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Closer Inc. (CEO: Shota Higuchi, Headquarters: Tsukuba City, Ibaraki Prefecture, hereinafter referred to as "Closer") has raised 100 million yen in seed funding from DEEPCORE, epiST Ventures, and several individual investors. With this funding, we will strengthen our recruitment of engineers and expand the implementation of AI robot packages.
About Closer
Closer aims to make robots an ordinary option in our daily lives. We envision a world where robots take care of strenuous, repetitive tasks and heavy labor, allowing humans to focus on more creative activities, communication, and leisure. By providing automated solutions with AI robotics technology, Closer helps improve sales, profit margins, competitiveness, and work environments, contributing to the advancement of industries.
Our Business
Closer addresses labor shortages and production capacity challenges in manufacturing fields, particularly in the food, cosmetics, and pharmaceuticals (three-product) industries, using AI image processing and robot control technology. Unlike the automotive and electronics industries, which have seen significant advancements in automation and robotics, the three-product industries face technical and cost-related barriers to automation.
These manufacturing sectors are heavily reliant on manual labor, particularly for monotonous, repetitive tasks. This has led to high job vacancy and turnover rates, exacerbating labor shortages. As a result, companies struggle to increase or maintain production volumes, missing growth opportunities in sales and profits.
Closer develops compact, integrated robot packages with core AI image processing and robot control technologies to address these challenges.
Packaging Robot "PickPacker™"
PickPacker™ is an AI robot designed to automate "grasp and place" tasks in packaging and boxing operations, primarily in the food, cosmetics, and pharmaceuticals (three-product) industries. Packaging and boxing are the second most labor-intensive tasks in food factories after food processing. By combining AI image processing and robot control, PickPacker™ can automate complex tasks like recognizing randomly piled workpieces and placing or inserting them into moving objects. It can also recognize previously challenging workpieces. Its compact design allows easy integration into existing production lines and supports multi-product and variant production, promoting the realization of previously unachievable automation.
Recent Implementation Examples
We are developing the implementation for cup miso soup production, aiming for full-scale adoption by autumn this year. Similar implementations are planned for major food manufacturers' factories. These case studies will serve as a foundation for expanding to similar tasks and other industries, aiming for further service expansion.
Investor Comments
Hidaki Hisa, Executive Investment Director at DEEPCORE
Many packaging and boxing tasks in manufacturing plants, especially in the food industry, are still done manually. Despite the urgent need for labor due to aging populations and rising labor costs, automation has lagged compared to other industries. Closer's compact, mobile, multi-product adaptable, and cost-effective robot solution "PickPacker™" addresses these challenges and has received high praise from trial companies. We believe this solution will free workers from repetitive tasks and enable more productive activities. We will continue to support Closer's growth.
Takashi Kamimura, CEO / Managing Partner at epiST Ventures
We are delighted to participate in this round, convinced that Closer's AI robotics can address the significant social issue of labor shortages and realize a world where human-robot collaboration is the norm. From the time when Shota Higuchi and his team developed in a room with a big vision and passion, their efforts have evolved into a global innovation. We will continue to support them vigorously.
Yoon Woo-geun, Executive Officer at Samsung Electronics Co., Ltd.
Compared to when I first met Shota Higuchi years ago, the team, technology, and business model have evolved significantly through overcoming many challenges. I expect Closer to grow into a leading robotics startup representing Japan.
Kunihiro Tanaka, CEO of Sakura Internet Inc.
Closer is led by Shota Higuchi and comprises graduates from technical colleges and the IPA Advanced Exploratory Projects, with extensive internal development capabilities from hardware to software. This young and energetic team is poised to change the world, and I have great faith in their ability to do so.
Anthony Byrne, Portfolio Manager at Wolver Hill Asset Management Asia Limited
I believe Closer has what it takes to disrupt the food industry with its adaptive robots, not just in Japan but globally.
CEO Profile
Shota Higuchi
Born in Niigata Prefecture in 1997. He has been developing robots since elementary school. He graduated from Nagaoka University of Technology and is currently enrolled in the doctoral program at the University of Tsukuba. In 2017, he won the RoboCup World Championship and the Asia-Pacific Championship. He has received the Special Award from the Director-General of the National Institute of Technology twice and was selected as a third-generation member of the Masayoshi Son Foundation and the IPA Advanced Exploratory Projects. In November 2021, he founded Closer, advancing the introduction of robots in industries such as food, which have seen little automation.
Recruitment Information
We are actively recruiting engineers specializing in AI image processing and robot control, as well as project managers. Our development team includes participants from various robot contests such as RoboCup, RoboMaster, National Institute of Technology Robotics Contests, and IPA Advanced Exploratory Projects, along with members from the Masayoshi Son Foundation. Our business team comprises members with experience in driving business initiatives at overseas companies. Join us in creating exciting futures with robots and technology. We look forward to your application.
Recruitment Information (Casual interviews are also available)
Company Information
For inquiries about this release or our robot systems, please contact us at the email address below or through our company website.
AI Robotics Venture from the University of Tsukuba
Closer Inc. envisions a world where robots are an ordinary choice and develops and provides robotic systems to supplement the workforce in industries like food and the three-product industries, where automation is challenging.
Company Name: Closer Inc. Address: 1-1-1 Tennodai, Tsukuba, Ibaraki Prefecture, San-Gaku Liaison Joint Research Center Building 202 CEO: Shota Higuchi Established: November 29, 2021 Company Website: https://close-r.com/ Contact Email: info@close-r.com
