Where is LIFESCAPES headquartered?

LIFESCAPES is headquartered in Minato-ku, Tokyo. The company has a team of 11-50 people.

When was LIFESCAPES founded?

LIFESCAPES was founded in 2018. It is based in Minato-ku, Tokyo.

Who is the CEO of LIFESCAPES?

Junichi Ushiba (牛場潤一) is the CEO of LIFESCAPES. The company was founded in 2018.

Where is LIFESCAPES located?

LIFESCAPES is headquartered in Minato-ku, Tokyo.

What funding stage is LIFESCAPES at?

LIFESCAPES is currently at the Growth Stage stage.

How many employees does LIFESCAPES have?

LIFESCAPES has approximately 11-50 employees.

LIFESCAPES

Category: AI in Healthcare

Keio University spinout developing AI-powered Brain-Machine Interface (BMI) medical devices for post-stroke severe hand paralysis neurorehabilitation LIFESCAPES was founded in 2018. The company is led by Junichi Ushiba (牛場潤一). Based in Minato-ku, Tokyo. Team size: 11-50. Total funding raised: $10.5M. Latest round: Series A. Key investors include Mitsui Sumitomo Insurance Capital, Mitsubishi UFJ Capital, SBI Investment, INDEE Capital, Fidea Capital, Sumitomo Life Insurance, Shionogi & Co., CYBERDYNE Inc., JGC MIRAI Innovation Fund (Global Brain), Paramount Bed Healthcare Fund, Keio Innovation Initiative.

Founded: 2018
Headquarters: Minato-ku, Tokyo
Team size: 11-50
Total funding: $10.5M

Value proposition

Combining brain science and AI through BMI technology to detect activity in damaged brain regions and encourage reconstruction of neural circuits connecting brain and fingers, enabling stroke patients with severe paralysis to regain hand movement

Products and solutions

LIFESCAPES Medical BMI (Finger Type) — wireless, portable headset that measures brain activity via scalp electrodes, combined with powered orthosis and electrical stimulation to move paralyzed fingers, LIFESCAPES Therapeutic BMI (under development, designated as "Pioneering Medical Device" by Japan MHLW in Dec 2025)

Unique value

World's first commercialized non-invasive BMI medical device for severe post-stroke finger paralysis; ~5-minute setup time; wireless and portable design; regulatory approved in Japan (2024, certification #306AABZX00021000) and Malaysia; designated as "Pioneering Medical Device" by Japan MHLW

Target customer

Hospitals and rehabilitation clinics; stroke patients with severe upper limb paralysis; social security organizations (e.g., PERKESO in Malaysia); healthcare providers in ASEAN and North America

Industries served

Medical Devices / Neurorehabilitation / Healthcare / MedTech

Technology advantage

10+ years of BMI research at Keio University (Ushiba Lab); AI-powered real-time brain wave analysis; combination of EEG detection + powered orthosis + electrical stimulation in single device; wireless/portable form factor; strong IP and clinical evidence base (100+ peer-reviewed papers by CEO)

How they differentiate

Unlike CYBERDYNE's HAL (exoskeleton-focused) or NeuroSky/Emotiv (consumer-grade EEG), LIFESCAPES is the only company with a clinically-validated, regulatory-approved non-invasive BMI specifically targeting severe post-stroke finger paralysis with a combined EEG + FES + orthosis approach, backed by Keio University's decade of neuroscience research

Main competitors

CYBERDYNE Inc. (HAL exoskeleton, Japan), NeU Corporation (brain activity imaging, Japan/Hitachi spinout), NeuroSky (consumer BCI, US), Emotiv (BCI headsets

Key partnerships

CYBERDYNE Inc. (capital and business alliance, 2022), Shionogi & Co. (capital alliance, ¥100M, Nov 2022), JGC MIRAI Innovation Fund (CVC investment, Jun 2022), Keio Innovation Initiative (KII), AMED (Japan Agency for Medical Research and Development, "Bridge Research Program" grant, 2026), PERKESO (Malaysia social security organization, first overseas deployment), Hokkaido University (clinical trial partner)

Notable customers

PERKESO (Malaysia's social security organization under Ministry of Human Resources) — first overseas deployment, Japanese hospitals and rehabilitation clinics (domestic market)

Major milestones

May 2018: Founded as Keio University spinout, 2021: Capital alliance with CYBERDYNE, Jun 2022: JGC MIRAI Innovation Fund investment, Nov 2022: Shionogi capital alliance (¥100M), 2024: Japan medical device certification (#306AABZX00021000), Dec 2025: "Pioneering Medical Device" designation by MHLW, 2026: Malaysia regulatory approval + PERKESO deployment, Jun 2026: ¥600M Series A funding, Jun 2026: AMED Bridge Research Program grant for physician-led clinical trials

Growth metrics

Raised cumulative ~¥1.56B (~$10.5M) across multiple rounds; medical device certification obtained in Japan (2024) and Malaysia; first overseas deployment with PERKESO (Malaysia); designated "Pioneering Medical Device" by Japan MHLW (Dec 2025); AMED Bridge Research Program grant (2026)

Market positioning

Pioneer in non-invasive therapeutic BMI for stroke rehabilitation; transitioning from domestic Japanese research startup to international MedTech company targeting ASEAN and North American markets

Geographic focus

Japan (home market), Malaysia (first overseas market), Singapore/Indonesia/Thailand (planned 2026), North America (future expansion)

Patents and IP

Medical device certification #306AABZX00021000 (Japan, 2024); multiple patents related to BMI-based neurorehabilitation technology (specific patent numbers not publicly detailed)

About Junichi Ushiba (牛場潤一)

Professor at Keio University Faculty of Science and Technology, Department of Biosciences and Informatics; PhD in neuroscience/rehabilitation medicine; MEXT Young Scientist Award; Nakazawa Award Special Prize; Frontier Salon Foundation Nagase Award Special Prize

Official website: https://lifescapes.jp/