iPresence
About
About iPresence
iPresence was founded in Kobe in 2014 and combines physical robot avatars with software that lets remote users look around, speak and participate in a distant place. Its business spans original devices, integration of third-party mobile robots, remote-communication applications and digital-twin services. Telepotalk and AvatarLink support education, workplace and facility participation.
The company developed kubi 2.0 as a Japanese-made successor to the original tablet-mounted kubi. Independent pan and tilt motors let the remote participant orient an iPad toward people or activity. Robot-Stand Connect works alongside established video-call applications; paid applications add specialized workflows. The iPresence Agent beta introduces face tracking and conversational reception or guidance. Mobile temi robots can share the software interface while providing movement between rooms.
Operations
Facilities & manufacturing
- Production setup
2026-10-15 - iPresence states an initial production run of 300 kubi 2.0 tabletop telepresence robots in its launch announcement. - First announced kubi2.0 production run; no cumulative output, shipment or deployed-fleet total asserted
Source
Funding
- 2026-03-24 - J-KISS financing - iPresence raises ¥30 million through J-KISS financing
Minato Growth Companies Mirai Fund No. 3 invested through J-KISS stock-acquisition rights on 24 March 2026. - source: ipresence.jp
Investors
- Minato Growth Companies Mirai Fund No. 3 - Participant - VC - 1 funding event - first seen 2026-04-15
Team
- Chris Francis Christophers - Founder and President
- Takahiro Ohta - Director and Chief Technology Officer
- Haruhito Fujinaga - Executive Officer and Chief Brand Officer
- Teruaki Yokoyama - Technical Advisor
Timeline
Events
- 2026-10-15 - Product Launch - iPresence begins kubi 2.0 sales at ¥165,000 with 300-unit initial run
The ¥165,000 price includes Japanese tax and excludes the iPad; the initial production run is 300 units. Independent motors provide 300° pan and 55° tilt, with approximately four hours of cordless operation. The iPresence Agent feature launches in beta for face-oriented reception and guidance applications.
Source - 2026-03-24 - Funding - iPresence raises ¥30 million through J-KISS financing
The fund was established by Minato Bank, Resona Capital and Minato Capital. The proceeds support telepresence adoption in factories, healthcare, education and administration, and development combining robots, AI and digital twins.
Source - 2026-01-19 - Award - iPresence receives Cabinet Office recognition for remote social participation
Its school-participation service connects children at home or in hospital with classrooms using mobile and tabletop robot avatars. The separate Dokodemo Expo programme enabled roughly 4,000 children with illnesses or disabilities to experience Expo 2025 remotely.
Source - 2024-03-20 - Award - iPresence remote-welding digital-twin platform wins innovation award
The platform lets operators control a welding robot remotely through a digital twin. iPresence led robot-system and digital-twin software development, with CTO Takahiro Ohta responsible for the system.
Source
Relations
Relationships
- Takamaru Industries
Research And Technology Collaboration - iPresence and Takamaru Industries developed a digital-twin platform for remote operation of welding robots.
Context
Comparable profiles
- Ava Robotics
comparable profile - Telepresence Robot Builder
- Double Robotics
comparable profile - Telepresence Robot Builder
Context tags
- Telepresence robot builder - Peer Group - https://ipresence.jp/company/ — Company develops original telepresence devices for remote participation; not a humanoid or autonomous delivery robot.
- Public Space Interaction - Customer Environment - https://prtimes.jp/main/html/rd/p/000000015.000069565.html — Remote participation spans reception,education and care settings; beta AI reception remains a distinct maturity claim.