KAERU
Category: AI in Fintech
KAERU provides a welfare-focused cashless payment service combining a prepaid Mastercard and smartphone app to help elderly and disabled individuals manage money safely with family/caregiver oversight. KAERU was founded in 2020. The company is led by Tomohiro Okada (岡田知拓). Based in Chuo-ku, Tokyo, Japan. Team size: 1-10. Total funding raised: $1.8M. Latest round: Venture Round. Key investors include W ventures, Sony Innovation Fund, FINOLAB, Nanto Capital Partners, Kanpo NEXT Partners, Tsukui Capital, Akigin NEXT Fund (Akigin Capital Partners), Tama Shinkin Bank / SNET Investment, G-STARTUP Fund.
- Founded
- 2020
- Headquarters
- Chuo-ku, Tokyo, Japan
- Team size
- 1-10
- Total funding
- $1.8M
Value proposition
A prepaid card + assistant app that enables elderly and disabled individuals to shop independently while families/caregivers monitor spending in real-time, set daily limits, and prevent overspending — solving the cash management challenges of Japan's aging society.
Products and solutions
KAERU (individual prepaid card + assistant app), KAERU Biz 介護・障害福祉 (for care facilities and disability welfare), KAERU Biz 権利擁護 (for social welfare councils and adult guardians), Partner app for remote family monitoring
Unique value
Only Japanese welfare cashless service combining prepaid Mastercard with remote monitoring, daily spending limits, auto-top-up, and caregiver/partner controls — purpose-built for elderly with cognitive decline and disability support settings.
Target customer
Elderly individuals with cognitive decline; families caring for elderly parents remotely; care facilities (nursing homes, group homes); social welfare councils; adult guardians; disability support organizations
Industries served
Elderly care, Disability welfare, Social welfare, Fintech/Payments, Healthcare
Technology advantage
Mastercard-branded prepaid card accepted nationwide; patent-pending assistant prepaid card technology; real-time spending notifications; daily/weekly spending limits; remote charging; loss prevention features; B2B2C model with welfare facilities and local governments
How they differentiate
Unlike general cashless services (PayPay, Suica), KAERU is purpose-built for elderly/disabled welfare with caregiver monitoring, spending limits, and remote management. Competes in the intersection of AgeTech and FinTech with a B2B2C model targeting welfare facilities and social welfare councils — not just individual consumers.
Main competitors
General cashless services (PayPay, LINE Pay, Suica) — not direct competitors but alternatives, Traditional welfare cash management systems (manual, paper-based), Other senior-focused fintech services in Japan (e.g., services targeting elderly financial management)
Key partnerships
Mastercard (card network), tocotoco (Japan's largest disabled group home franchise, July 2026), Tama Shinkin Bank (capital & business alliance, April 2026), Niigata City Social Welfare Council, Fukuoka City Social Welfare Council, Shizuoka Prefecture Social Welfare Council, Kakogawa City Social Welfare Council (Hyogo), Akita Bank Group (Akigin NEXT Fund)
Notable customers
Niigata City Social Welfare Council, Fukuoka City Social Welfare Council, Shizuoka Prefecture Social Welfare Council, Social Welfare Corporation Shiawase Kai (Hakushu Izumi no Ie), Social Welfare Corporation Jiai Kai (Ai no Hama En), Mahal Co. (Ruiida Maeyama), tocotoco group homes (400+ organizations, 1,200+ facilities nationwide)
Major milestones
2020-10: Company founded, 2021-09: KAERU β app launched with memo function, 2022-03: Pre-Series A ¥140M raised, 2022: Tokyo Financial Award (Financial Innovation category), 2022: Plug and Play Japan Winter/Spring 2022 Batch EXPO Startup Award, 2024-08: ¥130M raised from Kanpo NEXT Partners and others, 2026-04: Capital & business alliance with Tama Shinkin Bank, 2026-07: Funding from Akigin NEXT Fund, 2026-07: Business partnership with tocotoco (400+ orgs, 1,200+ facilities), 2026-07: Selected for Boost Up OKINAWA 2026
Growth metrics
Founded Oct 2020; cumulative disclosed funding ~¥270M (~$1.8M); team of ~3-7 employees; expanding from individual users to B2B welfare facilities and social welfare councils across multiple prefectures
Market positioning
Early-stage pioneer in Japan's elderly welfare cashless payment space, targeting the "silver fintech" niche. Positioned as a social infrastructure for Japan's super-aged society rather than a pure fintech play.
Geographic focus
Japan (domestic), with regional expansion through partnerships with local banks (Akita Bank, Tama Shinkin Bank) and social welfare councils across prefectures
Patents and IP
Patent-pending assistant prepaid card technology (特許出願中, mentioned in 2022 PR)
About Tomohiro Okada (岡田知拓)
Ex-Net Protections (payment venture); Southeast Asia startup; LINE (LINE Pay founding team - business strategy, product planning); Tokyo University of Agriculture and Technology (Master's, Applied Life Chemistry)
Latest news about KAERU
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Official website: https://kaeru-inc.co.jp