NEW BUSINESS
Service Development for New Ventures and Startups
For a new business, building small and testing beats building everything up front. Here are cases where we worked alongside startups and companies’ new ventures, from putting the concept into words and prototyping to MVP development in about three months and improvement after release.
Related Service: PoC/MVP Development
CONSULTATIONS
Common Requests About New Venture and Startup Development
A new business has to face both questions: whether it can be built, and whether it will be used. Here are the requests we receive most often, along with how we approach them.
Getting Started
We have an idea, but no specification document
Our Approach
In a new business, it is normal that the specifications cannot be written out in full from the start. Waiting for them to be settled delays getting to market.
In the Q&A service case study, we took part from the business design stage, narrowed the features down to only those needed to validate the hypothesis, and released the service in about three months from the concept.
We want to build it together with our in-house engineers
Our Approach
It is common to want to keep development capability in-house while lacking enough people or experience.
In the Q&A service case study, the client’s developers and our team worked as one team, without dividing assignments, and reviewed each other’s deliverables.
After Launch
With matching, payments, and more, the mechanics are complex
Our Approach
The more a mechanism sits at the core of the business, as matching, billing, and calls do, the more directly an error affects revenue and trust.
In the video consultation app, we recorded the start and end of each call accurately as the basis for billing, and delivered screen sharing, recording, and automation from booking to payout of sales on both iOS and Android.
Our user base has grown, and the current system cannot keep up
Our Approach
A system built for the early days of a business reaches its limits as users and features increase. Problems such as slow search or a system prone to outages lead users to leave.
In the sales outsourcing matching case study, a full rebuild eliminated the search delays, and we switched to the new system with only about one hour of downtime. For more than a year since release, it has not stopped even once.
We ended up having to take over without documentation from the previous development company
Our Approach
Having no design documents and not knowing the history is a major worry when switching development companies.
In the egg freezing and storage service case study, we received only the source code and the cloud management information, and we keep making weekly improvements while recording specifications and procedures each time we investigate.
STRENGTHS
How We Can Help with New Venture and Startup Development
From the concept stage through operations and rebuilds after launch, we work alongside you as your business moves through its stages. Below, we focus on what we actually did in our case studies.
Taking Part from the Business Design Stage
We take part from the stage of deciding what to build and narrow the features down to what is needed to validate the hypothesis. In the Q&A service case study, based on the validation results, the decision to move to the next stage could be made before any large investment.
CasesQ&A Service MVP
Hard mechanics: matching, billing, 3D
We have built the mechanics at the heart of new businesses: matching between regions and companies, a three-party platform linking recruitment agencies with job openings, billing tied to call time, and subscriptions. For a service that lets people place NFTs they own onto a 3D object, we got there after about two to three months of technical validation, and the technique has since been registered as a patent held by the client.
CasesRegion–company matchingVideo consultation appNFT × 3D service
Continuing Development After Launch, in Step with Growth
We grow services that started small, guided by user feedback and data. A live-music companion-matching service launched with only the essential features, passed 300 members in six weeks, and grew to more than 7,000. A subscription service for workspaces is linked with more than 750 workplaces nationwide, and, according to its operating company’s announcement, the number of users of a university admissions matching service has grown 11-fold from the previous year.
CasesLive-music companion matchingWorkspace SubscriptionUniversity Admissions Matching
Handling Rebuilds and Takeovers as Well
We also handle full rebuilds of services that have reached their limits as users grew, and takeovers of systems that come with no documentation. We design a rebuild as an investment that keeps your next stage of growth from stalling.
CasesSales Outsourcing MatchingTaking Over Maintenance and Operations
SCOPE
Scope of Work for New Venture and Startup Development
We handle everything from business design, through developing web services and smartphone apps, to operations after launch.
Business and Service Design
Sorting out whose problem is being solved and what that problem is, and narrowing down the features to build first.
Matching Mechanisms
Mechanics that connect users — requests and applications, raise-your-hand proposals, recommendations, ticket hand-offs — with safety measures such as reporting and one-to-one messaging.
Billing and Payments
Subscriptions, one-off payments, billing tied to call time, and payout of sales.
Chat and Calls
Chat for each project, video calls, screen sharing, and recording.
Smartphone Apps
iOS and Android apps, plus an admin screen for the service operators.
AI Features
AI that adds value to the service, such as automatic generation of itinerary proposals, document scoring, and recommendations.
Rebuilds
Investigation of the existing service, a full rebuild, and switchover with only a short downtime.
Operations and Improvement
Feature additions after launch, taking over maintenance and operations, and infrastructure operations.
HOW TO CHOOSE
Choosing How to Build at Each Stage of Your Business
The right way to build depends on the stage of your business.
| Stage | Suitable Approach |
|---|---|
| Not yet clear whether it will be used | Build a first version with only the features needed for validation, in a short period |
| Already clear that it will be used | Build it from the start so everyone involved can use it |
| Users have increased, and the current design has reached its limits | Rebuild with a design meant for long-term use |
| Want to switch development companies | Take over the current system while investigating it, and keep improving it |
Our approach of building small and testing is described in more detail on our page about PoC (proof of concept) and MVP (minimum viable product) development.
FLOW
Our Process for New Venture Development
We choose what to build and how to proceed to match the stage of your business.
Sort Out Your Business and Users
We clarify whose problem we are solving, what that problem is, and how to solve it, and decide the scope to build first.
Build the First Version
We build only the features that are needed, and you check a working version at least once a week.
