Craftchat

Craftchat, operating under the name ChatBook, provides a specialized AI-driven chatbot platform focused on marketing and lead generation for enterprise clients. Founded in 2016 by CEO Maiko Kojima, the company originated from her firsthand experience with the inefficiencies of repetitive sales and marketing tasks. While a student at Waseda University, Kojima had already demonstrated her entrepreneurial spirit by co-founding PrimeAgain in 2010, where as VP and CTO she launched numerous mobile applications. This background in technology and business development directly informed the creation of Craftchat, which was built to automate and streamline customer acquisition processes.

Headquartered in Tokyo, Japan, Craftchat was acquired by Monex Group in July 2022 and now operates as a subsidiary. The firm’s business model is primarily subscription-based SaaS, which includes an initial setup fee alongside a recurring monthly charge for system access. The company has secured funding from a notable list of institutional investors, including Salesforce Ventures and Z Venture Capital, prior to its acquisition.

The core of Craftchat's offering is a no-code platform that enables businesses to deploy conversational AI chatbots across various digital channels, including websites, Facebook Messenger, Instagram, and the popular Japanese messaging app, LINE. The service is designed to manage the entire customer lifecycle, from initial lead gathering and nurturing to conversion. Key features include a visual workflow builder, detailed analytics for data-driven decision-making, and robust integration capabilities with major CRM and marketing automation tools like Salesforce, Marketo, and Hubspot. This allows for the seamless synchronization of customer data and interaction history. Unlike many competitors that concentrate on customer support, Craftchat distinguishes itself by specializing in lead acquisition, offering features such as calendar integration for scheduling appointments directly within the chat and sophisticated customer segmentation.

Keywords: lead generation, chatbot platform, marketing automation, conversational AI, sales automation, no-code chatbot, customer acquisition, CRM integration, sales funnel management, B2B SaaS, Maiko Kojima, ChatBook, Monex Group, marketing technology, lead nurturing, customer engagement, AI for marketing, chatbot analytics, multi-channel chatbot, LINE chatbot