Lancers

Basic Information

Stock Code
4484
Industry
Information and Communications
Category Detail
Internet Site Operations
Prefecture
Tokyo
Establishment Year
April 2008
Listing Year
December 2019
Official Website
https://www.lancers.co.jp/
TSE Information
TSE Information
Yahoo! Finance
Yahoo! Finance
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Overview

Lancers is a leading platform company based in Tokyo, founded in 2008, that provides crowdsourcing services.

Current Situation

Lancers recorded consolidated sales of approximately 3.5 billion yen in the fiscal year ending March 2020, but posted operating and net losses, as it is in a growth phase. Its main crowdsourcing service 'Lancers' promotes matching of contract work between individuals and corporations, with a focus on online business matching for residents in rural areas. It is expanding a diverse range of services, including freelance introductions, business outsourcing, online team operations, and on-site IT freelancer placements. In terms of social responsibility, it engages in disabled-person crowdsourcing and support for single mothers' employment, and collaborates with numerous local governments on regional revitalization projects. Moving forward, it will actively pursue technological innovations such as entering the AI agent business to acquire new customers, aiming to build a new mid- to long-term revenue structure. While addressing management challenges like improving profitability and workplace environment quality, it is promoting business expansion and diversification.

Trivia

Interesting Facts

  • Lancers is one of the pioneers in Japan's crowdsourcing industry.
  • It collaborates with local governments across Japan on regional revitalization projects.
  • It features high trust between users due to real-name registration.
  • Its collaboration with disabled crowdsourcing is an advanced initiative in the market.
  • It introduced single mother employment support programs early on.

Hidden Connections

  • Established support base for regional revitalization through agreements with numerous local governments.
  • Transactions with the Cabinet Office were only in 2015, and currently none as stated.
  • Collaborations with industry groups such as the Sharing Economy Promotion Association.
  • Representative Yosuke Aiko is one of the famous entrepreneurs in the venture scene.

Future Outlook

Growth Drivers

  • Expansion of freelance market accompanying penetration of work style reform
  • Promotion of customer acquisition and business efficiency through AI technology introduction
  • Deepening collaborations with local governments and regional economic organizations
  • Increasing demand for online employment of diverse talent
  • Growing corporate needs for external talent utilization
  • Expanding interest in social inclusion

Strategic Goals

  • Achieve over 50% share of Japan's domestic crowdsourcing market
  • Maintain industry-leading matching accuracy improvement via AI utilization
  • Nationwide rollout of regional revitalization businesses through local government collaborations
  • Increase new business revenue through expansion of social issue-solving services
  • Establish platform supporting sustainable and diverse work styles

Business Segments

Freelance Talent Matching Service

Overview
Provides online and on-site freelance introductions to a wide range of industries.
Competitiveness
Abundant registrants and diverse matching functions
Customers
  • IT companies
  • Advertising agencies
  • Production companies
  • Small and medium enterprises
  • Startups
  • Educational institutions
  • Local governments
  • Corporate sales departments
  • Talent acquisition departments
  • R&D departments of large corporations
Products
  • On-site IT freelancer introductions
  • Specialist freelancer introductions
  • Outsourced project management
  • Crowdsourcing platform
  • Online talent development courses

Regional Collaboration and Local Revitalization Support

Overview
Collaborates with local governments to promote regional revitalization and work style reform.
Competitiveness
Regionally embedded support expertise and diverse service offerings
Customers
  • Local governments
  • Regional economic organizations
  • Local chambers of commerce
  • Regional NPOs
  • Relocation promotion groups
Products
  • Local freelancer support programs
  • Regional skill-up courses
  • Coworking space operations
  • Online job matching for regions
  • Regional event planning and operations

Social Inclusion Support Services

Overview
Business focused on employment support for the disabled and single mothers.
Competitiveness
Programs contributing to social issue resolution with abundant track record
Customers
  • Disabled welfare organizations
  • NPO corporations
  • CSR departments of companies
  • Social welfare facilities
  • Government-related organizations
Products
  • Crowdsourcing collaboration for the disabled
  • Employment support programs
  • Single mother support courses
  • Online mentoring
  • Diverse work style promotion tools

