LITALICO

Operating under the vision of creating "an obstacle-free society," LITALICO Inc. is a publicly-traded company on the Tokyo Stock Exchange Prime Market that addresses challenges in the disability and education sectors. The company was founded in December 2005 in Sendai, Japan, by Takahiro Sato as Ideal Career Co., Ltd., later changing its name to Wingle Co., Ltd. in 2006, and finally to LITALICO Inc. in 2014. The name LITALICO is a portmanteau of the Japanese words "Rita" (altruism) and "Riko" (self-interest), reflecting its mission to align societal benefits with individual happiness.

The firm's business model centers on providing a spectrum of support services across different life stages, from early childhood to employment. Its revenue is primarily generated through a combination of user fees and government subsidies, a strategic pivot from its initial model of earning corporate introduction fees. This change allowed LITALICO to serve individuals with a wider range of disabilities and achieve national expansion. The business is structured around two interacting pillars: physical, in-person service centers and online platforms. The knowledge gained from direct support at its centers informs the development of its online services and SaaS products, while data from these platforms is used for research and to enhance the in-person offerings.

LITALICO's service portfolio is comprehensive. "LITALICO Works" is a vocational and employment support service for adults with disabilities, providing training in PC skills, resume preparation, and job matching. For children, "LITALICO Junior" offers social skills and learning classes for toddlers through high school students, often with developmental disabilities, while "LITALICO Wonder" provides IT and robotics-based creative learning. The company also operates several online platforms, including "LITALICO Developmental Navi," a portal for families of children with developmental disabilities, and "LITALICO Job Navi," an employment information site for people with disabilities. To support the broader welfare ecosystem, LITALICO offers SaaS solutions for other welfare facilities and operates "LITALICO Career," a recruitment service for professionals in the disability welfare field.

The company has marked its growth with significant milestones, including listing on the Tokyo Stock Exchange Mothers market in March 2016 and moving to the First Section in March 2017. It has also expanded through strategic acquisitions of companies in related fields such as software for welfare facilities, home nursing care, and other disability support service providers.

Keywords: disability support, special needs education, employment services, vocational training, social skills development, developmental disabilities, EdTech, Japanese social venture, child development, learning support, IT education, robotics classes, welfare services, online support platform, SaaS for welfare, life planning support, career services for welfare sector, public-private partnership, social inclusion, assistive technology