Orange Inc. Secures $19M to Expand AI Localization for Manga Titles

Orange Inc., the Tokyo-based startup specializing in AI-driven localization for manga, has raised $19 million in a pre-Series A round. The funding round was led by Globis Capital Partners, with participation from Shogakukan, ANRI, SBI Investment, JIC Venture Growth Investments, Miyako Capital, Chiba Dojo Fund, Mizuho Capital, Mitsubishi UFJ Capital, and GFR Fund.

Investors and Funding Details

This round follows Orange’s previous $1.8 million funding in July 2023, bringing the total investment to approximately $20.5 million. Key investors GCP and Chiba Dojo Fund have continued their support from previous rounds. The funds will be utilized to scale up Orange’s manga translation business, aiming to translate 500 books per month.

Expanding Global Reach

Founded in 2021 by Shoko Ugaki, who previously managed successful game titles at Colopl, Orange Inc. uses a proprietary tool to translate untranslated manga titles into English. The company plans to launch Emaqi, an e-manga store in the U.S., this summer, further expanding its global reach.

Competition and Market Landscape

Orange Inc. faces competition from other startups like Mantra, which offers a multilingual translation engine and related services. Mantra has secured significant investments from major entities like Shueisha and the University of Tokyo’s Innovation Platform.