We-Nihon PMI Partners, Japan’s only sector-specialized healthcare buyout fund– support companies alongside healthcare experts, including MDs.
This time, we’d like to introduce another actual investment case. The fourth case is Pleiades Seven Co., Ltd., a company that supports digital transformation (DX) for medical institutions.
Currently, the adoption rate of electronic medical records (EMRs) among general hospitals in Japan stands at approximately 65%, while electronic prescriptions and nationwide medical data sharing remain in the early stages of development. Although the government has positioned healthcare DX as a national strategy, official policy documents acknowledge several structural barriers to on-the-ground implementation, including high system costs, fragmented IT infrastructure across hospitals, and a shortage of personnel capable of driving digital transformation.
From an international perspective, Japan’s position becomes even clearer. In the United States, approximately 96% of hospitals have adopted electronic health records, and in the United Kingdom, adoption exceeds 90%. In these countries, healthcare DX has become a standard infrastructure. By comparison, Japan remains in a transitional phase, representing a market with significant room for further growth.
【Company Overview】
Pleiades Seven Inc. provides a healthcare DX platform, “Cocolink,” which integrates with electronic medical records (EMR) systems and is offered to medical institutions across Japan.
By integrating, visualizing, and analyzing data that is typically fragmented within hospitals, the company supports both the reduction of operational burdens on healthcare professionals and the improvement of hospital management performance.
- Core Businesses
Development, implementation, maintenance, and operational support of the hospital management platform “Cocolink”
DX support and management consulting services for medical and long-term care institutions - Business Area
Nationwide in Japan (Headquartered in Kumamoto, serving hospitals and medical institutions across the country)
- Number of Employees: Approx. 10
- Company History
July 2017: Launched the “Cocolink” project within System Creo Inc.
May 2020: Spun off the Cocolink business and established Pleiades Inc.
May 2021: Renamed the company to Pleiades Seven Inc.
【Reasons for Investment】
- Through private transactions leveraging our proprietary network, we were able to invest at an attractive valuation.
- Proven Healthcare DX Solution for Underserved Hospitals
Prior to NPMI’s investment, “Cocolink” had already been introduced to over 30 medical corporations receiving strong evaluations from clients. The product’s practicality and scalability had therefore been sufficiently validated.
【Value Creation Initiatives (PMI Activities)】
- Product Development Support
Provided end-to-end support from planning and development to operations, stabilizing quality, speed, and cost.
Built an organizational structure that seamlessly connects development and customer support functions. - Sales & Business Development Support
Accelerated adoption by leveraging NPMI’s strong network of healthcare executives.
Established a powerful sales channel by arranging a strategic capital and business alliance through NPMI’s network with a leasing subsidiary. - Implementation of Revenue-Enhancing Features
Expanded functionality beyond cost reduction through DX to include management and regional coordination features directly linked to improved bed utilization rates.
Accelerated adoption among small and mid-sized hospitals by shortening implementation timelines and reducing costs, transforming the product into a model well-suited for the core segment of the Japanese hospital market. - Collaboration with our portfolio company, Hospital Net Co., Ltd.
Maximize revenue per facility through common infrastructure and cross-selling
As both companies provide hospital-focused systems, we are advancing platform integration.
Through platform integration, bring previously outsourced health checkup system development in-house, speeding up product development cycles.
【Future Outlook】
Going forward, the company aims to pursue strategic partnerships with highly synergistic businesses while further enhancing the quality of its packaged product and strengthening its customer base, with the objective of achieving sustained medium- to long-term value creation toward a future exit.