iPhone
Keep opportunity close.
Browse potential targets and research summaries on iPhone, and prepare the key questions for your next conversation.
Explore sourcing and researchDeal OS
Every deal starts with a connection.
Connect buyers and sellers. Move from first discovery to a signed deal, with multilingual AI and experienced M&A professionals.
Selling your business?Meet your next buyer
Explore Deal OSFree plan · JPY 5,000 per buyer company contacted · No success fee
ikelos Deal OS
One place to move your deal forward.
M&A support in multiple languages, with AI agents available 24/7 (human services excepted), making it possible to attract non-Japanese buyers. ikelos removes the cumbersome steps in M&A and the administrative work unrelated to the deal itself, and provides the full range of services, from AI analysis to analysis by professionals, according to your needs. With ikelos, a deal can move forward from a single phone.
What ikelos provides
24/7
Multilingual support from AI agents, available 24/7 (human services excepted)
5
Five steps from target sourcing to SPA, with ikelos at every step
3
Preliminary due diligence scope: legal, financial and tax (as of 2026)
JPY 0
Seller success fee: free
A place for every step
On the move. At your desk.
From an initial look on your phone to deeper research on your computer, see the deal in the context that suits your work.
Mac
More room for the big decisions.
Use the wider view on Mac to review company information, compare targets and work through due diligence findings with experienced professionals.
Explore professional supportAI-generated usage scenes and concept interfaces; not actual product screenshots.
Deal process
Five steps, one platform, and where professionals step in
ikelos deal process
- Sourcing/matching
Identify the target
- Preliminary research
ikelos provides preliminary research
- NDA/LOI/MOU
ikelos provides NDA/LOI/MOU templates and signing guidance
- Due diligence
ikelos carries out preliminary due diligence
Professionals involved - SPA/negotiation
Negotiate and sign the SPA; ikelos drafts it and assists with revisions
Professionals involved
Traditional deal process
Identify the target
Engage an advisor for preliminary research
Sign NDA/LOI/MOU
Engage an advisor for due diligence
Negotiate and sign the SPA
* Where deeper investigation is needed, ikelos professional advisors can carry out full-scope due diligence.
User experience
How each step works in ikelos
Step 1
Target sourcing/matching
Users enter their requirements in ikelos: industry, budget, minimum revenue/profit, region and investment type.
ikelos provides a list of sellers that match the requirements, keeps actively searching for sellers open to contact, and updates the buyer promptly; once a buyer has entered requirements, ikelos proactively recommends potential targets.
Step 2
Preliminary research
The company profile (PIB) is available instantly, with a preliminary synergy analysis and preliminary valuation provided by ikelos.
The buyer reviews the company's preliminary research summary and decides whether to proceed; when a new potentially matching seller joins, ikelos also recommends it proactively.
Step 3
NDA/LOI/MOU/negotiation
The buyer sends a request to the seller, and ikelos drafts the greeting and introduction based on the information the buyer provided at registration. Once the seller accepts the request, buyer and seller can communicate through the ikelos AI agent.
ikelos provides guidance on the next step (such as signing an NDA), has its own templates that it revises according to the needs of buyer and seller, and can answer questions from both sides, supporting users without M&A experience.
Step 4
Due diligence
ikelos can carry out preliminary due diligence (covering legal, financial and tax as of 2026). ikelos provides the seller with an Information Request List (IRL), and the due diligence analysis starts once the seller has submitted the documents.
If material risks are found, ikelos professional advisors can carry out full-scope due diligence as needed; other due diligence, such as business, HR, environmental and IT, is also available on request.
Step 5
SPA
ikelos drafts the SPA based on the due diligence findings, takes your requirements into account and suggests revisions.
ikelos professional advisors are involved throughout, supporting a smooth closing.
Comparison
ikelos compared with traditional advisory firms
ikelos
Traditional advisory firms
Service availability
ikelos
Most services are available in multiple languages, 24/7 (human services excepted), and can serve non-Japanese buyers and sellers.
Traditional advisory firms
Limited working hours and resources.
Complexity and non-deal administration
ikelos
ikelos offers a one-stop solution: in most cases no external advisors need to be engaged, and complexity is far lower than with traditional advisory firms.
Traditional advisory firms
Requires multiple external parties, including M&A advisors, consultants, attorneys and accountants; the more parties involved, the heavier the administrative burden unrelated to the deal (signing advisory engagement agreements, KYC checks, payments and so on).
Cost and timeline
ikelos
Most of the basic process can be completed within ikelos, so the overall deal cost is far lower than with traditional advisory firms; most services are available 24/7, so the overall timeline is also much shorter.
Traditional advisory firms
Long timelines, high costs.
View by step
Target sourcing and preliminary research
ikelos
- Once the buyer enters their requirements, ikelos provides a list of sellers open to contact together with a preliminary research summary; when a new potentially matching seller joins, ikelos also recommends them proactively.
- The preliminary research summary is available instantly in Deal OS, making it easy to get an overview of the company.
- Services are available in multiple languages, 24/7 (human services excepted).
Traditional advisory firms
- Requires contacting a human M&A advisor, who is typically busy and slow to respond.
- Preliminary research relies on external websites or advisors, which is time-consuming and costly.
- Requires some preparation time.
