| Representative |
Frank M. Shibuno
At Ricoh, I conducted corporate business development projects for decades, including new ventures, M&A, and corporate revitalization. While involved in numerous new business projects, I was shocked by their low success rate and began dedicating more time to M&A. Both organic and strategic approaches are crucial, but I keenly felt their difficulty. Former Ricoh Director and President of Ricoh Americas Holdings (NJ). After retiring, I co-founded a consulting firm. Supporting a project for T** Corporation, a former client, led to my joining as a co-founder of this company. Certified Management Consultant for Small and Medium Enterprises. |
| Main Achievements |
2024 J-StarX Silicon Valley Extended Program & Extension Phase (JETRO)
2025 Fiscal Year “Support Program for Securing Entrepreneurship and Management Talent for R&D Startups / Talent Discovery and Entrepreneur Development Program in Deep Tech Fields (NEDO/NEP) Breakthrough Course (METI) |
| Childhood Dream |
The recurring dream I had as a child (in full color) was about flying through the sky. I built my own airplane and flew it freely with an engine. Probably like the Wright brothers' experimental flight at Kitty Hawk, North Carolina. As I grew older, I came to understand that in reality, you can only learn to fly through repeated falls. |
| Influential People, Things, and Events |
Person: Mr. K, my mentor from my student days (resigned as a university professor at age 50 to live solely by his pen)
Object: You can tell just by looking at a Cubist painting, but you can't draw one yourself. Most things are made that way.
Event: Keeping a “dream journal” (writing down dreams immediately upon waking) made me realize who I truly was (couldn't endure it for more than a few weeks) |
| Motivation, Goals, and Ideal World |
The catalyst for starting the company
Through supporting T** Corporation's advanced technology development division and new business projects, I met co-founders Takagi and Narai. The original Takagi Method (2022), proposed to Toyota North America, was adopted because it achieved higher accuracy than Japan's EIS method at half the investment cost. However, it left technical challenges unresolved (e.g., relying on lab-quality data and being vulnerable to noise). Takagi proposed a spin-off, but it was rejected due to lack of precedent. We naturally concluded that these remaining challenges should be resolved and that we should offer a service widely, independent of specific OEMs or battery types. The three core members at the time had distinct areas of expertise, and we believed complementing each other would increase our chances of success.
What We Want to Achieve
“Become the global platform for battery health and performance management.” In short, “become the infrastructure for battery intelligence.” Become the first Japanese company globally recognized within industry associations for battery intelligence and performance analytics.
The World We Want to Create
Nearly all EV issues stem from battery problems. Vehicle lifespan and onboard battery lifespan are inevitably mismatched. Even with super batteries, degradation is unavoidable. This means that without accurate performance evaluation throughout the entire lifecycle, the solution remains incomplete. Large-capacity batteries suitable for secondary use will see expanding applications in BESS and UPS. Since renewable energy inevitably creates supply-demand imbalances, we want to play a part in building a society that effectively utilizes storage batteries. |
