Helte
Japanese conversation platform connecting learners with seniors.
| Date | Investors | Amount | Round |
|---|---|---|---|
| investor investor investor investor | €0.0 | round | |
* | N/A | Early VC | |
| Total Funding | 000k | ||
Helte Co., Ltd. is a Japanese company that operates "Sail," a global communication platform designed to connect Japanese language learners with elderly individuals in Japan for conversation practice. Founded on March 22, 2016, by CEO Manabu Goto, the company aims to address societal issues like Japan's aging population and labor shortage by fostering cross-cultural and intergenerational connections. Goto's personal experiences living abroad in the U.S. and India, and his conversations with an elderly American woman, inspired the creation of Sail. He envisioned a service where sharing life experiences and philosophies could transcend cultural and generational divides.
The core service, Sail, is a subscription-based app and desktop platform where users can schedule 25-minute, one-on-one video calls with native Japanese speakers, a majority of whom are seniors between 65 and 75 years old. This model provides a win-win situation: language learners get authentic conversation practice and cultural insights, while Japanese seniors gain new social connections and a sense of purpose. The service is accessible on computers, smartphones, and tablets, with affordable monthly plans for learners. Helte has also partnered with sponsors to donate tablets to senior citizen homes to facilitate participation.
Beyond the primary conversation service, Helte organizes the "Sail Dream Project," a large-scale online Japanese speech contest for users worldwide who dream of working or studying in Japan. Winners receive support for trips to Japan and internship opportunities. The company also operates services to match foreign talent with Japanese companies, further addressing labor shortages. Helte has established partnerships with various local governments, universities like The University of Tokyo, and corporate entities such as KAYAC Inc. and Hankyu Hanshin Holdings, Inc.
Keywords: Japanese language learning, conversation platform, intergenerational communication, elderly social isolation, cultural exchange, language practice, global communication, Japan, senior citizens, online community, Manabu Goto, Sail, Japanese speech contest, foreign talent matching, cross-cultural connection, edtech, social impact, aging society solutions, Japanese culture, remote learning