Introducing AIPEX: The New Standard for IP Supervision Efficiency Using AI Technology

Introducing AIPEX: A Leap Towards Efficient IP Supervision

Overview

AIPEX, a recently spun-out company from NTT Docomo, has officially launched its innovative platform, AIPEX™, on September 16, 2025. This unique solution focuses on enhancing the efficiency of intellectual property (IP) supervision in Japan's vast character business market, currently valued at approximately 2.7 trillion yen and boasting a steady annual growth rate of 1-3%.

Founded by CEO Atsushi Oshiroma and a dedicated team including Yasunori Okumura and Kenji Nakazato, AIPEX aims to resolve the inherent inefficiencies tied to traditional supervision workflows, primarily constrained by analog methods like email and manual verification processes. Such methods not only heighten the workload on IP managers but also pose risks of missing out on significant licensing opportunities.

The AIPEX platform is designed to bridge communication gaps between IP holders and licensees, effectively digitizing and automating the supervision process. By leveraging AI technology to streamline production processes, AIPEX has demonstrated a remarkable validity in reducing supervision time by an average of 60% during recent pilot tests with multiple IP holders, concurrently enhancing cost efficiency and governance.

Background and Objectives

The character licensing sector in Japan is part of a larger global market worth approximately 30 trillion yen, experiencing a robust average annual growth rate of around 6.7%. However, the growth of this sector is hindered by IP holders' heavy reliance on outdated, labor-intensive methods for handling supervision requests. This situation has often limited business expansion and resulted in lost opportunities to engage in new licensing ventures.

AIPEX was developed with the primary goal of overcoming these challenges, maximizing revenue opportunities within character licensing while accelerating overall business growth. The platform promises to modernize and transform traditional supervision practices into efficient digital processes that assure both speed and quality, ultimately unleashing the full potential of the IP business.

Key Features of AIPEX

Centralized Management and Visibility

AIPEX allows all supervision requests and related data to be managed on a single platform, eliminating confusion and miscommunication prevalent in traditional systems reliant on emails and scattered files. It ensures that the progress and history of cases are easily accessible, helping to mitigate task oversight and communication losses.

Partial Automation with AI

The power of AI further enables partial automation of the supervision process. It cross-references submitted works against previously established character guidelines and past supervision data, identifying any potential violations. Consequently, this autonomy liberates personnel from tedious verification tasks, allowing them to direct their efforts toward more strategic and creative projects.

Continuous Learning and Quality Standardization

AIPEX continually accumulates and learns from supervision case studies, effectively absorbing unwritten tacit knowledge and standardizing the varying judgment criteria across individuals. This process ensures that supervision quality is consistently maintained at a high standard, protecting the brand value of the IP without being overly reliant on any individual's experience or judgment, thereby minimizing the risks associated with employee turnover.

Fee Structure and Application Process

For detailed information regarding fees and application procedures, visit the AIPEX corporate website at AIPEX Corporate Site.

Investor Commentary

Satoshi Hagiya, Partner at ANOBAKA

“Having invested through the ANOBAKA Generative AI Fund, I recognize the significant impact AI can have in managing and supervising the IP and content business. I believe that AIPEX will lead in this domain, and I look forward to supporting Atsushi’s daring venture post-spinout from NTT Docomo.”

Takuaki Abe, President of CINCA

“It’s thrilling to see a project born from NTT Docomo’s incubation program evolve into a standalone company. This development signals a transformative leap in IP licensing management.”