# AWL

Startup profile on Capital Atlas: https://capitalatlas.ai/startups/awl

- Industry: Business Support Services
- Headquarters: Tokyo, Japan
- Website: www.awl.co.jp
- Total disclosed funding: $26M
- Latest round: Series A (May 21, 2024)
- Investors on record: 16

## About

Founded in 2016 and based in Tokyo, Japan, AWL Inc. was first founded by Muneharu Kitade and is known as AI TOKYO LAB & Co. The company develops and offers AI camera solutions to enhance retail stores. In 2017, the company entered into a capital alliance with SATUDORA Holdings and demonstrated proof-of-concept in SATUDORA stores by developing various AI features for store operations. In August 2017, the company established the "AI HOKKAIDO LAB" at Hokkaido University and entered into joint development of smartphone applications with Toyota Motor Corporation. In 2018, the company established AI TOKYO LAB Vietnam as a research and development site. In 2019, the company changed its name to AWL Inc. The company spun off its AI contract development business and AI training business to a new company, AI TOKYO LAB Co., Ltd., and transferred all shares to COCON Inc. A portion of SATUDORA Holdings shares was bought by the management in a restructuring. As of March 2019, the company has 70 employees. 

AWL Inc. primarily markets its AWL BOX, a device that links with a store’s CCTV to provide edge computing solutions. After the security cameras are linked, users can choose various functions via the AWL app while the camera data is stored in the cloud. These functions include detecting suspicious people, analyzing clients by age and gender, analyzing movement in the store, analyzing behavior in front of product displays and in contact with the products, purchasing behavior, and other actions that can help increase sales and lower costs. The AWL pad takes a photo and measures the body temperature of the employee or visitor to determine their condition and determines if they are wearing a mask or not.

## Funding rounds

- Series A, May 21, 2024, $1.9M — Hokkaido Venture Capital, Hokkaido Research Institute for the Twenty-first Century, DG Incubation, S Ventures, Tanioka ryokuka co. ltd.
- Series A, Nov 15, 2022, $2.2M — TOHOKU University Venture Partners
- Series A, Jun 2, 2021, $18M — Chugoku Electric Power, Rakuten Capital, SATUDORA HOLDINGS, Investment Lab(VC)
- Series A, Feb 3, 2020, $4.2M — Mitsubishi UFJ Capital, Mizuho Capital, CyberAgent, Inc., TOPPAN Holdings, Asukanet Co., Ltd., KYODO NEWS DIGITAL

## Investors

- Mitsubishi UFJ Capital (https://capitalatlas.ai/funds/mitsubishi-ufj-capital) — Series A
- Mizuho Capital (https://capitalatlas.ai/funds/mizuho-capital) — Series A
- CyberAgent, Inc. — Series A
- TOPPAN Holdings — Series A
- Asukanet Co., Ltd. — Series A
- KYODO NEWS DIGITAL — Series A
- Chugoku Electric Power — Series A
- Rakuten Capital (https://capitalatlas.ai/funds/rakuten-capital) — Series A
- SATUDORA HOLDINGS — Series A
- Investment Lab(VC) — Series A
- TOHOKU University Venture Partners (https://capitalatlas.ai/funds/tohoku-university-venture-partners) — Series A
- Hokkaido Venture Capital (https://capitalatlas.ai/funds/hokkaido-venture-capital) — Series A
- Hokkaido Research Institute for the Twenty-first Century (https://capitalatlas.ai/funds/hokkaido-research-institute-for-the-twenty-first-century) — Series A
- DG Incubation (https://capitalatlas.ai/funds/dg-incubation) — Series A
- S Ventures — Series A
- Tanioka ryokuka co. ltd. — Series A