Corporate Outsourcing and Business Consignment

Overview
Services supporting corporate project operations and business improvements.
Competitiveness
Abundant talent resources and business efficiency expertise
Customers
  • Large corporations
  • Mid-sized companies
  • Startups
  • Advertising production companies
  • Marketing companies
Products
  • Director business consignment
  • Online team proxy services
  • Project management support
  • Business efficiency tools
  • IT talent utilization solutions

Competitive Advantage

Strengths

  • One of Japan's largest crowdsourcing platforms
  • Diverse service lineup and customer base
  • Strong collaboration network with local governments
  • Abundant track record in IT freelancer introductions
  • Brand value enhancement through social contribution activities
  • Strong leadership and management foundation from the representative
  • High matching accuracy for customers and registrants
  • Flexible対応 to various work formats
  • Active investment in new businesses and AI ventures
  • High-quality support system
  • Events supporting diverse work styles
  • Established partnership network
  • Reliability from enabling real-name registration
  • Efficient business management using IT technology
  • Nationwide service rollout including rural areas

Competitive Advantages

  • High market share and recognition in Japan's crowdsourcing market
  • Social contribution business model combining local revitalization and work style reform
  • Deployment of new customer acquisition support services using AI technology
  • Diverse talent matching capabilities targeting a wide range of industries
  • Capabilities to address diverse social issues like support for the disabled and single mothers
  • Strength of regional networks through collaborations with multiple municipalities nationwide
  • Hybrid service strategy combining online and offline
  • Differentiation through experienced IT freelancer introductions
  • Comprehensive online education and skill-up programs
  • Continuous creation of new services and investment in technological innovation
  • High user satisfaction from reliable platform design
  • Strong marketing and community management capabilities
  • Stable management base from capital and funding
  • Enhanced corporate image reflecting social impact
  • Composite business structure with multiple revenue sources

Threats

  • Risk of credibility loss from labor undercutting issues
  • Increasing competitors leading to customer and talent competition
  • Business operation constraints from legal regulations and labor law amendments
  • Quality degradation issues in the crowdsourcing industry
  • Risk of service obsolescence due to IT technology changes
  • Decrease in corporate outsourcing demand due to economic fluctuations
  • Impact from changes in local government subsidies and support policies
  • Platform security and personal information leakage risks
  • Image damage from societal misunderstandings or criticism
  • Uncertainty in ROI for new business investments
  • Intensifying global competition
  • Decline in service delivery due to talent outflow and recruitment difficulties

Innovations

2023: Entry into AI Agent Business

Overview
Launched services using AI to enhance new customer acquisition and matching accuracy.
Impact
Improves customer acquisition efficiency and user satisfaction. Becomes a pillar of new business revenue.

2021: Launch of Single Mother Employment Support Program

Overview
Initiated initiatives to support digital skill improvement and provide employment opportunities.
Impact
Contributes to social contribution and brand image enhancement. Advances utilization of diverse talent.

2020: Launch of Disabled Crowdsourcing Collaboration

Overview
Collaborated with Challenged Domain to expand online employment opportunities for the disabled.
Impact
Successfully promoted social inclusion and opened new user segments.

2022: Expansion of New Ways of Working LAB

Overview
Advanced new work style proposals utilizing coworking spaces in 16 locations nationwide.
Impact
Contributes to user engagement and strengthened regional collaborations.

2024: Enhancement of Outsourced Task Bulk Management Services

Overview
Advanced director dispatch and project management functions.
Impact
Achieves increase in large clients and business efficiency.

Sustainability

  • Promotion of regional revitalization through collaborations with local governments
  • Ongoing implementation of employment support programs for the disabled and single mothers
  • Dissemination of diverse work styles via New Ways of Working LAB
  • Cloud service operations aiming to reduce environmental impact
  • Development of guidelines for ethical AI operations and user protection