NDA/LOI/MOU/negotiation
ikelos
- ikelos proactively provides guidance on the next step.
- ikelos takes your requirements into account and assists with document revisions.
- ikelos provides M&A advice and answers any questions you have.
- Services are available in multiple languages, 24/7 (human services excepted).
Traditional advisory firms
- Requires contacting a human M&A advisor, who is typically busy and slow to respond.
- Document revisions usually require engaging costly external attorneys.
- Requires some preparation time.
Due diligence
ikelos
- ikelos leads and provides preliminary due diligence covering legal, financial and tax matters (as of 2026).
- If risks are found, ikelos can carry out full-scope due diligence as needed.
- Services are available in multiple languages, 24/7 (human services excepted).
Traditional advisory firms
- Requires engaging various external advisors; the process is cumbersome and costly.
- Long preparation period, usually at least 4 weeks.
SPA/negotiation
ikelos
- ikelos tailors the required documents as needed, including adjusting their wording and tone.
- ikelos assists with document revisions based on your requirements and the due diligence findings.
- Services are available in multiple languages, 24/7 (human services excepted).
Traditional advisory firms
- Requires contacting a human M&A advisor, who is typically busy and slow to respond.
- Document revisions usually require engaging costly external attorneys.
- Requires some preparation time.
Due diligence
Preliminary due diligence inside the OS; full‑scope due diligence by ikelos professional advisors
Preliminary due diligence
Carried out by ikelos, covering legal, financial and tax as of 2026.
Full-scope due diligence
Carried out by ikelos professional advisors as needed, if material risks are found.
Other due diligence
Business, HR, environmental, IT and others, available on request.
How Step 4 proceeds in ikelos
- ikelos provides the seller with an Information Request List (IRL)
- The seller submits documents
- Due diligence analysis starts
- If material risks are found
- ikelos professional advisors carry out full-scope due diligence
Filing examples
Filing support
Filings are submitted by ikelos partner attorneys-at-law (bengoshi), judicial scriveners (shiho-shoshi) and certified public tax accountants (zeirishi). Examples are given below.
Foreign Exchange and Foreign Trade Act (FEFTA) notification / report
When it applies
A foreign investor acquires shares in a Japanese company in a designated business sector.
Support ikelos provides
Determine, together with partner attorneys, whether a prior notification or post-investment report is required; draft the notification forms and track the review period.
Merger notification (business combination filing) to the Japan Fair Trade Commission (JFTC) under the Antimonopoly Act
When it applies
The sales of the acquirer's group and the target company exceed the statutory thresholds.
Support ikelos provides
Check the filing thresholds and draft the notification together with partner attorneys; manage the pre-closing waiting period.
Large Shareholding Report
When it applies
5% or more of the shares of a listed company are acquired.
Support ikelos provides
Draft the report together with partner professionals and manage the 5-business-day filing deadline.
Commercial registration and other filings
When it applies
Change of officers, trade name or head office; business licences and permits; tax and social insurance.
Support ikelos provides
Prepare the relevant documents and the closing checklist; filings are submitted by ikelos partner attorneys-at-law (bengoshi), judicial scriveners (shiho-shoshi) and certified public tax accountants (zeirishi).
Support from professionals
AI agents combined with experienced professionals
Beyond AI agents, ikelos also has engineers and M&A professionals who can embed in your team and work alongside you.
AI agents
- Answer questions at any time, explaining M&A fundamentals and lowering the barrier to entry for buyers and sellers without experience.
- Draft greetings and introductions, provide guidance on the next step, and revise documents from ikelos's own templates according to both parties' needs.
- Continuously iterated and updated based on feedback, with quality overseen by experienced M&A professionals.
Experienced professionals
- Our M&A professionals bring extensive experience across the full M&A lifecycle, from sourcing through execution to Post-Merger Integration (PMI); team members come from global private equity (PE) funds, major law firms and Japan's Big Four audit firms.
- Our engineers can provide Forward Deployed Engineering (FDE) services to support your company's AI transformation (AX).
- Our M&A professionals can also provide services in multiple languages.
Where professionals step in
- Full-scope due diligence when material risks are found
- SPA drafting through to closing
- Filings submitted by partner attorneys-at-law (bengoshi), judicial scriveners (shiho-shoshi) and certified public tax accountants (zeirishi)
Efficient AI agents combined with experienced professionals give buyers and sellers a wide range of options.
Pricing
Pricing for buyers and sellers
ikelos pricing is set out below. Amounts are in Japanese yen.
Plans
① Free plan
Browse the summary headlines of sellers open to contact.
Reading a seller's preliminary research report costs JPY 10,000 per company.
② Enterprise plan
AI agents included; usage-based billing.
Professional advisory fee (human advisor, if required)
JPY 50,000 per hour, or quoted per engagement
Success fee
Up to 5% of the transaction value (Lehman formula)
Plans
① Free plan
Browse information on buyers open to contact.
Contacting a buyer costs JPY 5,000 per company.
② Enterprise plan
AI agents included; usage-based billing.
Professional advisory fee (human advisor, if required)
JPY 50,000 per hour, or quoted per engagement
Success fee
Free
Contact ikelos
Whether you are a buyer or a seller, you can contact us directly.
Emailinfo@ikelos.co
Phone+81 70 4813 1291