hootfolio Selected for Plug and Play Japan's Accelerator Program 'Summer 2026 Batch'

hootfolio Inc. is pleased to announce that it has been selected for the 'Summer 2026 Batch' accelerator program hosted by Plug and Play Japan, one of the world's largest innovation platforms.

AI Center of Excellence

Plug and Play is a global innovation platform connecting startups, large enterprises, investors, academia, and government agencies. Headquartered in Silicon Valley, USA, it operates in over 60 locations worldwide, including Tokyo, Kyoto, and Osaka, supporting innovation in collaboration with over 550 global corporate partners and public institutions.

hootfolio has been selected as one of 42 startups for the 'AI Center of Excellence', targeting the AI domain, out of more than 260 applying companies.

List of Startups Selected for Summer 2026 Batch

hootfolio operates under the mission of 'Scientific decision-making for everyone' and provides 'causal analysis®', a decision-support platform powered by causal AI. By visualizing causal relationships hidden in data, the platform identifies 'what drives results' and 'which initiatives are truly effective', supporting better decision-making for businesses and organizations.

The accelerator program by Plug and Play Japan aims to connect large enterprises with domestic and international startups to co-create new value through open innovation. Participating startups gain opportunities for business collaboration and pilot projects with major corporations, as well as access to the latest global trends and cross-industry networks.

Through this program, hootfolio will strengthen partnerships with global enterprises, research institutions, and startups, further advancing the real-world implementation of causal AI centered on its proprietary causal discovery technology. Additionally, as a decision-support platform built on Japanese intellectual property, hootfolio will accelerate its global market expansion.

About Plug and Play Japan

Plug and Play is one of the world’s largest innovation platforms, connecting startups, corporations, investors, academia, and government agencies. Headquartered in Silicon Valley, it operates in over 60 locations globally, including Tokyo, Kyoto, and Osaka.

It provides end-to-end support—from startup scouting and trend analysis to innovation strategy and commercialization—for over 550 global corporate partners and public institutions. Leveraging its accelerator programs and venture capital capabilities, Plug and Play accelerates innovation across industries and invests in over 250 startups annually.

About Causal AI: causal analysis®

A causal AI solution that intuitively identifies the 'true causes' behind outcomes

Powered by proprietary AI technology developed at NEC Corporation’s research laboratories, causal analysis® extracts and visualizes cause-and-effect relationships from data—insights often invisible through conventional analytics. With an intuitive interface, it enables users without statistical expertise to answer 'what drives success' and scientifically determine the next business action.

Beyond marketing, its applications are expanding into HR—for analyzing factors that improve employee engagement—and into public policy and urban development.

About hootfolio

A startup spun out from NEC Corporation in January 2025. Guided by the mission of 'Scientific decision-making for everyone', hootfolio provides 'causal analysis®', a SaaS-based analytical service powered by causal AI. Building on the technological expertise developed as an NEC-originated startup, hootfolio collaborates with enterprises, government bodies, and research institutions to accelerate the societal implementation of scientific decision-making.

Contact

hootfolio Inc.

Company Name: hootfolio Inc. Address: 5-32-12 Shiba, Minato-ku, Tokyo, Shamison Stage Tamachi Established: August 2024 CEO: Kenta Kasahara Website: https://hootfolio.com/ Business: Provision of causal analysis solutions 'causal analysis'