FLENS

About FLENS

FLENS Inc., an ed-tech venture established in August 2012, operates with a mission to enhance the value of learning environments. The company was founded by Takahiro Oobae, who serves as the President and CEO. His journey began with an 18-year career at a major cram school, where he held various roles from top lecturer to director, gaining deep insights into the challenges within the education sector. This firsthand experience revealed two primary issues: a lack of intrinsic motivation among many students and the increasing administrative burden on instructors, which detracted from their time with students. Recognizing these challenges, Oobae launched FLENS as a spin-off from a cram school's internal project to address these issues through technology.

The company's business model centers on providing SaaS-based platforms to educational institutions like cram schools ('juku'), private schools, and public schools. FLENS generates revenue through subscriptions to its software solutions. One of its core products is the "FLENS School Manager," a communication platform designed to connect educational institutions with parents and students. This application streamlines administrative tasks such as distributing notices, creating reports, managing student attendance, and handling billing and payments, thereby improving operational efficiency. For parents and students, it offers a unified timeline for all communications, including school announcements, fee notifications, and video lesson delivery. As of late 2022, the platform served over 330,000 users.

Another key offering is the "FLENS Special Training Series," a tablet-based learning application. This platform transforms drill-based learning into an engaging experience by incorporating gamification. Students can compete in real-time with peers across the nation, which helps to increase their motivation and engagement in their studies. The system is designed to provide a safe, controlled learning environment by restricting access to non-educational applications and websites on the tablets. The company has received seed funding, including a $1 million round in July 2013 from Mobile Internet Capital, to support its growth and service expansion.