Mr. Yasuhiro Ishii, President and CEO of Will Smart Co., Ltd.
President and CEO of Will Smart Co., Ltd.
You might think digital signage at airports and bus terminals is just a monitor displaying information. But in reality, the hardware serves as both an information board and as an information-capturing service data stream. Will Smart Co., Ltd. provides digital signage like these to airports, bus terminals, and commercial facilities. Making full use of digital technology, the company supports infrastructure like transportation, town development, and mobility. We spoke with Mr. Yasuhiro Ishii, the president and CEO of the company.
―Could you tell us about Will Smart Co., Ltd.?
Will Smart is a company providing IoT solutions. We strive to resolve various issues for customers underpinning social infrastructure based on our mission and desire to use our ideas and technologies to resolve societal issues.
Many of our customers are institutions and corporations involved in infrastructure such as local and regional public transportation, urban development, and energy.
Through resolving these customers’ issues, we hope to also contribute to resolving societal issues at large.
―How did you start the business?
The business was originally started as an in-house venture of ZENRIN DataCom CO., LTD.
It’s been exactly 10 years since the start of Will Smart.
After joining ZENRIN DataCom, I was in the service planning department, where members came up with new services. We had a business idea that was the basis for Will Smart, and our boss told us that they wanted to set up a new business based on the idea if possible.
Since I had experience creating business plans from my previous job, I offered to create the business plan, which was how I got involved in the Will Smart business.
ZENRIN, as you know, is a mapping company, and ZENRIN DataCom distributes maps on the Internet.
At that time, multilingual map data was being used to increase the number of inbound visitors to Japan. So, our idea was to provide maps for inbound visitors and project them on digital signage.
I created a business plan for the idea and managed to get it approved after two presentations.
―Is there a reason that the business started as an in-house venture?
This business could have been developed by the company. If it could take advantage of the company’s strengths, it should have been developed by the company.
That being said, however, the ZENRIN Group was handling multilingual maps but had no experience in handling digital signage hardware, which was an integral part of development.
For a first-time challenge like this, the company didn’t have the in-house resources or the right people for the job.
So, we thought, “Then, it’s better to set up the business as a separate company.” Launching a separate company also meant cutting off the retreat.
In addition, I personally was feeling somewhat uncomfortable about starting a new business with strings attached. So, at the same time as the company was launched, I transferred to it and became a director. Since 2016, I’ve been serving as the head of the company.
―What are your main businesses?
While conducting signage business, we’re also working on infrastructure such as railway systems.
In addition, we’ve been providing web system development services since the beginning, which is our specialty.
We also focus on AI systems, data science, and mobility.
―Specifically, what services do you provide for businesses?
The digital signage business provides signage to airports and large bus terminals. We are creating not just signage, but an operative display system that is then projected on that same signage. In other words, we provide signage as a display medium while also developing a web system.
All of our digital signage is connected to the Internet. The signage is connected to a personal computer through which the customer can understand what kind of content is currently displayed. They can also reboot the signage remotely if a problem occurs.
It’s IoT that makes all this possible. A mechanism to remotely control devices in different areas is already in place.
In terms of mobility, many companies are considering EV-based services to promote the use of EVs.
It’s important to know the state of EV batteries in real time. Visualizing not only how much battery is left but also how many times the battery is used and how long it takes to charge will be vital in popularizing the technology.
EVs and smartphones are similar in that the state of the battery has a significant impact on its residual value. In other words, the value of the battery represents the value of a used vehicle or smartphone.
We’re developing a system that allows customers to monitor the health of EVs in real time.
We’ve recently seen a surge in inquiries regarding this technology.
We also offer a car-sharing package system, Will-MoBi.
It’s an all-in-one platform that allows customers to start a car-sharing business as soon as they use it.
A communication-enabled personal computer installed in a car monitors the condition of the car in real time. The platform provides various parameters, including how much gasoline is left, where the car is located, and whether the doors are open or closed. The system takes all these data points and sends it to a server. When receiving the data, the server gives instructions to the car so that only the person who made the reservation can unlock it. In this way, cars and the cloud server exchange data on the platform.
In addition, the all-in-one platform provides functions such as an app for general users that allows them to make reservations and payment.
Will-MoBi has been adopted by ITOCHU ENEX and is used as the basis for a car-sharing system for ENEOS that we are developing from scratch.
We’re also developing solutions to detect specific actions or count people. These solutions use AI image recognition technology to analyze camera images in real time that are captured by on-site cameras connected to personal computers.
Recently, with so much data being sent to our server, we’re expanding into the business of data science for data analysis.
―What is your company’s main selling point?
Our primary focus is to make things happen.
Often, many tech startups end up just having concepts and brainstorming ideas.
We’re responsible not only for the operation of a system in Haneda Airport but also for Japan’s largest bus terminal in Tokyo Midtown Yaesu.
We have a proven track record of implementing our systems in society and operating it 24 hours a day, 365 days a year.
I think our greatest strength is that we’ve advanced to implementation and operation.
| Company name: Will Smart Co., Ltd. |
| Founded：December 2012 |
| Main businesses: IT solutions business (digital display and distribution), IoT co-creation business, and mobility systems business URL：https://willsmart.co.jp |
This article is part of a series of articles introducing venture companies working together as ICF members to resolve societal issues.