Thinkings

Thinkings Inc., a Japanese HR technology firm, was established in January 2020 through the strategic business integration of two distinct companies: Infodex Inc., which was responsible for the development of the SaaS-based applicant tracking system (ATS) known as sonar ATS, and IgniteEye Inc., which handled its sales. This merger created a holding company structure aimed at consolidating development and sales efforts. The company is led by President and CEO Takashi Yoshida. Prior to the merger, the sonar ATS service was initially launched in 2012.

The company's core offering is the "sonar HR Technology" platform, with the "sonar ATS" as its central product. This system provides a comprehensive solution for managing candidate data from various sources for both new graduate and mid-career hiring. It automates cumbersome tasks like application document management and interview scheduling, allowing recruitment teams to focus on more strategic activities. A key feature is the drag-and-drop interface that enables clients to design and customize their own recruitment workflows. The platform serves a wide range of clients, from large corporations like Toyota Motor Corporation, NTT Data, and All Nippon Airways to government agencies and small to medium-sized enterprises. By September 2024, the service had surpassed 2,000 clients and achieved an annual recurring revenue (ARR) of 2 billion yen. Revenue is generated through a SaaS business model.

To enhance its capabilities, Thinkings has incorporated AI-powered features such as "sonar AI," launched in April 2023, to improve the accuracy of document screening, and an "AI Job Post Assistant (β)" to support the creation of job descriptions. The platform also distinguishes itself through an open ecosystem, having integrated with over 50 external HR services, including recruiting media, aptitude tests, and communication tools like Microsoft Teams and Outlook. This extensive network of integrations allows clients to build a customized recruitment process tailored to their specific needs. The company has also expanded its focus to support the hiring of specialized talent, such as IT engineers, by partnering with dedicated job sites.

Thinkings has secured significant funding to fuel its growth, including a Series A round of 950 million yen in January 2021 and a Series B round of 1.62 billion yen in July 2022. In July 2025, it was announced that the company would be fully acquired by Visional, the operator of the job site BizReach, for 14 billion yen, joining the Visional Group.

Keywords: applicant tracking system, HRTech, SaaS, recruitment management, candidate management, hiring automation, recruitment workflow, talent acquisition, new graduate hiring, mid-career recruitment, sonar ATS, HR platform, AI in recruiting, HR service integration, Japanese market, corporate recruiting, government hiring, recruitment process optimization, HR software, candidate data management