Canon Marketing Japan MIRAI Fund, the CVC fund of Canon Marketing Japan Inc., has invested in Wayfarer to advance digitalization through integration between hotel operations and a next-generation AI platform.
Canon Marketing Japan Inc. invested in Wayfarer Co., Ltd. through its corporate venture capital fund, Canon Marketing Japan MIRAI Fund. Wayfarer operates urban hotels under its own management and develops and provides Materia Connect, a data-driven AI platform for hotel operations. Through the investment, the companies aim to enhance hotel operations and improve the customer experience.
Wayfarer operates urban hotels based in Kyoto and Osaka. It currently operates 13 properties under 3 brands: Wayfarer, Kabin, and ORI, and is also opening properties in Tokyo and Fukuoka. Its internally developed Materia Connect integrates functions including pricing, reservations, and check-in, accelerating the verification and improvement of operating data.
Canon Marketing Japan MIRAI Fund is a CVC fund with a scale of ¥10 billion. Its investment areas are Well Being and Business Transformation. The fund aims to promote open innovation involving future-oriented technologies and business ideas and contribute to digital transformation in the hospitality industry.
Through the investment, the companies plan to enhance hotel operations by using Wayfarer’s data and expertise and promote the provision of solutions that deliver high-quality experiences to a diverse range of travelers.