Base

BASE, Inc. provides a comprehensive e-commerce platform designed to empower individuals and small to medium-sized businesses in Japan. The company was founded in December 2012 by Yuta Tsuruoka and Kazuma Ieiri. The inspiration for the company came from Tsuruoka's mother, who ran a small store and expressed a desire to open an online shop but lacked the technical skills to do so. Tsuruoka, an information technology student at the time, was motivated to develop a user-friendly platform that would remove the barriers of cost and complexity for aspiring online merchants.

The company's core offering is the "BASE" online shop creation service, which allows users to establish an e-commerce presence quickly and without initial setup fees. The business model primarily revolves around transaction-based fees. While setting up a store is free, BASE charges a percentage-based fee on each sale, creating a symbiotic relationship where the company's success is directly tied to the success of its merchants. This approach targets individuals and small businesses who may have been previously excluded from e-commerce due to technical or financial constraints.

Beyond the fundamental store creation tool, BASE has expanded its ecosystem to include a suite of financial and payment services. This includes "PAY.JP," a standalone online payment API for developers and other web services, and "PAY ID," a shopping and payment service that facilitates a smoother checkout experience for consumers. Recognizing the financial challenges faced by small merchants, the company also launched "YELL BANK," a service that provides financing to shop owners by purchasing their future receivables. This collection of services positions BASE as a multi-faceted platform supporting merchants not just with sales, but also with payments and access to capital. The company went public on the Mothers section of the Tokyo Stock Exchange in October 2019.

Co-founder Kazuma Ieiri is a notable serial entrepreneur in Japan, also known for founding the crowdfunding platform CAMPFIRE. After dropping out of high school, he taught himself programming and later founded a web hosting company that he took public, becoming the youngest CEO at the time to list on the JASDAQ exchange. His experience in building ventures and his focus on creating platforms for others complements Tsuruoka's vision of empowering small-scale entrepreneurs.

Keywords: e-commerce platform, online payments, small business, merchant services, fintech, payment gateway, online storefront, fundraising service, Japanese market, SMB solutions