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Equmenopolis Inc. (CEO: Yoichi Matsuyama)<\/a>, a startup that originated at Waseda and develops conversational diagnostic and learning-support AI agent technologies has been selected for Forbes JAPAN\u2019s January 2026 issue, \u201c100 Next Generation Leaders: 100 Noteworthy Japanese Startups to Watch in 2026.\u201d The company is also a member of the Waseda University Center for Entrepreneurship.<\/p>\n This marks the first-ever selection of a research and development\u2013driven startup originating from Waseda University.<\/p>\n The \u201c100 NEXT GENERATION LEADERS\u201d is a list curated by Forbes JAPAN that highlights 100 Japan-based, unlisted startup companies founded in 2021 or later. The selection is based on factors such as fundraising achievements\u2014over 100 million yen in the past year and over 500 million yen in total\u2014along with the novelty of their business and their social impact. These companies are expected to achieve significant growth and make notable contributions from 2026 onward. The list has also drawn strong interest from the investment community, including venture capital firms, as well as from the broader business world.<\/p>\n Equmenopolis has developed the conversational AI agent platform \u201cEQU AI Platform\u201d, based on interactive AI technology researched at our university. As an applied service built on this platform, the company has rolled out \u201cLANGX Speaking\u201d, a language communication learning support service, nationwide, bringing innovation to English education in schools.<\/p>\n In March 2025, the company completed its Pre-A funding round, achieving its target of 250 million yen, and has steadily advanced both business expansion and the acceleration of research and development. This rapid growth and its commitment to implementing its innovations in society were likely key factors in its selection as one of the 100 Next Generation Leaders.<\/p>\n For Waseda, this recognition also demonstrates that the capabilities of university-launched startups\u2014those that pursue the challenge of applying research achievements to real-world needs while accelerating research and development\u2014are now being widely acknowledged.<\/p>\n Waseda University will continue to strongly support the commercialization of research achievements that bring innovation to everyday life, as Equmenopolis is currently demonstrating. We remain committed to fostering startups that will lead the society of the future.<\/p>\n \u201cThe conversational diagnostic AI agent technology developed by Equmenopolis aims to provide precise and highly valid assessments and to establish new learning frameworks in fields where dialogue is essential, such as education, healthcare, and employment. We see it as our mission to give back to society the advanced interdisciplinary research cultivated at Waseda University and to bring Japan-originated technology to the world. Moving forward, we will continue to deepen our collaboration with the university while working to realize a next-generation society where humans and AI co-evolve.\u201d<\/p>\n The research and development startup, Equmenopolis Incaims to create a society where humans and AI collaborate and grow together. To achieve this, the company develops \u201cDeep Human Technology\u201d, a technology that enhances human qualities, and deploys conversational AI agents in educational and workplace settings to boost overall societal creativity and productivity.<\/p>\n Notable awards include: the 10th JEITA Venture Award (2025), the Award for Academic Startups \u2013 JST Director Prize (2024), ACL\/ISCA Special Interest Group on Discourse and Dialogue (SIGDIAL) Best Paper Award (2024), SXSW EDU Finalist (2023), and Toyo Keizai\u2019s \u201c100 Amazing Ventures\u201d (2023).<\/p>\n Company Name: Equmenopolis Inc.What is Forbes JAPAN\u2019s \u2018100 NEXT GENERATION LEADERS\u2019?<\/strong><\/h2>\n
The Selection of Equmenopolis and the Future of Startups Emerging from Waseda University<\/strong><\/h2>\n
Comment from Yoichi Matsuyama, President & CEO, Equmenopolis Inc.<\/strong><\/h2>\n
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<\/p>\nAbout Equmenopolis Inc.<\/strong><\/h2>\n
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\nCEO: Yoichi Matsuyama (Guest Researcher (Guest Associate Professor), Perceptual Computing Laboratory, Waseda University Green Computing Systems Research Organization<\/a>)
\nFounded: May 2022
\nBusiness: Development of conversational AI agent platforms and applications
\nWebsite: https:\/\/www.equ.ai\/en<\/a><\/p>\n