Main menu

Pages

[2022 edition] 11 AI development companies to watch!


[2022 edition] 11 AI development companies to watch!


[2022 edition] 11 AI development companies to watch! Verification of support areas and methods of provision!

In recent years, the evolution of artificial intelligence (AI) has been remarkable, and its use in business is expanding. There are countless examples of AI utilization, such as detecting defective products at manufacturing plants, automating image inspections at medical sites, automatically creating company minutes, and predicting stock prices and exchange rates in financial markets.

AVILEN AI Trend picks up 11 companies specializing in AI development that are leading the "third AI boom" and examines their characteristics such as support areas and service provision methods.

Activities of AI development companies

The reasons why companies consider developing AI systems can be broadly divided into two: "new business" and "improving operational efficiency." Therefore, there is an approach of introducing a system that applies AI to solve problems that are difficult to solve with existing tools.

Considering the size and business model of a company, the problems to be solved are infinitely different. Therefore, custom-made AI systems are often required to meet individual needs. It would be ideal if the system could be developed in-house, but there are cases where development is difficult for ordinary companies due to lack of technical capabilities. That's where AI development companies come in.

Listed and unlisted companies

AI development companies in Japan are thought to number in the hundreds, from major listed companies to unlisted startups, and they offer a wide variety of products and services.

Unlisted AI development companies often provide custom AI engines that improve AI models according to the different challenges and needs of each company. On the other hand, listed AI development companies often use their accumulated development know-how to sell general-purpose AI platforms that correspond to the industries and fields in which they specialize.

Listed AI company


(1) AI inside : 

Handwritten document data conversion AI, active sales to financial and public institutions
AI inside (listed on the Tokyo Stock Exchange Mothers: 4488) is an AI-OCR (optical It is an AI development company that provides the DX Suite service (character recognition).
As of the end of June 2020, the number of contracts for the mainstay “DX Suite” is over 5800 , boasting the top share in the AI-OCR market . In particular , we are actively selling "DX Suite" mainly to financial institutions and public institutions, such as by forming a business alliance with NTT DATA, the largest system integrator in the information service industry .

Its stock price has increased about 6 times in about 10 months since its listing in December last year, and its market capitalization is around 220 billion yen . is in the top 10.

(2) PKSHA : 
Providing multiple algorithm modules to major companies in each industry
Paksha Technology (TSE Mothers: 3993) is an AI development company that provides multiple function-specific algorithm modules using deep learning. Representative Director Katsuya Uenoyama was from the laboratory of Professor Yutaka Matsuo of the University of Tokyo, who is said to be a leading AI researcher (Matsuo Lab). We started doing business with big companies .
Provided general-purpose dialogue engine "BEDORE" software using natural language processing technology to LINE, Nihon Keizai Shimbun , etc. Providing credit and financing software based on the customer behavior prediction and inference engine "PREDICO" to Credit Saison , and domain-specific image recognition engine "HRUS" based software to Tokyo Electric Power Company, NTT DoCoMo, etc. is doing. The market capitalization is around 70 billion yen.

PKSHA received the Minister of Education, Culture, Sports, Science and Technology Award at the University Venture Awards 2017 , and the Special Judging Committee Award at the 4th Japan Venture Award , and its future potential has been highly evaluated. By combining a large number of developed function-specific algorithm modules, we are able to flexibly and quickly provide algorithms that meet the needs of a wide variety of industries.

 

③ Neural pocket : 
World's first fashion trend analysis AI, listed this year
Neural Pocket (TSE Mothers: 4056) is a company that supports businesses in areas such as smart cities, digital signage (advertising), and fashion using proprietary AI technology that analyzes images and videos. The world's first fashion trend analysis AI "AI-MD" won the Excellence Award (Fashion Category Award) of the " 2nd Deep Learning Business Utilization Awards ". The market capitalization is about 55 billion yen .


