AUTHENTIC JAPAN
A Japanese life-hazard technology company operating the COCOHELI membership-based helicopter search service for mountain rescue, using proprietary beacons and IoT/GPS technology to locate missing persons. AUTHENTIC JAPAN was founded in 2011. The company is led by Kazufusa Kuga (久我 一総). Based in Fukuoka, Japan. Team size: 41-50. Total funding raised: $11.96M. Latest round: Venture Round. Key investors include UNICORN Fund; Kyushu Wide Area Reconstruction Support Investment Fund; Nishinippon Shimbun; NCB Venture Capital; Yui Capital Partners; CBC Co., Ltd.; REVIC Capital; Saga Bank Capital & Consulting; Gaprise Co., Ltd.; Telenet Co., Ltd.; Yamaguchi Capital; Asahi Media Lab Ventures; INCLUSIVE Inc.; Hosoya Fireworks Co., Ltd..
- Founded
- 2011
- Headquarters
- Fukuoka, Japan
- Team size
- 41-50
- Total funding
- $11.96M
Value proposition
Proprietary beacon technology with direct communication (up to 16km) combined with a nationwide helicopter search network covering 41 prefectures, achieving a 99% discovery rate for missing persons in mountain terrain
Products and solutions
COCOHELI (ココヘリ) - membership-based mountain search helicopter service; COCOHELI MARINE - marine sports search support; DRS (Direct Rescue System) - GPS-based location service for urban areas; LIFE BEACON (ライフビーコン) - smartphone-trackable beacon; COCOKIDS (ココキッズ) - child safety tracker; COCOSIPPO (ココシッポ) - pet tracker; HITOCOCO (ヒトココ) - location transmitter; COCOHELI TOWN - disaster-specific search service
Unique value
Japan's largest membership-based helicopter search service with 170,000+ members, 99% discovery rate, and direct integration with police/fire helicopter fleets across 41 prefectures
Target customer
Mountain climbers, hikers, outdoor sports enthusiasts, marine sports users, parents (child safety), pet owners, local governments, police and fire departments, disaster prevention organizations
Industries served
Mountain safety/rescue; Marine safety; Outdoor recreation; Child safety; Pet safety; Disaster response; Local government/public safety
Technology advantage
Proprietary 920MHz direct communication beacon technology (16km range); Sony ELTRES LPWA IoT network integration for GPS positioning; AWS-based IoT messaging infrastructure; direct communication + GPS hybrid approach for search; nationwide police/fire department receiver network
How they differentiate
Combines proprietary hardware (beacons with 920MHz direct communication up to 16km), Sony ELTRES LPWA IoT network for GPS tracking, and a nationwide helicopter search network directly integrated with police and fire departments — creating an end-to-end rescue ecosystem rather than just a tracking device
Main competitors
Spot LLC (SPOT Gen4/Satellite messengers); Garmin (inReach satellite communicators); YAMAP (mountain safety app)
Key partnerships
KDDI (au Starlink Direct for COCOHELI SOS Direct); Sony (ELTRES LPWA network); Sony Biz Networks (AWS managed cloud); Japan Coast Guard; Police and fire departments across 41 prefectures; TRIPLE WIN STRATEGIES (satellite data); INCLUSIVE Inc.; The North Face; ARC'TERYX; Dai-ichi Life Insurance; Nishinippon Shimbun
Notable customers
41 prefectural police and fire aviation departments; Japan Coast Guard; Forestry Agency; National Federation of Forest Cooperatives; Municipalities including Shari Town (Hokkaido), Yame City (Fukuoka); 170,000+ individual members
Major milestones
2011: Company founded; 2014: HITOCOCO beacon launched; 2016: COCOHELI service launched; 2019: Marine search expansion; 2021: Good Design Gold Award; 2021: ¥655M total funding raised; 2023: Technology Fast 50 Japan; 2024: 170,000+ members; DRS service launched; 2026: KDDI partnership for Starlink Direct SOS
Growth metrics
170,000+ members (as of July 2024); 99% discovery rate; 41 prefectures covered; ¥1.196B cumulative funding
Market positioning
Japan's dominant mountain rescue service with a unique membership model combining hardware beacons, helicopter search network, and insurance — positioned as a "Life Hazard Company" expanding from mountain rescue into marine, urban, child safety, and disaster response
Geographic focus
Japan (primary), with expansion into marine and disaster response domestically
About Kazufusa Kuga (久我 一総)
Ex-Panasonic System Networks (SCM department head, UK subsidiary secondment); Southwest Gakuin University, Faculty of Literature, English major
Official website: https://www.authjapan.com/