kikitori Secures ¥300 Million in Series A Funding

kikitori, a Japanese company integrating agriculture and technology, has announced the successful closure of a ¥300 million Series A funding round. The funding was led by Globis Capital Partners and Agribusiness Investment & Development. Kikitori operates a dual business model, focusing on an agricultural distribution SaaS platform called "nimaru" and a retail segment with its cut fruit store "KAJITSU".

Expansion Plans for "nimaru"

The primary focus of this funding will be to enhance and expand "nimaru", kikitori's cloud-based service that streamlines agricultural distribution. "nimaru" enables producers and distributors to manage shipping schedules and transaction data efficiently through smartphones, replacing traditional methods like paper and fax. It has gained traction with over 200 major businesses and 300,000 registered producers across Japan, processing around 250,000 entries of distribution data monthly.

Use of Funds

The newly acquired capital will be allocated towards several strategic initiatives:

  • Regional Expansion: kikitori aims to promote the implementation of "nimaru" on a prefectural basis, expanding its reach across Japan.
  • Functionality Enhancements: The company plans to improve features for major wholesale markets and strengthen sales management functions, including billing and payment.
  • AI Development: Leveraging accumulated distribution data, kikitori intends to develop AI capabilities for shipment optimization and price analysis.
  • New Transaction Platform: Plans are underway to launch the "nimaru Transaction Platform," which will facilitate connections between sellers, buyers, and logistics providers, offering services from quotation to payment.

Future Prospects

With this funding, kikitori is well-positioned to accelerate the nationwide expansion of its SaaS offerings and advance the development of its new transaction platform. The company's innovative approach to integrating technology with agriculture aims to enhance efficiency within the agricultural supply chain, benefiting both producers and distributors.