Makuake

Basic Information

Stock Code
4479
Industry
Information and Communications Industry
Category Detail
Internet Site Operations
Prefecture
Tokyo
Establishment Year
May 2013
Listing Year
December 2019
Official Website
https://www.makuake.co.jp/
TSE Information
TSE Information
Yahoo! Finance
Yahoo! Finance
Other Companies
LIFULL, ITmedia, Cookpad, Kakaku.com, M3, Ateam Holdings, MarkLines, Sharing Technology, Cybertrust, Real Gate, Bengoshi.com, Kamakura Shinsho, Feedforce Group

Overview

Makuake, founded in 2013 and headquartered in Shibuya-ku, Tokyo, operates a support purchase service for new things and experiences, making it a major player in Japan's crowdfunding market.

Current Situation

Makuake recorded sales of approximately 4.2 billion yen in the fiscal year ended September 2022, but posted operating and net losses. Its core business centers on crowdfunding, supporting new products and projects across a wide range of genres. In the 2020s, it established a base in Nagoya for business expansion and operates a Kansai branch. As part of the CyberAgent Group, it ensures financial stability. It conducts trend analysis for new products and partnerships with major companies, creating hit projects such as sake and electric motorcycles. Through social media and TV appearances, it works to raise corporate awareness and aims for sustainable growth. In the medium to long term, it leverages its unique position in the support purchase market to pursue further business diversification and strengthening of its revenue base.

Trivia

Interesting Facts

  • Makuake originated from a new business of CyberAgent.
  • Supports numerous large-scale projects as one of Japan's largest support purchase platforms.
  • The term 'support purchase' is a unique expression to evoke empathy from purchasers.
  • Features a flexible system capable of simultaneously deploying cross-industry projects.
  • The product with the highest funding amount in history is the HONBIKE single-sided support bicycle.
  • Redefined as a new support purchase service rather than traditional crowdfunding.
  • Actively supports regional specialties and local manufacturing.
  • Makuake-hosted events are utilized as venues for new product announcements.
  • Significantly boosted visibility through appearance on the TV show 'Cambria Palace'.
  • Accumulated support track record across diverse genres in about 10 years since launch.
  • Focuses on supporting active female entrepreneurs and creators.
  • Established as a platform delivering emerging technologies and product ideas to the world.
  • Special category for sustainable projects.
  • Mobile-first service design with strong support from younger demographics.
  • Expands possibilities for new product planning through collaboration with domestic and international new technologies.

Hidden Connections

  • Synergy with other CyberAgent Group businesses provides strengths in advertising and marketing.
  • Strong collaboration with local governments through regional-linked new product development.
  • Strengthened compliance framework ahead of stricter regulations on support purchase systems.
  • Expands supporter base through SNS-linked campaigns in collaboration with influencers.
  • Holds numerous high-amount support records unmatched by competitors in the support purchase market.
  • Differentiated platform specialized in fundraising for new products and experiential projects.
  • Enhances marketing analysis accuracy using proprietary AI tools.
  • Formed long-term partnerships with local venerable sake breweries through successful sake projects.

Future Outlook

Growth Drivers

  • Increasing demand for new products across diverse genres
  • Evolution of digital marketing technology
  • Expansion of support purchase trends emphasizing social value
  • Increase in local revitalization and regional industry support projects
  • Strengthening strategic collaborations with major companies
  • Improved project success rates through AI and data analysis
  • Expansion of support purchase services to global markets
  • Increase in social issue-linked projects
  • Expansion of multi-channel sales networks
  • Service diversification for acquiring new customer segments
  • Rising attention to sustainability-focused products
  • Expansion of smart device-linked services

Strategic Goals

  • Maintain position as Japan's largest support purchase platform
  • Achieve 20% of sales from overseas expansion
  • 50% or more of projects with sustainability certification
  • Implement over 100 regional collaboration projects annually
  • 30% improvement in project success rates through AI utilization
  • Revenue diversification through new B2B services
  • Expansion of advertising and promotion collaboration business
  • Integration and optimization of diverse sales channels
  • Further strengthening of support for disabled and female entrepreneurs
  • Aim for annual sales exceeding 10 billion yen

