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Agile development offers a variety of advantages, such as fast development speed and the flexibility to adapt to specification changes. While many companies—both domestic and overseas—offer agile development, each company has its own strengths.
If you’re considering agile development, you might be wondering which company to choose. In this article, we introduce 14 companies that offer agile development services. We also summarize key points for selecting an agile development company and common questions about the selection process. If you're planning to adopt agile development, this article will serve as a helpful reference.
Akira Shimazoe
CEO of Solashi Japan LLC. Engaged in the development and operation of internal systems at Suntory. Founded Yper Inc., serving as CTO and CPO, contributing to product launch and growth.
6 Recommended Agile Development Companies with Proven Track Records
Here are 6 agile development companies with extensive experience. These companies have carried out agile development projects across various industries and business sectors, and they can handle a wide range of technical areas.
We will introduce detailed company information, features, and strengths.
1. Eiwa System Management, Inc.
Eiwa System Management, Inc. is a system development company based in Fukui City, Fukui Prefecture. The company has provided agile development services for firms such as the marketing support company Speee and the cloud-based business card management service Sansan.
Their agile development support services cover a wide range of areas including web services, IoT services, and mobile apps. They offer both short-term PoC development and long-term commercial service development. To allow for easy specification changes and feature enhancements, they write highly maintainable, readable code that is easy to revise later on.
They also offer a unique service that combines Ruby and agile development, called “Ruby Agile Contract Development.”
| Eiwa System Management, Inc. | |
| Established | 1980 |
| Capital | 61 million yen |
| Head Office Address | 3-111 Toyomachi, Fukui City, Fukui Prefecture |
| Website | https://esm.co.jp/ |
2. AgileCore Inc.
AgileCore Inc. is a system development company that supports both agile and waterfall development. They have experience developing systems in a wide range of industries, including financial systems for insurance and securities companies, as well as airport-related systems.
They also apply agile methods during the maintenance and operation phase, offering maintenance services tailored to the client’s business. In addition to contract development, they also develop packaged systems such as payroll and attendance management systems.
| AgileCore Inc. | |
| Established | 1997 |
| Capital | 15 million yen |
| Head Office Address | 3F Yoyogi Forest Building, 5-18-20 Sendagaya, Shibuya-ku, Tokyo |
| Website | https://www.agilecore.co.jp/ |
3. Active Fusions Inc.
Active Fusions Inc. is a system development company headquartered in Tokyo. They offer a wide range of services including application design and development, database system construction, SES, IT infrastructure, and consulting. They handle system development projects ranging from small to large-scale.
They adopt agile development, where clients can review system functionality throughout the process and make rapid changes and adjustments. A notable feature is their ability to present a mockup model with some functions implemented in as little as two weeks, allowing clients to eliminate misunderstandings about the final product before development proceeds.
| Active Fusions Inc. | |
| Established | 2001 |
| Capital | 10 million yen |
| Head Office Address | 7F Shinagawa East One Tower, 2-16-1 Konan, Minato-ku, Tokyo |
| Website | https://www.activefusions.com/ |
4. Sumitomo Electric Information Systems Co., Ltd.
Sumitomo Electric Information Systems Co., Ltd. is a system development company headquartered in Osaka. They are engaged in the development and sales of software tools, business software, search systems, and undertake commissioned development of information processing systems.
They advocate a unique approach called “Hybrid Agile,” which fuses waterfall and agile development. They have successfully developed and implemented large-scale systems such as company-wide system reconstructions, multiple business system developments, and core system renewals. They also develop systems like purchasing management, multilingual workflow, and integrated security management.
| Sumitomo Electric Information Systems Co., Ltd. | |
| Established | 1998 |
| Capital | 480 million yen |
| Head Office Address | Nissei Shin-Osaka Building, 3-4-30 Miyahara, Yodogawa-ku, Osaka |
| Website | https://www.sei-info.co.jp/ |
5. UL Systems, Inc.
UL Systems, Inc. has been providing agile development services since the 2000s. Leveraging their experience in developing mission-critical systems for large enterprises since their founding, they offer tailored agile development solutions to their clients.
They have a team of highly skilled engineers who can select and propose the most appropriate technologies to meet customer needs. They also have extensive experience with proof-of-concept development using advanced technologies, enabling them to handle a variety of agile development projects.
| UL Systems Co., Ltd. | |
| Year Established | 2011 |
| Capital | 100 million yen |
| Head Office Address | 14th Floor, Triton Square Tower X, 1-8-10 Harumi, Chuo-ku, Tokyo |
| Website | https://www.ulsystems.co.jp/ |
6. Monstarlab Holdings Inc.
Monstarlab Holdings Inc. operates in 33 cities across 19 countries worldwide. With over 2,200 development achievements globally, the company boasts one of the top records in the industry. Its strength lies in promoting DX (digital transformation). They support DX advancement from various angles, including system and app development, business design/planning, branding, and UX/UI design.
