Okayama
AI adoption and handover support for Okayama's small and mid-sized companies.
We work with Okayama SMEs on AI adoption, business improvement and handing work over, from a business task inventory through to adoption on the front line, on-site or online.
AreaWhere we work
All of Okayama Prefecture.
We work with companies across the prefecture, including Okayama, Kurashiki, Ibara and Tsuyama, on-site or online. As with Hiroshima, our focus prefecture, we especially welcome requests from companies in the Chugoku region.
We also take on requests from companies outside Okayama, anywhere in Japan, on-site or online.Coverage areas
- OkayamaPrefectural capital. Commerce, services, logistics
- KurashikiPetrochemicals, steel and autos in Mizushima; textiles in Kojima
- IbaraDenim and other textiles
- TsuyamaMain city of northern Okayama
IndustriesOkayama's industries and AI
AI and new ways of working that fit Okayama's industries.
Petrochemicals & steel
Okayama's signature materials industries in the Mizushima coastal industrial zone in Kurashiki, and the contractors that support them.
- Organizing and searching inspection and maintenance records
- Help drafting safety documents and reports
- Writing down veterans' judgment calls
Autos & parts
Parts and machining supply chains around the automobile plant in Mizushima.
- Analyzing inspection records and defect trends
- Streamlining quotes and order paperwork
- Making production plans and progress visible
Textiles & apparel
A textile region known for school uniforms and jeans, centered on Kojima in Kurashiki and on Ibara.
- One view of orders, production and inventory
- Product descriptions and e-commerce in multiple languages
- Ways to pass on sewing and finishing skills
Food, farming & retail
Fruit such as white peaches and grapes, other food and farming, and the retailers and wholesalers that sell it.
- Automating order and shipping paperwork
- Running e-commerce and social media more efficiently
- Recording seasonal work so it can be repeated
Companies in industries not listed here are welcome too.
Industry descriptions are based on Kurashiki City'soverview of the Mizushima coastal industrial zoneand Okayama Prefecture'spage on its textile industry(both in Japanese).
HandoverWork that depends on one person
Turn veterans' work into something the next person can take over.
Maintenance and quality control in manufacturing, sewing and finishing in textiles, once-a-year procedures in accounting and administration. Work that lives only in a long-serving employee's head stops the day that person is off or leaves.
Before bringing in AI, we start with a business task inventory that writes down who does which work and how much, then capture the steps and judgment calls for the work that depends on one person first.
ServicesWhat we do
Think, find, build. From strategy to working software, with one team.
01ThinkExecutive AI Advisory
An AI advisor at the CEO's side
Executive AI Advisory is a monthly retainer for owners and executives of small and mid-sized Japanese companies. We help leadership decide where AI fits in their business, set priorities, and move from ideas to working prototypes.
Learn more
02FindAI Readiness Assessment
Understand the work before choosing the AI
The AI Readiness Assessment is a workflow audit before any tool is chosen. We interview leadership and frontline staff, map how work actually flows, find the bottlenecks, and rank improvement opportunities by impact and difficulty.
Learn more
03BuildAI Implementation
From plan to software people actually use
AI Implementation is hands-on build and rollout. We build and roll out the solutions identified in discovery, such as generative AI tools, internal knowledge search (RAG), AI agents and workflow automation, in 1–2 week cycles, keeping your existing tools and people at the center.
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Public supportPublic support in Okayama
Combine our work with free advice and subsidies.
Okayama Yorozu Support Center
A free business advice center set up by the national government. You can ask even before you know what AI could do for you.
Productivity Improvement Support Center
Part of the Okayama Yorozu Support Center. Specialists come to your site and help improve productivity free of charge.
Okayama City IoT and AI subsidy
A subsidy with separate tracks for a trial and for full adoption, for SMEs in Okayama City.
Application periods, subsidy rates and caps change, so we keep the latest details, checked on the official pages, in a Japanese article.Public AI and DX support for SMEs in Okayama (Japanese)
ApproachHow we work
Small wins first, then scale.
No year-long master plans. We work in 1–2 week cycles: build, use, improve, and scale only what proves itself.
