LayerX Secures $100M Series B to Drive AI-Powered Back-Office Automation in Japan

Tokyo-based AI SaaS company LayerX has raised $100 million in a Series B funding round, marking one of the largest investments at this stage for a Japanese startup. The round was led by Technology Cross Ventures (TCV), making it the U.S. fund’s first investment in Japan. Other key investors included MUFG Bank, Mitsubishi UFJ Innovation Partners, JAFCO Group, Keyrock Capital, Coreline Venture, and JP Investment. With this latest raise, LayerX’s total funding has climbed to $192.2 million.

Transforming Back-Office Operations with AI

LayerX was founded in 2018 by entrepreneur Yoshinori Fukushima, who previously launched the Tokyo Stock Exchange-listed news app Gunosy. The company emerged from digital transformation and blockchain projects before identifying a major inefficiency in Japan’s corporate workflows: paper-based invoice processing.

Today, LayerX helps enterprises automate finance, tax, HR, and procurement—areas traditionally burdened by labor shortages, aging demographics, and rigid processes. Its flagship platform, Bakuraku Suite, enables more than 15,000 businesses to streamline expense management, invoice processing, and corporate card operations. Clients include leading names like Ippudo, IRIS Ohyama, Imperial Hotel, and Sekisui Chemical.

Competitive Edge in AI-Driven SaaS

Bakuraku differentiates itself with an AI-native user experience, continuously updated with features such as auto-entry, document splitting, AI agents, and AI-enabled BPO services. The startup’s team includes more than 12 former CTOs and even a Kaggle Grandmaster, strengthening its technological edge.

Alongside Bakuraku, LayerX also offers:

• Alterna – a retail digital securities investment platform built with Mitsui & Co.
• Ai Workforce – a generative AI solution that helps enterprises harness data and improve workflow efficiency.

                                        CEO of Layerx (Yoshinori Fukushima) and CTO of layerx (Yuki Matsumoto)

Growth Trajectory and Market Ambitions

LayerX achieved rapid scale, growing from 10,000 customers in February 2024 to 15,000 by April 2025, while nearly doubling its workforce to 430 employees. The company is on track to surpass $68 million (¥10 billion) in revenue faster than any SaaS company in Japan’s history, achieving the well-known growth milestone T2D3 ahead of schedule.

By 2030, LayerX aims to generate $680 million (¥100 billion) in annual recurring revenue, with nearly half coming from its AI agent business. The company also plans to expand its workforce to around 1,000 employees by 2028.

Industry Context

Despite Japan’s push for digitalization, only 16% of digital transformations succeed—and in traditional industries, the rate is as low as 4–11%. Key obstacles include weak leadership commitment, rigid corporate culture, and a lack of digital talent. LayerX is positioning itself as the go-to platform to overcome these barriers with AI-powered automation.

On the domestic front, LayerX competes with Money Forward Cloud Keihi, freee, and Rakuraku Seisan, while globally it faces rivals such as SAP Concur, Rippling, Brex, Ramp, Spendesk, and Airbase. In the AI enterprise space, it also competes with Harvey.

Key Takeaways

• Funding: $100M Series B, total $192.2M raised
• Lead Investor: TCV (first Japan deal)
• Core Product: Bakuraku Suite for automated back-office workflows
• Clients: 15,000+ including Ippudo and Imperial Hotel
• Future Goal: $680M ARR by 2030, 1,000 employees by 2028