Visual Bank

About Visual Bank

Visual Bank Inc. is a Japanese company established in April 2022 by CEO Saneyuki Nagai and Director Fumitaka Iizuka, aiming to unlock the potential of all data. The firm operates as an "IP x AI Enabler," developing a next-generation data library that connects data's potential value with the needs of AI development. The company's mission is to address the data shortage in the AI industry by organizing and providing access to valuable industrial data that often remains unused.

Upon its founding, Visual Bank raised $14 million and simultaneously acquired Amana Images Corporation, a company with a 38-year history in the stock photo business, making it a wholly-owned subsidiary. This acquisition formed the basis of Visual Bank's operations, leveraging Amana Images' extensive library and experience in managing intellectual property and creator rights. The company's former name was Numazawa, Iizuka, and Nagai for Kimberley.

Visual Bank's core business involves providing rights-cleared, safe visual materials for various uses, including AI development, advertising, and publishing. The firm offers several services, including "Qlean Dataset," which provides datasets for AI training, and "Qlean Market," a data library for AI learning purposes. They offer end-to-end services from data collection to annotation to meet specific AI development requirements. Additionally, through its subsidiary THE PEN, the company is developing AI-powered tools to support manga creators. Another key initiative is a joint research project with Japan's National Institute of Advanced Industrial Science and Technology (AIST) to develop a rights-cleared, risk-free image generation model.

The company serves clients in the AI development and research sectors and other industries requiring high-quality visual data. Its business model revolves around the management, development, provision, and monetization of data through its various platforms and services. The company has a diverse group of major shareholders, including Incubate Fund, Mitsui Sumitomo Insurance Venture Capital, Z Venture Capital, and W fund.