The Q&A service went from concept to release in about three months
Observe User Reactions
We have real users try it, and decide the next move from both the numbers and users’ feedback.
Expand, Rebuild, or Decide
Whether it means expanding features, rebuilding with a design meant for long-term use, or deciding whether to move on to the next stage, we stay with you as your business situation requires.
FAQ
Frequently Asked Questions About New Venture and Startup Development
Here are the questions we are asked most often before a consultation. Please feel free to ask about anything not covered here.
Can we consult you even if we are still at the idea stage and have no specification document?
Yes. We take part from the business design stage and narrow down the necessary features together with you. In the Q&A service case study, we released the service in about three months from the concept and began validation with real users.
Can we develop together with our in-house engineers?
Yes. We have a case study in which a client’s developers and our team formed one team and developed in a setup where both sides reviewed each other’s deliverables.
Can you also build matching services and billing mechanisms?
Yes. We have a track record of developing matching between regions and companies, a three-party platform that connects recruitment agencies and job openings, billing tied to call time, subscriptions, and more.
Can we also ask you to handle improvements and operations after launch?
Yes. In many case studies, we continue adding features and making improvements after launch. In the sales outsourcing matching case study, we set up a development structure that can release several times a week.
Our current system is slow, and we are not sure whether to rebuild it.
First, we investigate the current system and decide together with you whether it should be rebuilt. In the sales outsourcing matching case study, a full rebuild eliminated the search delays, and we switched to the new system with only about one hour of downtime.
Can you take over a system built by another company without any documentation?
Yes, we can. In the egg freezing and storage service case study, we received only the source code and the cloud management information, and we keep making improvements while recording specifications and procedures with each modification.
How do you handle safety for a matching service where people meet in person?
We identify the risks during requirements definition and build the countermeasures in. For the live-music companion-matching service, we used paid membership, a reporting feature, one-to-one messaging only, and payments that never store card details on our side.
Can we consult you about technology that may not be feasible?
Yes. We first run a technical validation to see whether it can be done, share the results regularly, and decide the way forward together. For a service that places NFTs onto a 3D object, we got there after about two to three months of validation.
How is the cost determined?
The cost varies greatly depending on the scope of the features to build first, the complexity of mechanisms such as matching and billing, whether a smartphone app is needed, and the scope of operations after launch. Before preparing an estimate, we sort these out together with you.
Case Studies by Field
All Case Studies30
Cloud Services9
Core & Business Systems4
Construction DX2
E-commerce Development3
Inventory & Order Management4
AI Adoption10
DX Promotion8
New Ventures12
Case Studies (12)
AI Adoption
New Ventures
Case Study: MEETSCUL, a "Hand-Raising" Matching Platform That Connects Regions and Companies with AI
When planning corporate retreats, offsite meetings or workations, companies traditionally had to...
New Ventures
Building an MVP of a Q&A Service With a New Revenue Model in About Three Months and Testing It in the Market
Pixis Inc. had envisioned a Q&A service in which influencers not only earn money by answering fans'...
New Ventures
Case Study: MVP Development of MELD, a Concert Companion Matching Service and a Music Label's First In-House Service
meld Inc. is a company whose core business is an independent music label. Through its long...
New Ventures
Co-Workation Case Study: Reforming Work Environments Through a "Fourth Place" Beyond the Office
After the COVID-19 pandemic, remote work became widespread, but it also brought new challenges to...
New Ventures
SOUDAN: Developing a Video Consultation Marketplace That Charges by Call Time
As remote interaction spread rapidly, ITO Technologies Inc. envisioned a place where people could...
New Ventures
Case Study: Building "META PYLON," Where You Stick Your NFTs onto a 3D Pylon, Together from Technical Validation Onward
At the time, one problem with NFTs was that, once purchased, there was little you could do with...
New Ventures
Case Study: Fully Replacing the Sales Outsourcing Matching Service "side bizz" to End Search Delays and Run Over a Year Without Downtime
"side bizz," operated by WebX Co., Ltd., is a matching service that connects companies looking for...
Cloud Services
New Ventures
GIMMY: Developing a Platform That Empowers the Businesses of Personal Trainers and Sports Coaches
In the fitness industry, a growing number of personal trainers and sports coaches work as...
Cloud Services
New Ventures
TeamPlace®: Developing a Workplace Subscription Platform for Finding the Places, People, and Activities That Suit You
There are many websites introducing coworking spaces and Wi-Fi-equipped cafes across Japan. But for...
Cloud Services
New Ventures
Developing an Industry-Specific Agent Collaboration Platform That Connects Outside Recruitment Agencies with Job Openings
Miraiyu Co., Ltd. runs several recruitment services specializing in drivers and security staff. Its...
Cloud Services
AI Adoption
New Ventures
Nennai Nyushi Navi, a Matching Service for Comprehensive Selection and Recommendation Admissions: AI Feature Development and Ongoing Co-Creation
Nennai Nyushi Navi is a matching service that connects universities with high school students...
New Ventures
Case Study: Taking Over Maintenance and Operations of the Egg Freezing and Storage Service "GraceBank" and Enabling Weekly Feature Improvements
"GraceBank," operated by Grace Group Co., Ltd., is a service that provides everything in one...
FREE ESTIMATE
Free Estimates: Learn What to Build and the Cost Range on the First Call
Your requirements do not need to be settled. Tell us in a sentence what you want to build, and your project manager will sort it out with you.