Linkwiz

About Linkwiz

Linkwiz Inc. is a Japanese startup founded in March 2015 by Go Fukino, Muramatsu, and Suzuki, specializing in autonomous control software for industrial robots. Based in Hamamatsu, Shizuoka, a major manufacturing hub, the company's mission is to "revolutionize work through robotics that inherit human skills." The founder, Go Fukino, previously worked on 3D CAD software development, where he identified a disconnect between design data and on-site production data. This experience led him to establish Linkwiz to bridge the gap between digital and real-world data to improve manufacturing processes.

The company develops and sells software that acts as the "brain" for industrial robots, enabling them to recognize objects and adjust their movements accordingly by integrating 3D scanners and proprietary 3D shape processing technology. Linkwiz's software is compatible with a wide variety of robots and sensors from different manufacturers, facilitating easy integration into existing production lines. This technology addresses critical issues in the manufacturing sector, such as labor shortages and the challenge of passing down skills from experienced workers. Key clients are in the automotive, agricultural machinery, and metal processing industries. Suzuki Motor Corporation, for instance, has implemented Linkwiz's solutions to automate welding inspection processes at its plants.

Linkwiz's main products include: * **L-ROBOT**: A control system that automatically generates and corrects robot teaching data. It allows robots to adapt to variations in workpiece position and shape for tasks like welding, sealing, and polishing. * **L-QUALIFY**: An automated 3D robot inspection system that performs in-line quality checks, aiming to eliminate the outflow of defective products. It can conduct various inspections, including shape comparisons based on point cloud data captured by a scanner. * **LINKWIZ FACTORY CLOUD**: A production data management and analysis tool that provides a dashboard to visualize and monitor data from L-ROBOT and L-QUALIFY, helping to improve quality and productivity. * **L-ROBOT Sheet Metal Welding Package**: An all-in-one solution designed to simplify welding automation for small and medium-sized enterprises.

The company has secured significant funding through multiple rounds. In June 2019, Linkwiz raised JPY 900 million in a Series B round from investors including INCJ, Panasonic, and Mitutoyo Corporation. More recently, in May 2024, it completed a Series C round, raising JPY 650 million with lead investor Marubeni Ventures to accelerate product adoption and further technology development. The company has also received investment from Toyota Tsusho and Suzuki, forming business development agreements to expand its robotics solutions globally.