical data. On the sustainability front, it is committed to creating social impact through the promotion of health management. Moving forward, it will focus on enhancing the platform and expanding its customer base, pursuing a medium- to long-term strategy for improving profitability and expanding market share. Through the latest third-party allotment of new shares, it is strengthening its financial foundation, aiming to achieve leadership in the health tech sector in the future.

Trivia

Interesting Facts

  • Founder Takehiro Hiki is a health tech entrepreneur with track record at Medpeer
  • One of Japan's first disease-specific health management mobile platforms
  • Gained industry attention through approval of digital therapeutics (DTx)
  • Distinctive for unique capital relationships with medical institutions and pharma companies
  • Broad service coverage across multiple diseases despite relatively small scale
  • Early adopter of Nikkei-published health points system
  • Gained trust through strict international privacy standards compliance
  • Leads the market with rapid app rollouts into new disease areas
  • Headquartered in Tokyo's Chuo-ku medical startup district
  • Actively operates communities to raise customer health awareness

Hidden Connections

  • Major shareholder Digital Garage invests in many IT ventures
  • Capital and business alliance with Japan Post Group leverages extensive medical network
  • Representative Takehiro Hiki involved in establishing multiple medical-IT ventures
  • Health points program collaboration with Nikkei increasing media exposure
  • Pharma services enable market data sharing for industry superiority
  • Services complement medical systems to address rural healthcare challenges
  • Standardized diverse health management apps for leading positions in each disease group
  • Listing on Tokyo Stock Exchange Growth Market strengthened capital procurement

Future Outlook

Growth Drivers

  • Increasing demand for personal services due to rising health awareness
  • Support from government digital health promotion policies
  • Expansion of IT adoption in medical institutions and digital collaboration needs
  • Growing digital data utilization by pharmaceutical companies
  • Increasing importance of chronic disease management in aging society
  • Widespread adoption of remote healthcare and digital therapeutics
  • Diversification and improved convenience of mobile devices
  • Growing opportunities for platform expansion domestically and internationally
  • Trust building through advances in personal data protection technology
  • Business expansion via partnership and alliance enhancements
  • Service sophistication through AI and big data utilization
  • User promotion through policy collaborations like health points programs

Strategic Goals

  • Achieve top share in Japan's healthcare platform market
  • Complete integrated health management service for multiple diseases
  • Become leading company in digital therapeutics (DTx) field
  • Reach 20% of sales from overseas market entry
  • Create new businesses leveraging AI and big data
  • Advance regional and local government collaborations contributing to health awareness
  • Attain top ranking in sustainability evaluations
  • Expand R&D structure through strengthened fundraising
  • Complete acquisition of international personal data protection certifications
  • Continuous innovation creation through industry-academia-government collaboration

Business Segments

Platforms for Medical Institutions

Overview
Provides systems for medical institutions to efficiently manage and share patient health data
Competitiveness
High usability tailored to real medical site needs
Customers
  • Hospitals
  • Clinics
  • Medical Corporations
  • Clinics
  • Physician Associations
Products
  • Patient Management Systems
  • Data Integration Tools
  • Electronic Medical Record Complementary Services
  • Treatment Support Apps

Data Services for Pharmaceutical Companies

Overview
Provides patient data services beneficial for R&D and marketing at pharmaceutical companies
Competitiveness
Comprehensive disease-specific data and analytical capabilities
Customers
  • Pharmaceutical Companies
  • Medical Device Manufacturers
  • Research Institutions
  • Clinical Development Organizations
Products
  • Clinical Data Analysis Tools
  • Patient Data Provision
  • Digital Therapeutics Support
  • Marketing Support

Services for Health Insurance Associations and Local Governments

Overview
Provides solutions supporting health initiatives for insurance associations and local governments
Competitiveness
Flexibility to meet public institution requirements
Customers
  • Health Insurance Associations
  • Local Governments
  • Public Medical Institutions
Products
  • Health Promotion Programs
  • Data Aggregation Reports
  • Preventive Healthcare Support Services

Health Management Services for Care Providers

Overview
Provides IT services supporting user health management in care settings
Competitiveness
Strong collaboration with care sites
Customers
  • Care Facilities
  • Care Managers
  • Home Care Providers
Products
  • Care Data Management
  • Health Monitoring
  • Rehabilitation Support Apps

Corporate Welfare and Health Management Support

Overview
Provides welfare services supporting corporate health management
Competitiveness
User-friendly interface design
Customers
  • General Companies
  • Small and Medium Enterprises
  • Health Management Promotion Companies
Products
  • Employee Health Management Systems
  • Stress Check Tools
  • Wellness Programs

Health Data Platform Provision

Overview
Provides infrastructure integrating diverse health data and linking with other services
Competitiveness
High scalability and security
Customers
  • IT Companies
  • Fitness Gyms
  • Wellness Companies
Products
  • API Integration Services
  • Data Integration Platforms
  • User Data Analysis

Health Management Services for Insurance Companies

Overview
Provides services supporting utilization of health data for insurance policyholders
Competitiveness
Advanced health data analysis expertise
Customers
  • Life Insurance Companies
  • Non-Life Insurance Companies
Products
  • Insured Health Management Systems
  • Risk Assessment Tools

Data Provision for Research Institutions

Overview
Provides high-quality health data for research purposes
Competitiveness
Strict data management and regulatory compliance
Customers
  • Universities
  • Public Research Institutions
  • Medical Research Corporations
Products
  • Anonymized Patient Datasets
  • Epidemiological Research Support Tools

