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OpenHeart

Category: Computer Vision

Tokyo-based AI startup developing TAVIO, a platform that automatically generates photorealistic 3D/4D scenes from smartphone photos and videos using proprietary spatial AI technology. OpenHeart was founded in 2024. The company is led by Koji Watanabe (渡邉晃司). Based in Tokyo, Japan. Team size: 1-10. Total funding raised: $2.5M. Latest round: Pre-Series A. Key investors include Mitsui Sumitomo Insurance Capital; DG Resona Ventures; Mizuho Capital; RICOH Innovation Fund; GENDA Capital; FFG Venture Business Partners; SBI Investment.

Founded
2024
Headquarters
Tokyo, Japan
Team size
1-10
Total funding
$2.5M

Value proposition

TAVIO enables anyone to create photorealistic 3D/4D scenes from just a few smartphone photos — no special equipment or expertise needed. The cloud-based architecture handles heavy processing, making 3D content creation accessible for both consumer SNS sharing and enterprise use cases across real estate, tourism, retail, and education.

Products and solutions

TAVIO (3D/4D scene generation platform); TAVIO BIZ (enterprise dashboard); TAVIO DIVE (VR app for spatial experience); TAVIO STUDIO (3D photography service with permanent Asakusa studio); TAVIO API (for enterprise integration); TAVIO ENGINE (proprietary 3D generation engine)

Unique value

Proprietary TAVIO ENGINE generates high-quality 3D from a small number of images (as few as 9 photos) with minimal noise, using cloud-side processing to eliminate the need for specialized hardware. Offers "portable reality" — interactive, touchable 3D scenes that can be embedded in websites.

Target customer

Consumer: individuals wanting to preserve memories in 3D (birthdays, weddings, travel). Enterprise: real estate (virtual tours), tourism (destination previews), retail/e-commerce (product visualization), education, photo studios, event organizers.

Industries served

Real Estate; Tourism; Retail/E-commerce; Fashion; Education; Entertainment/Events; Photography Studios

Technology advantage

Proprietary TAVIO ENGINE algorithm generates high-quality 3D from minimal images (9+ photos) with superior noise reduction vs competitors. Cloud-native architecture eliminates need for expensive hardware. Spatial AI for automatic tag generation and captioning. "Portable Reality" concept — interactive 3D scenes embeddable in any website.

How they differentiate

Unlike competitors (Meta, Niantic) who focus 3D on avatars/gaming, OpenHeart targets real-world memory preservation and practical enterprise applications. Requires only a smartphone — no LiDAR, no multi-camera rigs. Cloud-based processing makes it accessible. Japanese-origin with unique "heart-stirring technology" brand philosophy.

Main competitors

Meta (3D/XR initiatives); Niantic (3D mapping, Scaniverse); Luma AI; Polycam; KIRI Engine

Key partnerships

RICOH Innovation Fund (strategic investment for workplace spatial data applications); HIS (travel agency partnership for 3D tourism previews); Fukuoka real estate company (3D property listings)

Notable customers

HIS (travel agency); Fukuoka-based real estate company; Various tourism boards (Miyagi, Wakayama, Nara prefectures)

Major milestones

Founded August 2024; Seed round ¥70M (Oct 2024); Seed Extension ¥130M (Aug 2025); TAVIO BIZ launch (Nov 2025); TAVIO STUDIO ASAKUSA permanent studio opening (Nov 2025); TAVIO platform launch (Feb 2026); TAVIO DIVE VR app launch (Mar 2026); Pre-Series A ¥217M (May 2026)

Market positioning

Early-stage Japanese startup competing against global Big Tech (Meta, Niantic, Google) in the 3D/XR space. Positioning as "3D democratization" platform — making 3D photography as ubiquitous as regular photography. Targeting both B2C (memory preservation SNS) and B2B (enterprise SaaS) markets simultaneously.

Geographic focus

Japan (primary), with plans for global expansion including overseas subsidiary establishment in 2025-2026

Patents and IP

1 patent application filed (per STARTUP DB); Proprietary TAVIO ENGINE algorithm for high-quality 3D generation from minimal images

About Koji Watanabe (渡邉晃司)

Tokyo University of Science (BSc, Quantum Computing & AI); National Institute of Informatics (Graduate, AI research in image/space analysis); Freelance AI/CG engineer on autonomous driving and smart agriculture projects.

Official website: