About SaaS sector in Japan
The SaaS sector in Japan comprises 2.69K companies, including 704 funded companies having collectively raised $4.91B in venture capital money and private equity. Out of these, 344 are Series A+ funded, and 1 has achieved unicorn status.
SaaS sector in Japan has seen 29 acquisitions and 88 IPOs. This represents almost 4.4% of all such companies - which is higher than the 3.8% exit rate of tech companies in general.
This sector includes companies providing cloud-based, multi-tenant and subscription or on-demand B2B software applications.
SaaS sector is also known as SaaS Solutions, Advanced SaaS or Digital SaaS.
All B2B software that offers cloud-based, multi-tenant solutions for business functions like Marketing, HR, Sales, Business Intelligence, etc are included in this sector. 1. All On-premise B2B software are excluded. 2. All companies that do not offer their own proprietary software are excluded. 3. Services and Consulting firms are also excluded. 4. Resellers are also excluded.
Top SaaS Companies in Japan
There are 2,688 SaaS startups in Japan which include AnyMind Group, Sansan, Soracom, Uzabase, Synspective. Out of these, 704 startups are funded, with 344 having secured Series A+ funding, and 1 achieving unicorn status.
2026 has seen the creation of 52 SaaS startups in Japan. Over the past 10 years, an average of 122 new companies have been launched annually. Notably, several of these startups have been founded by alumni of Keio University, The University of Tokyo and University of California (Los Angeles).
Here is the list of top SaaS startups in Japan
Provider of e-commerce, marketing, and manufacturing platforms. It develops and offers proprietary platforms supporting brand design, planning, production, e-commerce enablement, marketing, and logistics. These platforms also assist publishers and creators in monetizing and growing their brands through various tools for revenue maximization, marketing, and optimization. The company provides solutions for influencer marketing, live commerce, and conversational commerce, along with international shipping and cloud manufacturing capabilities. Its offerings encompass data and AI-driven solutions to streamline operations and enhance decision-making.
Key facts about AnyMind Group
- Founded Year: 2016
- Location: Minato (Japan)
- Stage: Public
- Total Funding till date: $91.7M
- Investors: Proto Ventures, VGI PLC and 15 Others
- Latest Funding Round: Conventional Debt, Jul 19, 2022, $*****
- Tracxn Score: 74/100 What is this?
- Competitors Rank: 3 of 2,490 Competitors
2. Sansan
Business card management software for enterprises. It offers a cloud-based card management software for enterprises. Employees can upload and scan cards, the company then uses OCR technology and human transcription to digitize them. Digital cards can be then accessed by everyone in the company and the data can also be exported in a .csv format. Users can search for cards in the database and add tags.
Key facts about Sansan
- Founded Year: 2007
- Location: Tokyo (Japan)
- Stage: Public
- Total Funding till date: $118M
- Investors: DCM Ventures, T. Rowe Price and 13 Others
- Latest Funding Round: Series E, Dec 06, 2018, $*****
- Tracxn Score: 73/100 What is this?
- Competitors Rank: 1 of 244 Competitors
3. Soracom
Provider of IoT connectivity solutions and platform services for device management. It offers tools for data transmission, security, and remote device access. The platform supports various network services, including private networks and gateways. It provides resources such as documentation, webinars, and guides for developers.
Key facts about Soracom
- Founded Year: 2014
- Location: Tokyo (Japan)
- Stage: Public
- Total Funding till date: $11.4M
- Investors: World Innovation Lab, Pavilion Capital Partners and 9 Others
- Latest Funding Round: Post IPO, Mar 26, 2024, $*****
- Tracxn Score: 69/100 What is this?
- Competitors Rank: 3 of 260 Competitors
4. Uzabase
Provider of market intelligence, data feeds, and software platforms for insights. The company delivers data through APIs, cloud services, and other platforms. It offers access to public and private company data, industry reports, and market analysis. The company provides expert networks for personalized insights and detailed answers.
Key facts about Uzabase
5. Synspective
Provider of cloud and AI-based satellite imaging data. It integrates data from the synthetic aperture radar satellite constellations and big data sources. It has applications in land displacement monitoring, flood damage analysis, solar potential area mapping, and facilities monitoring.
Key facts about Synspective
- Founded Year: 2018
- Location: Koto City (Japan)
- Stage: Public
- Total Funding till date: $244M
- Investors: JAFCO Group, Fuyo General Lease and 24 Others
- Latest Funding Round: Series C, Jun 19, 2024, $*****
- Tracxn Score: 68/100 What is this?
- Competitors Rank: 5 of 366 Competitors
Companies founded year-on-year in the SaaS sector in Japan
52 new startups have been founded so far in 2026 in the SaaS sector in Japan. 201 SaaS startups in Japan were founded in 2020 - this is the most number of startups founded in any year in the last 10 years.
- Total Number of Companies
Year | No. of companies |
|---|---|
2026 | 52 |
2025 | 93 |
2024 | 88 |
2023 | 89 |
2022 | 105 |
2021 | 120 |
2020 | 201 |
2019 | 182 |
2018 | 160 |
2017 | 131 |
Stage-wise distribution of SaaS sector companies in Japan
Out of the total 2,688 SaaS companies in Japan, 704 have secured funding. Among them, 344 have reached Series A or higher, and 222 to Series B or beyond.
Founded - 2,688
Funded - 704
Series A+ - 344
Series B+ - 222
Series C+ - 165
Company Stage | No. of companies |
|---|---|
Founded | 2,688 |
Funded | 704 |
Series A+ | 344 |
Series B+ | 222 |
Series C+ | 165 |
Let us walk you through our Sectors and other offerings
Designed with precision for VCs, PE, IBs, Incubators, M&A, Innovation more
Designed with precision for VCs, PE, IBs, Incubators, M&A, Innovation more
Funding Trends in the SaaS sector in Japan
Total funding year-on-year in the SaaS sector in Japan
The SaaS sector in Japan saw a total funding of more than $4.48B in the last 10 years. The most amount of funding was in 2025 at more than $705M. There has been a total funding of $525M in 2026 till date.
