Cogent Labs
Tokyo-based AI company specializing in Japanese document processing with SmartRead platform, achieving 99.2% accuracy for handwritten Japanese text recognition.
Overview
Founded in 2014 by Jun Inuma, former Salesforce executive, Cogent Labs has evolved from handwriting recognition specialist to broader document processing platform. The Tokyo-based company invested seven years developing proprietary AI specifically for Japanese documents, culminating in SmartRead's generative AI upgrade in May 2024 that processes unstructured documents without templates.
The company's market position strengthened significantly when SmartRead won seven awards at the BOXIL SaaS Award 2025, including first place in the AI OCR category based on customer satisfaction metrics. With 1.472 billion yen capital and 51-66 employees from over 20 countries, Cogent Labs has raised $42.7-48.4M from investors including NTT Finance and AIZAWA Investments.
Unlike competitors using off-the-shelf AI models, Cogent Labs developed completely proprietary generative AI technology over seven years, creating barriers to entry for international competitors in the complex Japanese document processing market.
Key Features
- Tegaki AI: Processes 50,000+ Japanese characters including Hiragana, Katakana, and Kanji with 99.2% accuracy
- Zero-Configuration Processing: Handles variable-format documents across companies without template setup
- Proprietary Generative AI: Custom-built AI models rather than existing frameworks for Japanese document specificity
- SmartVerify: Verification function reducing data conversion time by 90%
- Real-Time API: Cloud-based architecture for batch processing in minutes versus days
- GPU-Free Deployment: Operates on existing infrastructure without GPU requirements
Use Cases
Japanese Handwriting Digitization
Organizations leverage Tegaki AI's specialized capability to process complex Japanese writing systems. As CEO Jun Inuma noted, "the service can perform the action that was previously done manually, this reduces the cost and speed. In the past a client may have to wait days while with Tegaki the results for a big batch can be done in a matter of minutes."
Multi-Industry Document Processing
Following the May 2024 generative AI integration, SmartRead supports procurement, real estate, insurance, and healthcare documents without pre-configuration, addressing variable formats across different companies.
Enterprise Verification Workflows
SmartVerify streamlines validation of OCR results, particularly critical for Japanese documents where character recognition complexity requires human oversight for mission-critical applications.
Technical Specifications
| Feature | Specification |
|---|---|
| Core Products | SmartRead, SmartVerify, Tegaki |
| Japanese Character Support | 50,000+ characters (Hiragana, Katakana, Kanji) |
| Recognition Accuracy | 99.2% for Japanese handwritten documents |
| AI Technology | Proprietary generative AI (7-year development) |
| Template Requirements | None (zero-configuration processing) |
| Processing Speed | Real-time API, batch processing in minutes |
| Deployment | Cloud, on-premises, no GPU required |
| Document Types | Structured, unstructured, handwritten |
Resources
Company Information
Headquarters: Tokyo, Japan (3-2-1 Roppongi, Minato-ku, 36th floor Sumitomo Fudosan Roppongi Grand Tower)
Founded: 2014
Employees: 51-66 (from over 20 countries)
Funding: $42.7-48.4M total (NTT Finance, 1Q Agile Lab, AIZAWA Investments, Comture)