AI that verbalizes scent "KAORIUM" wins The Fragrance Foundation UK Awards 2026

SCENTMATIC Inc. (CEO: Shunji Kurisu, Headquarters: Tokyo, hereinafter "SCENTMATIC"), which proposes new customer experiences through the digitalization of olfaction, is pleased to announce that its AI for verbalizing scent, "KAORIUM," has won the "Best Digital Innovation Award" at the "The Fragrance Foundation UK Awards 2026," a leading award in the UK fragrance industry.

*KAORIUM is a registered trademark of SCENTMATIC Inc.

KAORIUM CEO Ben Janoušek (left), Digital Innovation Judge Howard Greenhalgh (right)

"The Fragrance Foundation UK Awards 2026" is an award hosted by The Fragrance Foundation UK, a UK fragrance industry organization. It recognizes outstanding initiatives in the fragrance industry, including perfume creation, retail, marketing, communication, and technology. In 2026, the awards ceremony was held on June 11th at the Grosvenor House Hotel in London.

"KAORIUM" is a system that uses AI to mutually convert scents and words. By visualizing ambiguous and difficult-to-grasp scent impressions in easily understandable language, or by deriving scents associated with words, it provides encounters with scents that suit each individual's sensibilities.

KAORIUM's New Experiential Value Recognized Globally

In this award, KAORIUM was recognized for its ability to combine AI, scent verbalization, and dedicated hardware to translate the emotions and sensations experienced when encountering a scent into words, making it easier for consumers to find scents that suit them.

Its innovative approach, which presents an experience of choosing scents based on the user's own feelings and words, rather than relying solely on traditional fragrance classifications, packaging, or brand image, was highly praised as an outstanding digital innovation.

SCENTMATIC will continue to propose new scent experiential values in various fields, including fragrances, sensory education, dining experiences, and purchasing experiences, through KAORIUM, which connects scent and words.

Comment from Shunji Kurisu, CEO

In this award, KAORIUM was recognized for its ability to combine AI, scent verbalization, and dedicated hardware to translate the emotions and sensations experienced when encountering a scent into words, making it easier for consumers to find scents that suit them.

Its innovative approach, which presents an experience of choosing scents based on the user's own feelings and words, rather than relying solely on traditional fragrance classifications, packaging, or brand image, was highly praised as an outstanding digital innovation.

SCENTMATIC will continue to propose new scent experiential values in various fields, including fragrances, sensory education, dining experiences, and purchasing experiences, through KAORIUM, which connects scent and words.

What is the AI system "KAORIUM" that converts scent and words?

KAORIUM is an AI system developed by SCENTMATIC that mutually converts scents and words. With cutting-edge technology, it makes it possible to visualize ambiguous and difficult-to-grasp scent impressions with words, or to derive scents associated with certain words. Furthermore, the experience of deeply savoring a scent while being aware of words brings awareness to our yet-unseen sensibilities. The value created by this unprecedented experience connecting scent and words is expected to generate new business opportunities not only in the world of fragrance but also in various fields such as sensory education, dining experiences, and purchasing experiences.

KAORIUM Concept Movie: https://youtu.be/wnfDTy6cJ8A

【SCENTMATIC Inc.】

SCENTMATIC is a company that creates new "scent experiences" with its AI for verbalizing scent, "KAORIUM." The "digitalization of olfaction" we provide appeals to human senses and is utilized in various business scenes. KAORIUM has won a Silver Award at the international design award "A' Design Award." We are also conducting joint research with the Graduate School of the University of Tokyo on "the influence of words on the perception of scent" (※1).

(※1) https://scentmatic.co.jp/news/20251119

Representative: Shunji Kurisu, CEO

Location: 3F, 4-22-7 Ebisu, Shibuya-ku, Tokyo 150-0013

URL: https://scentmatic.co.jp