Services for Fitness Companies

Overview
Provides health management solutions for the fitness industry
Competitiveness
Capabilities in utilizing user behavior data
Customers
  • Sports Clubs
  • Yoga Studios
  • Training Facilities
Products
  • Customer Health Management Apps
  • Training Data Analysis

Remote Consultation and Monitoring Services

Overview
Realizes remote health management and consultation support
Competitiveness
Real-time data integration technology
Customers
  • Remote Clinics
  • Patient Support Groups
Products
  • Mobile Monitoring Systems
  • Health Advice Functions

For Medical Consulting Firms

Overview
Provides data services specialized for medical consulting support
Competitiveness
Industry-specific expertise and toolset
Customers
  • Medical Consultants
  • Healthcare Consulting Firms
Products
  • Data Analysis Services
  • Market Research Reports

Health Education Support for Educational Institutions

Overview
Provides practical health management tools for medical education institutions
Competitiveness
Educational content based on clinical experience
Customers
  • Medical Education Institutions
  • Nursing Schools
Products
  • Disease Management Teaching Materials
  • Digital Tools for Practical Training

Competitive Advantage

Strengths

  • Highly specialized personal health management services
  • Strong partnerships with medical institutions and pharmaceutical companies
  • Platform supporting a wide range of diseases
  • Advanced digital therapeutics technology development capabilities
  • High technological expertise and understanding of medical sites
  • Stable financial base and fundraising capabilities
  • Flexible response to a broad customer base
  • Abundant data analysis know-how
  • Continuous product development structure
  • Service design emphasizing usability
  • Strict personal information management based on legal compliance
  • Pioneering position in the growth market
  • Business expansion across multiple domains
  • Comprehensive customer support
  • High brand recognition

Competitive Advantages

  • Rare disease-specific health management platform in Japan
  • Service quality based on close collaboration with medical sites
  • Market expansion power through capital and business alliances with pharmaceutical companies
  • Compliance framework clearing industry-specific regulations
  • Customizability and scalability for diverse diseases
  • Clinical support leveraging collected and analyzed health data
  • High customer loyalty and community building capabilities
  • Speed in developing new disease apps
  • Promotion of integration between mobile apps and medical systems
  • Rich track record in digital medical technologies
  • One of Japan's largest personal health information platforms
  • Technological innovation through continuous R&D investment
  • Flexible contract structures and implementation support
  • Security framework compatible with domestic and international standards
  • Promotion of R&D through industry-academia-government collaboration

Threats

  • Intensifying competition in the rapidly changing IT healthcare market
  • Price competition from new entrants
  • Risks from strengthened personal information protection laws and medical data regulations
  • Loss of trust due to security incidents like data breaches
  • Fluctuations in medical institutions' system adoption willingness
  • Risk of failing to keep pace with technological advancements
  • Business impacts from external factors like new infectious diseases
  • Deterioration of fundraising environment
  • Business constraints from changes in administrative policies by MHLW etc.
  • Technological innovations and partnership expansions by existing competitors
  • Challenges in user acquisition and retention
  • Increased response costs due to diversifying market needs

Innovations

2022: Welby Diabetes App Function Expansion

Overview
Implemented blood glucose measurement integration and enhanced doctor communication
Impact
20% improvement in user usage rate

2023: Launch of Clinical Applications for Digital Therapeutics Apps

Overview
Obtained approval for diabetes and hypertension DTx and began sales
Impact
30 increase in adopting medical institutions

2021: Enhancement of Medical Device Collaboration System

Overview
Added electronic medical record linkage for unified management
Impact
15% increase in medical institution contracts

2024: Construction of AI-Powered Data Analysis Platform

Overview
Expanded preventive healthcare support through AI patient behavior analysis
Impact
Improved accuracy of health improvement recommendations

2020: Mobile App UI Refresh

Overview
Introduced new design to improve user experience
Impact
15% improvement in app retention rate

2021: Launch of Nikkei-Linked Health Points Program

Overview
Introduced points awarding system for at-home blood pressure measurements
Impact
10-fold increase in user participation

2023: Development of Marketing Support Tool for Pharmaceutical Companies

Overview
Enabled real-time grasp of customer treatment status
Impact
Increase in pharmaceutical company contracts

2020: Enhancement of Personal Information Management Functions

Overview
Strengthened security measures compliant with international standards like GDPR
Impact
Significant reduction in data breach risks

2024: Integration of Multi-Disease Platform

Overview
Advanced development of integrated management across multiple diseases
Impact
Creation of cross-selling opportunities

2023: Addition of Remote Consultation Linkage Functions

Overview
Improved convenience through strengthened integration with remote medical services
Impact
Increase in remote users

Sustainability

  • Thorough patient-centered approach to improve medical access
  • Strict protection of personal information through enhanced data security
  • Promotion of disparity correction in medical resources via remote healthcare expansion
  • Support for lifestyle habit improvement through dissemination of health promotion programs
  • Comprehensive barrier-free support for diverse users
  • Pursuit of disease treatment innovation through R&D investment
  • Ongoing service design emphasizing social inclusion
  • Promotion of low-environmental-impact operations
  • Strengthening of industry-academia-government collaboration with medical organizations
  • Emphasis on employee health and safety with workplace environment improvements
  • Enhancing health awareness through strengthened regional community ties
  • Commitment to legal compliance to maintain social trust