"AI MD" automatically collects and analyzes big data such as the latest collections and trend photos from social media and fashion media around the world 24 hours a day. We have a track record of improving the proper usage rate (percentage of total inventory that can be sold at a fixed price) by an average of 10% compared to the average year for multiple apparel companies that have introduced it . In addition, in smart city related services, we provide AI solutions to various companies and organizations such as real estate developers, government agencies, and retailers.

In September this year, AI signage with a temperature measurement function, home solutions using edge AI technology and PC cameras for remote work due to the corona crisis were announced one after another. In October, it is characterized by its devotion to developing and providing new products and services, such as the announcement of AI technology that can detect vehicle license plates with high accuracy when driving at high speeds, in rainy weather, or in dark places.

④HEROZ : 
Combination of game software and multiple AI engines
HEROZ (TSE 1st Section 4382) is a well-known AI development company with B to C (consumer) shogi software "Shogi Wars". In B to B (for industry), we provide " HEROZ Kishin " which consists of multiple AI engines such as "brain game engine", "prediction engine", "classification engine", and "anomaly detection engine" using deep learning . The market capitalization is about 45 billion yen .

HEROZ has entered into capital and business alliances with Bandai Namco Holdings , SMBC Nikko Securities , Monex Securities , etc. We are jointly developing the system with Takenaka Corporation. In addition to providing B to C game software, HEROZ's business model is characterized by forming business alliances with major companies in B to B and developing services that meet the challenges of each company.

⑤FRONTEO : 
Legal tech × drug discovery × COVID-19 analysis has a strong presence
FRONTEO (TSE Mothers 2158) is a data analysis company specializing in natural language processing. Our main focus is the proprietary AI engine "KIBIT" that can derive highly accurate analysis results in a short time even with a small amount of training data. He has strengths in areas such as legal tech and life sciences, and in recent years he has been particularly active in fields related to drug discovery and the new coronavirus. The market capitalization is around 30 billion yen .

In 2020, we signed a license agreement with Takeda Pharmaceutical Co. , Ltd. and Chugai Pharmaceutical to provide a proprietary drug discovery support AI system. In addition , in relation to the new coronavirus, in addition to analyzing the effective mechanism for selecting therapeutic drug candidates, we announced the discovery of about 450 types of compounds that can be diverted from existing drugs . For this reason, it is attracting attention not only from the AI ​​industry but also from those involved in the financial market .

⑥ Brain pad 

BrainPad (TSE 1st Section: 3655) is an AI company that supports business creation and management improvement by turning data into value using analytics and engineering . We support data utilization of more than 800 companies by making full use of machine learning and deep learning. The market capitalization is about 30 billion yen .
BrainPad provides many systems such as marketing, visualization, and augmented analysis using deep learning. For example, Rtoaster , a private DMP equipped with a recommendation engine provided to Japan Airlines (JAL), is an airline ticket reservation site operated by JAL that boasts 200 million PV per month and 550,000 UU per day. More than 100 types of banners are always distributed based on needs. We provide systems mainly to major companies in various industries such as automobiles, finance, aviation, food, retail, transportation, and logistics .

⑦ ExaWizards 

ExaWizards (TSE Mothers: 4259) is an AI venture that supports the development and practical application of AI products in various fields such as nursing care, medical care, HR, robots, and finance. In the " Linkedin TOP STARTUPS 2020 ", it has won the top spot for the second year in a row, surpassing Smart News in second place.
The business model consists of two pillars: the AI ​​platform business and the AI ​​product business. The main force of the platform business is “ exaBase ,” a trained model platform that can develop AI applications . We support about 200 projects a year, mainly for major companies, by customizing exaBase. ExaWizards is also focusing on supporting the promotion of DX, and Director Tauma Oue also says that the current situation where companies are rapidly advancing DX due to the corona crisis is " a tailwind for our business ."

Unlisted AI venture

⑧Preferred Networks : 
Unicorn with an estimated enterprise value of 351.5 billion yen

Preferred Networks is one of Japan's largest AI ventures, with a total of 16.5 billion yen invested by major listed companies such as NTT , Fanuc , Toyota Motor , Hakuhodo DY Holdings, Hitachi, Mizuho Bank, Mitsui & Co., and JXTG Holdings.

