Startup Genome launched the first cohort of the Global Hypergrowth Tokyo late-stage scaling program in March 2024 in partnership with the Tokyo Metropolitan Government. The initiative aims to propel the best Tokyo tech companies into successful global commercialization and expansion into international target markets.

The program addresses a significant support gap for fast-growing startups, recognizing them as drivers of economic growth and competitiveness, and creators of sustainable jobs and societal wellbeing. In its inaugural cohort, Hypergrowth provides 21 companies from Tokyo with access to global mentors, expert scaling advice from leading executives, go-to market support, and connections to potential new customers and investors.

The companies selected represent a variety of sub-sectors, including Deep Tech, Life Sciences, and AI, and have raised close to $100 million in total funding as they look to expand overseas.

In this article series, Startup Genome introduces the cohort companies, exploring the groundbreaking technologies each startup is developing to make a positive impact on the world.

Tokyo-based RICOS aims to instantly make visualized ideals real by utilizing computational science and technology in the site of manufacturing. The company leverages its expertise in AI, simulation, and network development to enhance design and analysis operations in the manufacturing sector. By doing so, it significantly improves product performance and helps reduce system costs and operational burdens.

The company offers two computer-aided engineering (CAE)-related solutions for design and analysis in industries. RICOS Lightning, an AI-based CAE tool, enables over 100 times faster performance than existing CAE tools (manufacturing products’ performance check tool), significantly reducing design effort and cost while enhancing product performance through its proprietary AI algorithms, ensuring both speed and accuracy improvements.

RICOS Generative CAE is a system that automatically explores and proposes product shapes with optimized performance. Traditionally, designers had to engage in trial and error to find high-performance designs. With this system, designers simply select from the options proposed by the system.

RICOS’ CAE software facilitates the manufacturing and development process by providing a detailed diagram of the engineering tasks specifically targeted at simulation and stress tests - all keys to efficient manufacturing. Through the use of its computer software across a wide range of industries, RICOS’ products simulate physics-based performance to improve product designs and/or assist in the fixing of engineering problems, including simulations, the validation and optimization of products that would be made, and the processes and manufacturing tools needed to get there.

Startup Genome spoke to RICOS for a look into its groundbreaking technology, biggest challenges, and future innovations.

Startup Genome (SG): Can you explain the core mission of your organization and how your technologies are advancing the field?

Yu Ihara (YI): RICOS’ mission is to revolutionize design and analysis operations in the manufacturing industry, leading to substantial cost reductions and significant improvements in product quality.

Our advantage is that although CAE has a 50-year history, it has seen little innovation. Our company offers groundbreaking solutions by harnessing AI, simulation, and network technologies, supported by our proprietary, patented AI algorithm. These allow us to achieve equivalent simulation results at 100 times the speed. This innovation benefits manufacturers in the automotive, aerospace, machinery, and consumer electronics sectors by enhancing product performance and reducing costs associated with simulation software licenses, hardware, and labor.

SG: What are the biggest challenges your organization faces and how are you addressing them?

YI: Our challenge is to establish a sales network and drive customer transformation. We aim t communicate the benefits of AI to all levels of the customer hierarchy, encouraging them to shift from long-established CAE-based workflows. Our approach is to hire individuals from the CAE industry and related customer sectors to leverage their networks, gaining access to top-level executives. We will explain the advantages of implementing AI from the customer's perspective.

SG: How does your organization differentiate itself from other companies in the sector, particularly in terms of technology and business model?

YI: We own proprietary AI algorithm patents and possess the capability to develop and manage large-scale servers entirely in-house, thanks to our network and system building technology. Through our business model, we offer system licenses through annual subscriptions. Unlike traditional CAE, which limits usage to one person per license, our model allows up to 100 computational runs per month per license. This enables multiple users to conduct analyses simultaneously, fostering a win-win relationship between our company and our clients.

SG: What support has your organization received through Startup Genome/Hypergrowth?

YI: Startup Genome/Hypergrowth has provided various types of input to RICOS, including connecting us with many advisors.

SG: How does your organization plan to contribute to sector growth, and what are your long-term goals for the company?

YI: Our innovative technology enables manufacturing companies to produce high-quality products at low cost with quick lead times. My goal is to make this vision a reality.