Business Segments

Project Listing Support

Overview
Comprehensive B2B services that guide customers from diverse industries to success through support purchase assistance.
Competitiveness
Enhanced support capabilities based on extensive success records and digital marketing expertise
Customers
  • Small and medium enterprises
  • Startup companies
  • Sole proprietors
  • Venture companies
  • Local governments
  • Creators
  • Restaurants
  • Retailers
  • Manufacturers
  • Software development companies
  • Cultural organizations
  • NPOs
  • Artists
  • Fashion brands
  • Entertainment-related companies
Products
  • Crowdfunding platform utilization services
  • Marketing support
  • Promotion planning
  • Data analysis services
  • Project management tools
  • PR support
  • Product exhibition event planning
  • Customer feedback collection support
  • Sales support
  • Video production support
  • SNS integration services
  • Risk management services
  • Fundraising consulting
  • Content creation
  • Brand strategy development

Corporate Collaboration Consulting

Overview
Comprehensive consulting to support new product market launches and sales channel development through collaboration with large companies.
Competitiveness
Market trend analysis capabilities and extensive planning and operations know-how
Customers
  • Large manufacturers
  • IT companies
  • Distribution companies
  • Financial institutions
  • Advertising agencies
  • Venture capital
  • Local governments
  • Public institutions
  • Educational institutions
  • Research institutions
  • Restaurant chains
  • Retail chains
Products
  • New product marketing strategy formulation
  • Sales channel expansion support
  • Brand co-creation programs
  • Project management
  • Customer data analysis
  • Campaign planning and execution support
  • Sales promotion planning
  • Support system development
  • Collaboration project promotion
  • Risk management
  • Fundraising support

Platform Technology Provision

Overview
Provides foundational technology and services for safe, high-function support purchase platforms.
Competitiveness
High system stability and flexible customizability
Customers
  • IT companies
  • Telecommunications providers
  • Platform operators
  • Startups
  • Project owners
Products
  • Crowdfunding platform technology
  • API integration services
  • Payment system integration
  • Data management solutions
  • User management systems

Promotion and Advertising Services

Overview
Services to support advertising and promotion optimized for support purchases.
Competitiveness
Deep understanding of the support purchase market and extensive networks
Customers
  • Small and medium enterprises
  • Startups
  • Large companies
  • Creators
  • In-house brands
Products
  • SNS ad operations
  • Influencer marketing
  • Video ad production
  • Campaign planning
  • Online event planning

Data Analysis Services

Overview
Analyzes diverse data related to support purchases to optimize business development.
Competitiveness
Accurate insights from large-scale data utilization
Customers
  • Project owners
  • Large companies
  • Marketing companies
  • Advertising agencies
  • Research institutions
Products
  • Market trend analysis
  • Purchaser demographics analysis
  • Effectiveness measurement reports
  • Trend forecasting
  • Customer behavior analysis

Education and Training Business

Overview
Provides education to promote understanding of support purchases using success cases for founders and companies.
Competitiveness
Practical know-how system and instructors with rich on-site experience
Customers
  • Venture companies
  • Small and medium enterprises
  • Universities
  • Local governments
  • Creators
Products
  • Crowdfunding courses
  • Marketing training
  • Project management education
  • Fundraising seminars
  • Digital utilization workshops

Regional Revitalization Support

Overview
Support business utilizing support purchases for regional industrial promotion and revitalization.
Competitiveness
Project design and promotion leveraging regional characteristics
Customers
  • Local governments
  • Regional chambers of commerce
  • Tourism associations
  • Local companies
  • Agriculture, forestry, and fisheries organizations
Products
  • Regional product promotion
  • Local fundraising support
  • Regional event planning
  • Tourism attraction project support
  • Local brand development

Overseas Expansion Support

Overview
Supports domestic companies aiming for overseas markets in utilizing support purchases.
Competitiveness
Support based on international networks and specialized knowledge
Customers
  • Domestic manufacturers
  • Startups
  • Exporters
  • Trading companies
  • Local governments
Products
  • Overseas crowdfunding collaboration
  • Multilingual marketing support
  • International logistics and delivery support
  • Overseas customer analysis
  • Overseas event collaboration

Security and Risk Management Services

Overview
Deploys specialized services to mitigate various risks associated with support purchases.
Competitiveness
Utilization of latest technologies and cybersecurity expertise
Customers
  • Project owners
  • Platform operators
  • Financial institutions
  • Large companies
  • Government agencies
Products
  • Personal information protection consulting
  • Fraud detection systems
  • Illegal transaction monitoring
  • Risk assessment reports
  • Legal compliance support

Technology Development Support

Overview
Supports cutting-edge technology development related to support purchases to strengthen competitiveness.
Competitiveness
Rapid development and flexible customization capabilities
Customers
  • IT development companies
  • Startups
  • Major IT companies
  • Creators
  • Platform operators
Products
  • System development support
  • UI/UX design advice
  • Cloud service optimization
  • AI data utilization support
  • Technology verification services

