Coursebase

Coursebase, Inc. is a Tokyo-based provider of a cloud-based Learning Management System (LMS) operating in the corporate training and education technology market. Founded on March 26, 2012, by brothers Billy Kosuke Martyn and John Hideyoshi Martyn, along with their childhood friend Frank Chung, the company targets enterprises of all sizes, from small businesses to large public companies, as well as educational institutions and government agencies. The business generates revenue through a platform usage fee, with no additional charges for setup, support, or unlimited data storage and streaming.

The founding team's international background and diverse professional experience have shaped the company's direction. Billy Martyn, Co-Founder and Co-CEO, previously worked at Credit Suisse and Bloomberg in Tokyo, where he led the Futures & Options desk for Asia. His experience in finance is complemented by his education at the University of Virginia and Kyoto University. John Martyn, also Co-Founder and Co-CEO, managed sales for Japanese institutional clients at BlackRock in New York. His global upbringing as the son of a U.S. diplomat and education at George Mason University and Sophia University fostered his bilingual and cross-cultural expertise. Frank Chung, Co-Founder and CTO, brings technical leadership from his time at Deloitte Consulting, where he managed systems integration projects for government clients.

The Coursebase platform is designed for managing various training formats, including online, in-person, and blended learning. It enables clients to automate tasks such as course registration, attendance tracking, and reporting. Key features include the ability to create courses and assessments from various file types like videos, PDFs, and Office files, a customizable course library, and detailed analytics dashboards. Recently, the platform incorporated an AI feature that automatically generates test questions from uploaded content. The system supports over 14 languages and is accessed by users in more than 150 countries. For enterprise clients, Coursebase offers API integration with other talent management systems, single sign-on (SSO) capabilities, IP address restrictions for enhanced security, and white-labeling options for a customized user experience. The company also provides access to a library of over 1,000 e-learning courses from partner vendors covering topics like compliance, business skills, and IT.

Since its inception, Coursebase has secured $1.55M in funding over three rounds, including a Series A on March 6, 2019. The company has been backed by investors such as 500 Global (formerly 500 Startups), Digital Garage, and PERSOL HOLDINGS, reflecting confidence in its potential within the Japanese HR technology sector.

Keywords: corporate training, Learning Management System, LMS, employee training, Japan, HRTech, EdTech, SaaS, e-learning platform, blended learning, talent management, compliance training, corporate education, online course platform, skills development, enterprise software, employee onboarding, John Martyn, Billy Martyn, Frank Chung