In Agile development, they provide flexible progress through DevOps. They are also capable of building scalable development structures using both domestic and international resources, and implementing talent development programs.
| Monstarlab Holdings Inc. | |
| Year Established | 2006 |
| Capital | 1.9379 billion yen |
| Head Office Address | 4F Ebisu Prime Square Tower, 1-1-39 Hiroo, Shibuya-ku, Tokyo |
| Website | https://monstar-lab.com/ |
6 Agile Development Companies with Excellent Support Systems
Here are six agile development companies known for their robust support systems. Each company is carefully selected for its support capabilities related to agile development, including post-development system operation support.
Let’s take a look at the details and features of each company.
1. STOVE Inc.
STOVE Inc. is a system development company headquartered in Tokyo. Specializing in business system development using agile methods, their engineers who write the code also conduct client hearings and make proposals. They emphasize building systems together with their clients.
After system completion, they conduct OJT (on-the-job training) for system operations, supporting clients in driving DX initiatives. They also provide a no-code tool called "CORE Framework". By combining highly customizable no-code tools with agile development, they offer flexible system solutions.
STOVE offers a free 3-week trial. If you haven’t yet adopted agile development, it’s a great opportunity to try it out at no cost.
| STOVE Inc. | |
| Year Established | 2015 |
| Capital | 15 million yen |
| Head Office Address | 501 Royal Park Komazawa, 5-18-7 Komazawa, Setagaya-ku, Tokyo |
| Website | https://teamstove.co.jp/ |
2. iret Inc.
iret Inc. is a system development company that provides system development and IT consulting services. They have a proven track record with major clients such as Shogakukan, LINE, and TOTO. The company conducts in-house development using cutting-edge technologies including serverless web apps, mobile apps, IoT, and AI.
Not limited to system development, they also offer infrastructure building and user-friendly design support. Their "cloudpack" service supports cloud implementation and operations, providing comprehensive support from design and construction to maintenance.
| iret Inc. | |
| Year Established | 2003 |
| Capital | 70 million yen |
| Head Office Address | 7F Toranomon Hills Mori Tower, 1-23-1 Toranomon, Minato-ku, Tokyo |
| Website | https://www.iret.co.jp/ |
3. Odd-e Japan Inc.
Odd-e Japan Inc. offers services related to agile development. They have experience developing various types of systems such as expense management, CRM systems, and survey creation/aggregation systems.
They also provide training and coaching for development companies, with agile development support including:
- Coaching and consulting for product development for enterprises
- Training on development methodologies
- Content creation related to development
These services are also available online, making support accessible regardless of location. They can also help solve challenges such as organizational improvement and product owner training.
| Odd-e Japan Inc. | |
| Year Established | 2009 |
| Capital | ‐ |
| Head Office Address | 4F Granito Marukinu Building, 3-9-15 Higashi-Nihonbashi, Chuo-ku, Tokyo |
| Website | https://www.odd-e.jp/ |
4. Agileware Inc.
Agileware Inc. is a system development company that adopts iterative agile development. Iterative agile development is a method in which small functional units of software are developed over a repetitive cycle of 1 week to 1 month.
The company has a comprehensive support system from development to operation and maintenance, enabling quick responses to market needs. In addition to agile-style contract development, they also develop and sell packaged products. They have developed the following systems:
- Redmine plugins (such as Gantt charts and machine management)
- Development of the online platform “TYPICA” for trading green coffee beans
- Remote monitoring system for pests and harmful animals using IoT
| Agileware Inc. | |
| Year Established | 2012 |
| Capital | 1,002.25 million yen |
| Head Office Address | 8F Tenmabashi Leaf Building, 1-3-12 Tanimachi, Chuo-ku, Osaka |
| Website | https://agileware.jp/ |
5. Tavern Inc.
Tavern Inc. is a system development company headquartered in Tsukuba City, Ibaraki Prefecture. Although established in 2020, they have a proven track record in developing both in-house services and contracted projects. Their proprietary voice-based SNS “Tavern” was developed and released in 2021 using agile methodology.