Brand Strategy Development Support

Overview
Supports formation of attractive brand images and competitive advantages in the market.
Competitiveness
Unique branding methods from a customer perspective
Customers
  • Small and medium enterprises
  • Creators
  • Startups
  • Designer brands
  • Local companies
Products
  • Brand concept design
  • Naming proposals
  • Market research
  • Communication strategies
  • Product differentiation support

Event Planning and Operations Support

Overview
Supports diverse event planning and operations linked to support purchases.
Competitiveness
High attendance and effectiveness through planning and collaboration capabilities
Customers
  • Companies
  • Local governments
  • Cultural organizations
  • Creators
  • Sales promotion teams
Products
  • Exhibition planning
  • Presentation operations
  • Customer interaction events
  • Online event support
  • Campaign-linked events

Competitive Advantage

Strengths

  • Unique support purchase platform
  • Stable management base under CyberAgent
  • Ability to deploy projects across diverse genres
  • Abundant media exposure and brand recognition
  • Strengthened collaboration with local communities
  • Rapid market trend analysis capabilities
  • Comprehensive customer support system
  • Diverse sales channel securing
  • Advanced digital marketing technology
  • Continuous new product discovery capabilities
  • Comprehensive B2B service deployment
  • Strong cloud infrastructure technology
  • Bases in multiple regions
  • Numerous success records
  • Collaboration track record with diverse industries

Competitive Advantages

  • Leads the market with support purchase as a unique key concept
  • Capital and technology support from synergy with major group
  • Flexible platform design accommodating multiple genres
  • High brand value and user trust
  • Market approaches and project planning leveraging regionality
  • Trend prediction and product recommendations using AI
  • Broad customer base development through comprehensive B2B support
  • Safe transaction environment with enhanced security
  • Broad market understanding through comprehensive market data analysis
  • Differentiation from competitors via service diversification like event planning
  • Brand awareness maximization through diverse media mix
  • Numerous local revitalization and region-linked projects
  • Product improvement promotion through strengthened customer feedback cycles
  • Increased visibility through media appearances by top management
  • Rapid market penetration with multi-layered sales channels

Threats

  • Intensifying competition in the crowdfunding industry
  • Increased operational burden from regulatory changes
  • Credit risks from supporters and users
  • Brand damage from project failures
  • Market fragmentation from new entrants
  • Decreased consumer spending due to economic downturn
  • Delays in responding to rapid technology trends
  • Cyber attack risks to digital security
  • Sales fluctuations from changes in key customer preferences
  • Increased marketing costs from rising ad fees
  • Intensifying global competition
  • Rising logistics costs and delay risks

Innovations

2020: New Market Development through POD CBD Vape Product Support

Overview
CHILLAXY brand hemp-flavored products far exceeded funding goals and became a hot topic.
Impact
Successfully expanded recognition and acquired new customer segments in a new genre market

2020: Large-Scale Support for Single-Sided Chainless Electric Assist Bicycle

Overview
Secured record-high support for HONBIKE's support purchase, attracting industry attention.
Impact
Contributed to revitalization of domestic crowdfunding market

2021: Enhanced Trend Analysis for New Products Using AI

Overview
Revamped trend prediction and recommendation systems with AI technology, improving support success rates.
Impact
Marketing efficiency improved by 20%

2022: Launch of Sales Channel Collaboration with SoftBank Subsidiary

Overview
Expanded shipment channels for new products through joint projects and sales channel support.
Impact
Strengthened sales network and increased customer touchpoints

2023: Promotion of Video and SNS-Linked Crowdfunding Utilization

Overview
Adopted integrated promotion strategies incorporating media exposure to expand attention.
Impact
Increased support participants and expanded fan base

2024: Development of Online Immediate Sales Event Platform

Overview
Newly established online sales events linked to support purchases to expand customer touchpoints.
Impact
Contributed to diversification of sales opportunities

Sustainability

  • Promoting contributions to local revitalization through regional industry support
  • Implementation of eco-packaging promotion and plastic reduction measures
  • Enhanced transparency in fund management and project screening
  • Active support for diverse social issue-solving projects
  • Expansion of support programs for disabled and female entrepreneurs
  • Promotion of environmentally considerate logistics optimization
  • Strengthened initiatives to address the digital divide
  • Diversity promotion among employees and creation of a comfortable workplace
  • Increased project planning linked to CSR activities
  • Promotion of renewable energy adoption
  • Formulation of guidelines for sustainable product development
  • Strengthened collaboration with local communities