Accelerating Operational Innovation in Manufacturing Through Strategic Partnerships

LINKWIZ Incorporated (Headquarters: Hamamatsu City, Shizuoka Prefecture; President: Go Fukino; hereinafter “LINKWIZ”), which develops autonomous systems for industrial robots utilizing a 3D shape processing engine, has announced that Suzuki Global Ventures (hereinafter “SGV”) and Toyota Tsusho Corporation (hereinafter “Toyota Tsusho”) as underwriters, completing a total funding of 200 million yen (cumulative Series C funding of 850 million yen). Furthermore, to accelerate operational innovation at manufacturing sites through the implementation of LINKWIZ products on mass production lines, the Company has signed a memorandum of understanding with Suzuki regarding joint business development and a joint development agreement with Toyota Tsusho.

1. Background and Purpose of This Round

LINKWIZ was founded in Hamamatsu City, Shizuoka Prefecture—a manufacturing hub—with the corporate mission: “Revolutionizing work styles through robotics that inherits human craftsmanship.” Since its founding in 2015, LINKWIZ has pursued activities to achieve its mission and advance the manufacturing sector, particularly the transportation equipment industry, that Hamamatsu City, its birthplace, takes pride in. To date, we have released the production optimization system “L-ROBOT” for more precise and efficient production, the automated inspection system “L-QUALIFY” that supports inspection tasks challenging for humans using robotics technology, and the production data management and analysis tool “LINKWIZ FACTORY CLOUD” that collects, analyzes, and implements proposals based on this production data. These solutions have been deployed across the transportation equipment industry, agricultural and construction machinery manufacturing, construction, building materials manufacturing, and plant engineering sectors. To further advance these businesses, this funding round aims to achieve the following:

• Establishing a development and delivery framework to solve the primary challenges in manufacturing: labor shortages and quality stabilization
• Strengthening proposal capabilities, market insight, and sales expansion through business partnerships that deepen understanding of manufacturing sites
• Securing key personnel essential for business growth

2. Future Outlook

Suzuki has introduced LINKWIZ solutions at its Hamamatsu and Kosai plants, with robotic inspection now operational in certain welding inspection processes. Building on this investment, we will collaborate with Suzuki—a global company rooted in Hamamatsu—to accelerate the creation of new technologies originating from Hamamatsu and digital transformation models for production sites.

With Toyota Tsusho, we are jointly tackling multiple projects directly related to new vehicle manufacturing methods, such as EVs, through their commercial channels. We have also begun preparations for global expansion. By collaborating with Toyota Tsusho, which possesses deep expertise in the challenges faced by automotive and parts manufacturing sites and strong proposal capabilities within the Toyota Group, we aim to solve and realize these challenges in new manufacturing processes and methods.

LINKWIZ solutions have already been introduced and utilized across various manufacturing sites. Building on this round’s strategic partnership with a leading Japanese automotive company, we will now drive more comprehensive adoption of LINKWIZ solutions. Our goal is for all solutions to interconnect data across time and space, realizing a “factory where quality improves the more it produces.” Collaborating with diverse companies that share this vision, we will promote the adoption of new robotics services that play a central role in manufacturing process automation.

3. Message from the new Investors

　

Suzuki Global Ventures
Suzuki Corporation
Production Division
Senior Managing Officer Kazuo Ichino

By leveraging LINKWIZ Inc.’s point cloud data processing and robot control technologies, we can expect improved productivity and stable quality in welded parts production. Furthermore, this enables automation for workpieces with uncertain positions and unique shape challenge conventional production lines struggle to address. We believe this will become one tool to realize Suzuki’s vision of a smart factory, where humans and robots collaborate and connect through simple configurations, each contributing their strengths.

Toyota Tsusho Corporation
COO for Green Infrastructure Division
Executive Officer Yuuji Makino

We firmly believe LINKWIZ’s technology offers a powerful solution to accelerate manufacturing DX to the next stage by resolving structural challenges faced by production sites, such as labor shortages and skill succession.

By combining Toyota Tsusho’s expertise and global network cultivated through its machinery and equipment business with LINKWIZ’s advanced software technology, we aim to collaborate in enhancing productivity and quality at domestic and international manufacturing sites, and in realizing the technological foundation that supports sustainable manufacturing.

4. Comments from LINKWIZ

LINKWIZ Incorporated
CEO/Founder　Go Fukino

LINKWIZ has continued its activities with the goal of further advancing the manufacturing industry. Hamamatsu City in Shizuoka Prefecture, where I was born and raised, is a major production hub for automobiles and motorcycles. It’s a region where the sounds of machinery operating from numerous small factories could be heard during my commute to school and work, and I found this sound comforting. However, not only in the Hamamatsu area but across all regions of Japan, the manufacturing workforce is shrinking. Many manufacturing companies are facing crises due to labor shortages, difficulties in passing down skills, and rising production costs. Amidst this trend, where many manufacturing companies are choosing to close down due to labor shortages, I founded LINKWIZ in 2015. As a startup focused on solutions for manufacturing, particularly for production sites, LINKWIZ has taken on a very weighty and difficult challenge. This is because, since my childhood, I have witnessed the ingenuity, the spirit of challenge, and above all, the deep-seated passion for manufacturing held by those working on the production floor. I feel this very frontline is what Japan must protect.

Above all, I myself love the manufacturing floor. Since founding the company, I have visited the sites whenever time allowed, engaging in discussions with various individuals. Building on the ten-year journey LINKWIZ has cultivated, we will shape the next 50 years of manufacturing starting with this strategic partnership. I am confident that LINKWIZ will continue to pursue business development, customer benefits, and contribute to society.

5. About LINKWIZ

Company Profile

Company Name
LINKWIZ Incorporated

Chief Representative
CEO/Founder　Go Fukino

Address
1044-2 Sasagase-chuo Chuo-ku Hamamatsu-shi Shizuoka Japan

WEB
https://linkwiz.co.jp/en/

Established
March 2015

Business Description
Development and provision of control software solutions (quality control, traceability, DX) for industrial robots

Business Overview
LINKWIZ pursues its mission to “Renovate work style through the human pro skills and Robotics.” We advance automation in manufacturing through solution software for industrial robots, creating future workplaces and fostering meaningful work for people. Leveraging connectivity that enables flexible hardware selection and our proprietary 3D processing engine based on “high-speed 3D shape processing” as core technologies, we address manufacturing site needs and have a proven track record of numerous implementations at many manufacturing companies. 2015: Selected for the Ministry of Economy, Trade and Industry (METI)-sponsored “Start Next Innovator” Silicon Valley dispatch program. 2020: Selected for METI’s startup incubation support program “J-Startup”.

Inquiries regarding this matter

URL：https://linkwiz.co.jp/en/contact/
Mail：contact@linkwiz.co.jp