Shizai Inc., whose business mission is to “reorganize the EC/retail supply chain into an ideal form with the power of technology,” has raised 420 million yen in the first close of Series B. With the second close coming up, the company will use the funds raised this time to further grow its existing packaging materials business and accelerate investment in the development of its in-house software “lube.” In the four years since its founding, Shizai has built a vast network of packaging materials factories both in Japan and overseas. At the same time, Shizai continues to “reconstruct business operations from scratch with software as a premise” in the packaging materials field, where legacy and analog processing remains due to its large size. Additionally, Shizai has announced three key developments.
Expansion of Alliance Partners
During the initial fundraising round, Shizai identified a strong alignment with the logistics sector, leading to a significant increase in opportunities to collaborate with 3PL operators, logistics real estate operators, and delivery operators across Japan. To fuel even higher growth, Shizai has welcomed Monoful Venture Partners and Japan Post Capital—backed by the GLP Group—as new shareholders. The company plans to continue expanding its network of logistics partners, including 3PL operators, and strengthen its alliances with various sectors, including EC platform operators, PE funds, and EC consulting firms, many of whom have already expressed interest in partnering with Shizai.
Launch of Purchase Order Management Software “Shizai Pro”
Since its inception, Shizai has maintained the belief that adding value through software to pre- and post-purchase operations—such as packaging material procurement—is crucial. The company has been rigorously testing both its packaging materials distribution business and its software business (SaaS) to assess the value provided by each. After years of verification and validation, Shizai is now prepared to fully launch its software business and provide added value to an even wider range of customers, leveraging the synergy between both business lines.
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Recruitment Event Announcement
In conjunction with the recent funding round, Shizai will be expanding its team, focusing on the recruitment of talent in key areas including product development, business development (alliances, etc.), and operations (sales, etc.).
Shizai Inc. is poised for continued growth and success as it expands its partnerships, software offerings, and team.
SOURCE: PRTimes