- 01
Know
Understand the business
Talk with leadership and frontline staff to see how work really flows.
- 02
Find
Pick what to change
Choose themes with high impact that are easy to start.
- 03
Build
Build small and fast
Ship the smallest useful version first.
- 04
Use
Put it to work
Use it in daily operations and learn quickly.
- 05
Improve
Improve
Refine based on what users actually say.
- 06
Scale
Scale across the company
Roll out what works to other teams.
InsightsGuides
Guides for companies in Okayama
- GuideAI TransformationAI Adoption for Japanese SMEs: The 2026 Guide — Where to Start, Costs, Subsidies, Rules and Who to AskAbout one in five Japanese SMEs (20.4%) has adopted AI, and 82.6% of those use generative AI, mostly to cut working time [1]. The biggest barriers are missing case studies and vendor information, not technology [1]. Start by mapping how time is actually spent, pick one repeatable task a person can check, run a small trial, write a one-page rule set, then scale. Part of the cost may be covered by the Digitalization & AI Adoption Subsidy 2026 (50% rate, up to ¥4.5M in the standard track); the next deadline is 30 October 2026, 17:00 JST [3][4]. Free advice is available at Yorozu Support Centers, which now have AI advisers [8].Read
- GuideRegional JapanBusiness Handover in Japanese SMEs: How to Keep Work Running Through Retirements, Transfers and SuccessionA business handover passes the day-to-day procedures, judgment calls and relationships of a role to a successor. It differs from business succession (transferring ownership and management), but overlaps with it through “intellectual assets” such as skills and customer ties [1]. In Japan, 44.2% of establishments report problems with skills transfer, rising to 65.8% in manufacturing [2]. Because an open-ended employee can leave two weeks after giving notice [3], the preparation has to happen in normal times: keep a task inventory, name a second person for critical work, store files in shared locations, and write procedures together with the judgment behind them.Read
- AI TransformationWhat Is AX (AI Transformation)? A Practical Definition for Japanese SMEsAX (AI transformation) is the redesign of business processes on the assumption that AI can draft, analyze and assist with decisions. DX digitizes existing work. AX changes which work people do at all, freeing time for judgment, relationships and new business.Read
- Regional JapanJapan's Labor Shortage and AI: How Regional Companies Can AdaptRegional Japanese companies can offset hiring difficulties by using AI for repeatable, text- and data-heavy work, such as inquiries, reporting, data entry and internal knowledge search, and by rolling it out one workflow at a time with frontline staff involved from day one.Read
- PartneringPartnering with Regional Japanese Companies: A Guide for International BusinessesSuccessful partnerships with regional Japanese companies rest on trust built over time, patient consensus-based decision-making, and practical support for the partner's operations. Many of these businesses are highly skilled but under-digitized, so helping them modernize workflows is often the fastest way to create shared value.Read
FAQ
Questions from companies in Okayama
Can you work with companies anywhere in Okayama?
Yes. We work with companies across the prefecture, including Okayama and Kurashiki, on-site or online. If you want us to see your work on site, we will visit.
How should we use you alongside public support such as the Okayama Yorozu Support Center?
Public support centers are free, which is a big advantage. We suggest sorting out your issues there first, and talking to us when you need a partner to actually build AI and new ways of working inside the company (this is our view). Our Japanese article on public support in Okayama summarizes what is available.
Can we use subsidies to hire you?
Eligible costs, application periods and eligible areas differ by program. Some, such as Okayama City's IoT and AI subsidy, have separate tracks for a trial and for full adoption. We can check the requirements of programs that may apply with you, but we cannot promise approval.
Can you help hand over work before a veteran employee retires?
Yes. We start with a business task inventory that writes down who does which work and how much, then capture the steps and judgment calls for the work that depends on one person first. We also offer an approach using En SCAN, our business process inventory tool.
How much does it cost?
Executive AI Advisory (monthly advisory for leaders) is typically ¥100,000–¥250,000 per month. Assessments and implementation are quoted individually based on scope and scale.
Contact
Tell us about your business. We will suggest a realistic first step.
Not sure where AI fits yet? That is the best time to talk. We will help you sort out priorities, whether you are a regional Japanese company or an international partner.