{"id":15908,"date":"2025-06-24T13:49:25","date_gmt":"2025-06-24T04:49:25","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/oihen.hogehogecojp.com\/?post_type=companies&amp;p=2628"},"modified":"2025-06-24T13:49:25","modified_gmt":"2025-06-24T04:49:25","slug":"sparkle-and-inc","status":"publish","type":"companies","link":"https:\/\/www.innovation-osaka.jp\/en\/companies\/sparkle-and-inc\/","title":{"rendered":"Sparkle and Inc."},"content":{"rendered":"<style>\n\t.mb-50{\n\t\tmargin-bottom: 50px!important;\n\t}<\/p>\n<\/style>\n<section class=\"section-container read companies\">\n\t<i class=\"fa-solid fa-quote-left\"><\/i><\/p>\n<p><span class=\"read_top\">Sparkle and Inc. develops various virtual space-based services and apps with the vision of resolving existing social issues through apps.<\/span> Ayano Ikakura, the CEO of Sparkle and Inc., believes that virtual space is an environment that allows for personal expression without users being held back by age, gender, or lookism. We asked about her story and her outlook.<\/p>\n<\/section>\n<section class=\"section-container companies\">\n<h2 class=\"h2-library\">What is a generative AI-based chat app like?<\/h2>\n<p>With our chat app, \u201cPosi-ko No Heya (Posi-ko\u2019s Room)\u201d or the English version \u201cPositive Chat,\u201d when a user texts about their feelings of alienation or ambivalent emotions, the in-app character Posi-ko (or Britney in the English app) responds in a positive manner. Users can be honest, especially since they know that they are chatting with an AI character. In the prompts within the code, we included the direction that the responses should be \u201cpositive, supportive context in the speaking tone of a young, supportive, and friendly woman.\u201d<\/p>\n<div class=\"library-img\">\n        <img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/www.innovation-osaka.jp\/oih2026\/wp-content\/uploads\/en_img\/img\/companies\/sparkleand\/2.png\" alt=\"Sparkle and Inc.\"><\/p>\n<p>With Sparkle and\u2019s AI-based chat apps, text about your hobbies or problems and the in-app characters will reply with a positive and uplifting message.<\/p>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<p>The COVID outbreak brought on the development of this app. I started college in 2020, but there were no college entrance ceremonies that typically take place, and most classes were conducted online. Many students suffered from depression or anxiety symptoms. I wanted to help them feel better, so I began to work on this app. The LINE version was released in 2022, and in 2023, it became an iOS app. <br \/>\n\tUsers have told us that the chat app lifted a weight off their minds or that they spoke to Posi-ko or Britney on days when they had no one to talk to.<\/p>\n<\/section>\n<section class=\"section-container companies\">\n<h2 class=\"h2-library\">Please share your other services and what the future holds.<\/h2>\n<p>We are currently focusing on educational apps. Our AI Explainer Series covers science and math subjects. Users take a photo of the physics or math problem they are grappling with and receive an AI-based explanation from the app.<br \/>\n\tThe story behind this app is that I also struggled with science and math subjects throughout middle and high school, but my family couldn\u2019t afford extra tutoring. Studying these subjects was tough. App users tell us that the explanations and commentaries are thorough, and the camera quality for character and image recognition is top-notch. We charge a monthly fee of 800 yen, which is much more reasonable than tutoring classes and cram schools.<\/p>\n<div class=\"library-img\">\n        <img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/www.innovation-osaka.jp\/oih2026\/wp-content\/uploads\/en_img\/img\/companies\/sparkleand\/3.png\" alt=\"Sparkle and Inc.\"><\/p>\n<p>That feeling when looking up answers in the back of textbooks doesn\u2019t help because you still don\u2019t know how to solve the problem. Send a photo of the baffling problem, and the AI Explainer App will provide a detailed explanation.<\/p>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<p>Our Problem Maker Series, on the other hand, will develop as many required problems as necessary. The user only needs to specify the subject, difficulty level, problem format, and quantity. This app was developed based on feedback from middle and high school students who wanted to tackle more problems in their weaker subjects. It also has save-to-PDF and print functions, which is why school teachers and tutors also choose this app. The Problem Maker Series is now available in math, English, and chemistry, and we have plans for more subjects.<\/p>\n<div class=\"library-img\">\n        <img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/www.innovation-osaka.jp\/oih2026\/wp-content\/uploads\/en_img\/img\/companies\/sparkleand\/4.png\" alt=\"Sparkle and Inc.\"><\/p>\n<p>Beyond the Problem Maker Series, Sparkle and Inc. offers other apps that support self-studying, such as learning Japanese literature through quiz games. <\/p>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<p>What motivates us to develop our services is the shared desire of both myself and those around me: \u201cI wish things could be better.\u201d It is a common yearning that resonates around the world. Today, with Positive Chat, the English version of Posi-ko\u2019s Room, we have many non-Japanese users. Our educational apps are popular in Europe, and we will be expanding into multiple languages.<br \/>\n\tFrom June 10th to the 16th of 2025, we will be exhibiting at the Osaka Healthcare Pavilion in Expo 2025 Osaka, Kansai, Japan. We want to keep our ears to the ground, developing business ideas to make society easier for more people to live.<\/p>\n<\/section>\n<section class=\"section-container companies\">\n<h2 class=\"h2-library\">Please tell us how you started up your company.<\/h2>\n<p>Since middle school, I have been interested in starting my own business. This is why I attended Kindai University, which is known for its efforts in preparing entrepreneurs. In my sophomore year, I participated in Kindai University\u2019s student entrepreneur development program, <a href=\"https:\/\/act.kindai.ac.jp\/projects\/eae2e9d44df4ea2c87cb39da786caba63e41e90b.html\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">OKonomi<\/a>\uff08The program has since evolved into a different project). In my junior year, I made it through the final round of the Acceleration Program. I received funding support, allowing me to start up a virtual space-based business, a field I was always interested in.<br \/>\nI named the company Sparkle and, hoping to capture our dream of \u201cMay a joyous and bright future continue for all.\u201d<\/p>\n<div class=\"library-img\">\n        <img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/www.innovation-osaka.jp\/oih2026\/wp-content\/uploads\/en_img\/img\/companies\/sparkleand\/5.png\" alt=\"Sparkle and Inc.\"><\/p>\n<p>A screenshot of OIH\u2019s online workshop, \u201c<a href=\"https:\/\/www.innovation-osaka.jp\/ja\/report\/event-report-10790\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">Make Your Idea Heard Around the World! Pitch the Silicon Valley Way<\/a>,\u201d from March 2022, which Ayano Ikakura attended as the youngest participant. Through this experience, she says she learned about having a global perspective, how to compile a pitch deck, and other aspects from mentors who are successful in Silicon Valley. <\/p>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<p>Interview Date: April 28, 2025<br \/>Interviewed and written by\u3000Aya Iwamura<\/p>\n<\/section>\n","protected":false},"featured_media":2629,"template":"","companies-category":[212],"class_list":["post-15908","companies","type-companies","status-publish","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","companies-category-ai","en-US"],"acf":[],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.innovation-osaka.jp\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/companies\/15908","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.innovation-osaka.jp\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/companies"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.innovation-osaka.jp\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/companies"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.innovation-osaka.jp\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/2629"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.innovation-osaka.jp\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=15908"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"companies-category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.innovation-osaka.jp\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/companies-category?post=15908"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}