- Total Funding
Year | Total Funding |
|---|---|
2026 | $525M |
2025 | $705M |
2024 | $584M |
2023 | $337M |
2022 | $531M |
2021 | $561M |
2020 | $423M |
2019 | $412M |
2018 | $252M |
2017 | $152M |
Recent Funding Rounds in SaaS in Japan
In the year 2026, till October 2026, SaaS companies in Japan have raised $469M in equity funding across 124 rounds.
In the same period last year (i.e. till October 2025), SaaS companies in Japan had raised $495M across 90 rounds.
So, 2026 has seen a 5.39% drop in funding in SaaS companies in Japan as compared to 2025.
Here are some recent, important funding rounds in SaaS companies in Japan:
Company | Round Raised | Amount Raised | Funding Date | Investors |
|---|---|---|---|---|
Series B | 7876 | Oct 19, 2026 | ||
Series A | 3890 | Oct 16, 2026 | ||
Seed | 2039 | Oct 14, 2026 | and 2 more | |
Series A | 1672 | Oct 08, 2026 | ||
Series B | 1157 | Oct 08, 2026 |
Top Investors in SaaS in Japan
Plug and Play Tech Center is the top investor in SaaS companies in Japan based on number of companies invested.
Here are some top investors in SaaS companies in Japan:
Investor | Location | Top Portfolio Companies |
|---|---|---|
Sunnyvale (United States) | ||
San Francisco (United States) | ||
San Francisco (United States) | ||
London (United Kingdom) | ||
Menlo Park (United States) |
M&A activity in SaaS sector in Japan
In the year 2026, till July 2026, 6 acquisitions happened in SaaS sector in Japan. Last year, in 2025, a total of 5 acquisitions happened in SaaS sector in Japan.
Here are some recent, important acquisitions in SaaS sector in Japan:
Company | Acquisition Type | Acquisition Date | Acquirers |
|---|---|---|---|
Business Acquisition | Jul 10, 2026 | ||
Business Acquisition | May 29, 2026 | ||
Business Acquisition | Mar 30, 2026 | - | |
Business Acquisition | Mar 18, 2026 | ||
Business Acquisition | Feb 13, 2026 |
Acquisition trends in SaaS sector in Japan
Here are the acquisition trends in SaaS sector in Japan:
- Total Number of Acquisitions
Year | No. of companies |
|---|---|
2026 | 6 |
2025 | 5 |
2024 | 4 |
2023 | 1 |
2022 | 1 |
2021 | - |
2020 | 1 |
2019 | 2 |
2018 | 2 |
2017 | 2 |
IPOs in SaaS in Japan
In the year 2026, till September 2026, 5 IPOs happened in SaaS sector in Japan.
Here are some recent, important IPOs in SaaS sector in Japan:
Company | IPO Date | Exchange Symbol |
|---|---|---|
Sep 25, 2026 | Tokyo Stock Exchange (TYO) | |
Sep 18, 2026 | Tokyo Stock Exchange (TYO) | |
Jul 22, 2026 | Tokyo Stock Exchange (TYO) | |
Jul 15, 2026 | Tokyo Stock Exchange (TYO) | |
Apr 22, 2026 | Tokyo Stock Exchange (TYO) |
Colleges which produce the most SaaS companies in Japan
Companies founded by alumni from top colleges in the SaaS in Japan
Most number of SaaS startups in Japan have been founded by alumni from Keio University, The University of Tokyo and University of California (Los Angeles).
College | No. of companies |
|---|---|
Keio University | 6 |
The University of Tokyo | 5 |
University of California (Los Angeles) | 3 |
University of Cambridge | 3 |
Waseda University | 3 |
Carnegie Mellon University | 2 |
Columbia University | 2 |
Cornell University | 2 |
HEC Paris | 2 |
Massachusetts Institute of Technology | 2 |
Total funding in SaaS companies founded by alumni from top colleges in Japan
In the last 10 years, The University of Tokyo graduates' SaaS companies in Japan have raised the most funding among top colleges. Columbia University alumni are second, and University of California (Los Angeles) alumni are third.
College | Total Funding |
|---|---|
The University of Tokyo | $74.5M |
Columbia University | $74.2M |
University of California (Los Angeles) | $33.3M |
Keio University | $32.3M |
HEC Paris | $32.2M |
Cornell University | $21.8M |
University of Michigan-Ann Arbor | $21.8M |
Yale University | $21.8M |
IMD Business School | $17M |
Carnegie Mellon University | $11.4M |
Top News in SaaS in Japan
•
Perpetuals Moves to Offer Tokenized U.S. Stocks Under SEC Innovation ExemptionAccess Newswire•Oct 14, 2026•Perpetuals
•
•
Perpetuals Reports 380% Hypothetical Return in Backtest of AI Engine for Risk-Free Trading PlatformGlobal Fintech Series•Aug 07, 2026•Perpetuals
•
Soracom Launches Automotive Suite for Connected Vehicle Lifecycle ManagementIoT Business News•Jul 29, 2026•Soracom
•
•
Soracom Introduces Soracom Agent, an AI Agent for the Full IoT Project LifecycleAiThority•Jul 22, 2026•Soracom
•
Soracom Launches MVNE Business, Offering Cloud-Native Mobile Core to OperatorsAiThority•Jul 16, 2026•Soracom
•
•
•