They adopt a style of designing, developing, and releasing by function, confirming the outcome of each feature with clients one by one. Their team mainly consists of Generation Z employees, who leverage their fresh perspectives to provide solutions aligned with modern values. They also offer comprehensive support using the latest technologies in SNS, voice communication, AI/machine learning, and SEO.
| Tavern Inc. | |
| Year Established | 2020 |
| Capital | 7.5 million yen |
| Head Office Address | 2-A Hoshitani Building, 3-21-3 Amakubo, Tsukuba City, Ibaraki |
| Website | https://tavern.co.jp |
6. Digital VORN Inc.
Digital VORN Inc. is a company with many group companies in Japan and overseas. They began their system development business in 1981, making them a company with a long history. They specialize in DX strategies using agile development. Their wide range of services includes DX consulting, platform introduction for DX promotion, launching agile development teams, and more, such as:
- Service development using Lean and XP
- Rapid development based on Scrum
- Support for development related to CASE (automated driving)
- Construction and continuous operation support of PaaS platforms
- Training programs using Scrum-based development platforms
- Online seminars on large-scale agile development frameworks
| Digital VORN Inc. | |
| Year Established | 1961 |
| Capital | 981 million yen |
| Head Office Address | 9F Tokyo Club Building, 3-2-6 Kasumigaseki, Chiyoda-ku, Tokyo |
| Website | https://www.vorn.co.jp/ |
2 Companies Offering Low-Cost, High-Quality Agile Development
Here are two companies that offer low-cost, high-quality agile development. If you're looking to keep costs down for system development, outsourcing to overseas companies is highly recommended.
However, focusing solely on budget can often lead to compromised quality. These two companies are carefully selected for offering both affordability and high quality.
1. Solashi Co., Ltd
First, let us introduce Solashi Co., Ltd. We are an offshore development company based in Vietnam. Offshore development is a method of outsourcing system development to overseas companies where labor costs are lower than in Japan.
By utilizing web frameworks for rapid prototyping and applying agile development approaches, we deliver development that balances both quality and speed. One of our key strengths is the ability to immediately start agile-style development even without a detailed specification document.
Solashi is home to many talented engineers who graduated from top-tier science and technology universities such as Hanoi University of Science and Technology and Vietnam National University. Leveraging their high-level technical skills, we are able to propose system development solutions tailored to customer needs.
| Company Profile of Solashi Co., Ltd | |
| Established | 2019 |
| Capital | Approx. 30 million JPY |
| Head Office | No 35, 45 lane, Tran Thai Tong street, Cau Giay district, Ha Noi |
| Solashi Japan LLC | 1F, Ninomiya Building, 18-4 Sakuragaoka-cho, Shibuya-ku, Tokyo billage SHIBUYA C11 |
| Website | https://solashi.com/ |
2. Spice Factory Inc.
Spice Factory Inc. is a company that offers agile development on a fixed monthly fee basis. The company conducts offshore development based in the Philippines. Agile development services are available from a minimum of one month, with project personnel adjusted according to the development phase.
The company has experience supporting a wide range of projects, from large corporations to startups. During a project, you can receive support in the following areas:
- Maintenance and operation of WordPress
- UI/UX consulting for skill improvement
- Support for large-scale CMS construction projects
| Spice Factory Inc. | |
| Established | 2016 |
| Capital | 50 million JPY |
| Head Office | 20th Floor South, Tradepia Odaiba, 2-3-1 Daiba, Minato-ku, Tokyo |
| Website | https://spice-factory.co.jp/ |
List of Companies Offering Agile Development
Below is a summary table of the companies introduced so far and their characteristics. Please refer to this list when selecting a development partner.
| List of Companies That Support Agile Development | ||
| Company Name | Location | Key Features |
| 1. Eiwa System Management, Inc. | Fukui Prefecture | Provides Ruby-based agile contract development |
| 2. Agilecore Inc. | Tokyo | Proposes maintenance services suitable for the client’s business |
| 3. ActiveFusions Inc. | Tokyo | Development after confirming mockup models |
| 4. Sumitomo Electric Information Systems Co., Ltd. | Osaka Prefecture | Adopts hybrid agile approach |
| 5. UL Systems, Inc. | Tokyo | Proven track record of developing core business systems for large enterprises |
| 6. Monstarlab Holdings Inc. | Tokyo | Provides business design, planning, branding, and more |
| 7. STOVE Inc. | Tokyo | Offers a 3-week free trial experience |
| 8. iret Inc. | Tokyo | Also provides support for infrastructure building and design |
| 9. Odd-e Japan Inc. | Tokyo | Conducts agile development training sessions |
| 10. Agileware Inc. | Osaka Prefecture | Comprehensive support from development to operation and maintenance |
| 11. Tavern Inc. | Ibaraki Prefecture | Confirms each feature’s quality with the client individually |
| 12. Digital Forne Inc. | Tokyo | Promotes DX strategies using agile development |
| 13. Solashi Co., Ltd | Vietnam | High-quality development by skilled IT engineers |
| 14. Spice Factory Inc. | Tokyo | Offers agile development on a fixed monthly fee |
Three Key Points for Choosing a Company That Supports Agile Development
When choosing a company that supports agile development, be sure to consider the following points:
- Proven experience in agile development for your desired area
- Availability of system operation and maintenance support
- Compatibility with your assigned project representative
Let’s go over each of these points in more detail.
