Chikaku

About Chikaku

Chikaku, Inc. is a Japanese Age-Tech company founded in March 2014 by co-founders Kenji Kajiwara and Kenta Kuwata. Kajiwara, the Representative Director, drew upon his 12 years of experience at Apple Japan, where he was involved in business planning and managed the iPod business, to establish the company. The company's mission is to bridge the distance between families, particularly focusing on connecting younger generations with their elderly relatives who may not be proficient with modern technology.

The company's primary product is "Mago Channel," which translates to "Grandchild Channel." This service consists of a dedicated hardware device that connects to a television, allowing users to send photos and videos directly from their smartphones to the television screen of a loved one. This enables grandparents, for example, to easily view content of their grandchildren on a large, familiar screen without needing a computer or smartphone. The business model operates on a subscription basis, combining the sale of the hardware with ongoing service fees. Chikaku also offers a photo printing service as an extension of the Mago Channel.

In May 2023, Chikaku announced a business alliance with NTT Docomo to co-develop ICT services for the elderly. This partnership led to the creation of a new service called "Chikaku," a "digital proximity" service that facilitates video calls between smartphones and televisions, further enhancing the connection between distant family members. Chikaku operates with a "Seniors First" philosophy, aiming to create products that are not just usable by, but designed for, the elderly. The company has received funding from several venture capital firms, including SMBC Venture Capital, Aflac Ventures, and GMO VenturePartners, with total funding reaching approximately ¥1.5 billion.