Using cutting-edge technologies such as deep learning technology and robotics, he promotes industrial transformation in the fields of industrial robots, autonomous driving, and drug discovery. In July 2020, the company expanded its business domain by announcing entry into the computer science education business .

In 2015, he developed the open source deep learning framework " Chainer ". We are also releasing free of charge "Chainer Playground" where you can learn deep learning on a web browser. In June 2020, we announced the supercomputer MN-3, which is equipped with the MN-Core processor developed in-house for deep learning, and ranked first in the world on the Green500 list .

According to Nihon Keizai Shimbun's " NEXT Unicorn Survey , " the estimated corporate value of Preferred Networks is 351.5 billion yen . Unlisted venture companies with a valuation of more than $1 billion (about 104.5 billion yen) are called unicorn companies due to their rarity, and Preferred Networks is also on the list of unicorn companies.

⑨ABEJA 

ABEJA is an AI venture that has developed the "ABEJA Platform", which uses deep learning to create and operate AI models that suit your business on a browser without programming. It has been provided to more than 250 companies, including major companies such as CyberAgent, Mercari, Denso, and Topcon, and there are cases where one company has reduced operating costs by more than 50%. According to Nihon Keizai Shimbun's " NEXT Unicorn Survey ," ABEJA's estimated corporate value is 27.9 billion yen.
In recent years, ABEJA is characterized by the development of projects that strongly support the promotion of digital transformation (DX) at companies . Starting this year, in light of the spread of the new coronavirus infection, we are disseminating the importance of promoting DX using the "ABEJA Platform". In an interview with AVILEN AI Trend, he said, "We want to accelerate DX in Japan by accumulating use cases ."

⑩AVILEN

AVILEN is an AI startup that provides natural language processing engine " AVILEN PARROT ", optimum proposal engine "AVILEN FALCON", and image processing engine "AVILEN HAWK" that utilizes deep learning to support all formats such as language, table and image recognition. . Customize these AI engines according to different challenges for each company. We provide document evaluation automation AI, drawing recognition automation AI, nursing home optimal proposal AI, etc.

In addition to AI development, we will also work on AI human resource development as our main business. In the field of AI human resource development, he has a track record of being No. 1 in the number of successful applicants for the second consecutive term in the JDLA E qualification exam.
MatrixFlow is an AI startup that provides a SaaS-type service " MatrixFlow " that allows you to build AI without programming . We are engaged in commissioned development of AI using "MatrixFlow" and consulting services to support in-house production of companies. MatrixFlow has over 1000 users.
"MatrixFlow" can be used immediately in a browser, and machine learning, deep learning, data analysis, and preprocessing can be performed only by mouse operations such as drag and drop. Places of introduction include Takenaka Corporation and DIP. In the future, I would like to pay attention to the expansion of the supply destination.

summary

AVILEN AI Trend spotlighted the support areas and provision methods of 11 notable listed and unlisted companies that specialize in AI development. It is easy to see that each of the 11 companies has developed AI products and services that condense their own technological capabilities, and that they are devising various ways to provide them.

In addition, without overlooking the spread and penetration of remote work associated with the "corona disaster", the boldness of an unlisted AI startup that supports the promotion of digital transformation (DX) at companies by making full use of AI technology using deep learning. efforts are also noteworthy. AI technology continues to evolve remarkably, and Professor Yutaka Matsuo of the University of Tokyo's Graduate School argues that there are " various breakthroughs to come " in deep learning , which sparked the third AI boom .

It is highly probable that the momentum for AI development and introduction by companies will continue to increase in the future. If a company is considering the development and introduction of AI, I would like them to first identify their business model, work content, and issues to be solved. On top of that, it is important to carefully examine and consider what form of AI utilization is the best solution for your company, make a decision, and then take action.

Comments