1. Proven Experience in Agile Development for Your Desired Area
When comparing companies, check whether they have past experience developing systems similar to what you want. Be sure to verify whether those cases involved agile development. If they have such experience, they are likely to have accumulated valuable know-how and insights. This means they might already have the right structure in place to quickly improve and release systems—making agile development smoother and more efficient.
2. Availability of System Operation and Maintenance Support
In system development, ongoing operation and maintenance after the system goes live are essential. Agile development proceeds through iterations—development cycles that repeat a series of processes over short periods. Therefore, it’s not a one-time release and done.
With every release, discussions and feedback are conducted to identify areas for improvement. When choosing a company for agile development, it is recommended to select one that can offer advice with a forward-looking approach on how the system will be operated in the long run.
Additionally, it's common for the engineers in charge of development and those responsible for maintenance to be different individuals. Be sure to check whether a proper handover is conducted and whether the maintenance and management structure is solid.
3. Compatibility with the Project Representative
Since agile development involves fast-paced development cycles, communication with the project representative is crucial. By maintaining close communication, your requests can be swiftly reflected in the system, allowing development to proceed efficiently. When assessing compatibility with the representative, check the following points:
- Do they understand the purpose and goals of the development project before proceeding?
- Can they explain technical terms in an easy-to-understand manner?
- Do they thoroughly listen to and understand your requirements?
- Is their response time reasonably fast?
Frequently Asked Questions When Choosing an Agile Development Company
If you don’t have prior experience with agile development, you might have a lot of questions. Here, we’ve compiled frequently asked questions when choosing an agile development company. Use this as a reference when selecting the right company for your needs.
What is the typical cost range for agile development?
The cost of agile development varies depending on the project size and requirements. The two major factors that significantly influence the cost are labor costs and the number of sprints.
Labor costs vary based on the number of developers in the team and their level of experience. In system development, a sprint refers to a time frame divided into periods of about one week to one month. For example, in the case of a small-scale web application, the typical cost ranges from several hundred thousand yen to a few million yen.
For large-scale system development, the average cost is several million yen or more, and depending on the project duration and technical complexity, the cost may increase even further.
What are the differences compared to waterfall development?
Waterfall development is a development methodology where each phase—such as requirements definition, design, development, implementation, and operation—is completed sequentially.
Since all functionalities are fully designed before development begins, waterfall development typically requires a longer lead time before actual development starts.
In contrast, agile development divides work into features and proceeds with development incrementally. It is characterized by repeating each process in small cycles.
It allows for specification changes and additional features even during development, making it possible to build a system that reflects customer needs as the project progresses.
What types of projects are suitable for agile development?
Agile development is well-suited for projects with a high possibility of changes in specifications or when the overall scope of the project is unclear. On the other hand, the following cases are less suitable for agile development:
- Projects that require strict schedule management
- Projects with little chance of specification changes
In recent system development, DevOps has become increasingly important. DevOps refers to a development approach in which development and operations teams work together to achieve rapid development. By building a structure where development and operations collaborate, user feedback can be quickly reflected, resulting in improved product quality. When implementing agile development, DevOps practices and approaches are necessary, making Agile and DevOps highly compatible.
Related article: What is Agile Development? A Detailed Explanation of Its Benefits, Drawbacks, and Process
Looking for a Company That Offers Agile Development? Contact “Solashi”
This article introduced 14 companies that offer agile development. If you're unsure which company to choose, you're not alone.
If you're launching a new business or startup and looking for high-quality system development at a reduced cost, feel free to consult with Solashi Co., Ltd. At our company, we can start agile development right away, even without a detailed specification document. Many of our clients prioritize releasing a prototype first and then improve quality and expand functions afterward, rather than creating a full spec document.
With rapid prototyping using web frameworks and our agile development approach, we achieve both quality and speed. We also provide hands-on support and IT implementation consulting services led by project managers with startup experience.
We can propose the most suitable agile development method tailored to your needs, so please don’t hesitate to contact Solashi Co., Ltd.
Akira Shimazoe
Representative of Solashi Japan LLC. Born in April 1989 in Fukuoka Prefecture. Graduated from the Graduate School of Information and Mathematical Sciences at Osaka Prefecture University. Joined Suntory System Technology Co., Ltd., an IT subsidiary of Suntory Holdings, in 2014. Broadly responsible for the development, operation, and implementation of vending machine delivery management, efficiency improvements, and sales management systems. Founded Yper Inc. in 2017, serving as CTO and CPO. Contributed to the launch and growth of the app-linked delivery bag "OKIPPA." Selected for Toyo Keizai's prestigious "Amazing Venture 100" and Forbes' "Forbes 30 Under 30 Asia 2019."
