IWAYA INC.

IWAYA INC. is a company that "creates a future yet to be seen" for mankind with new technologies.

VISION

In Takashi Tachibana's famous book "Return from Space (1983)", many cases are reported of astronauts who had the opportunity to view the life on Earth, the planet of life, from a high altitude, and whose lives changed drastically after their return. Looking at the Earth from the outside. This experience alone has the potential to transform our world view.

In recent years, space exploration has gained momentum in many countries, and various ways of interacting with space, including for tourism purposes, have begun to be proposed, rather than the national missions of the past. However, as of 2024, most of them are still only open to a very limited number of people (financially or physically).

IWAYA INC. has developed technology that makes it possible for anyone to go on a space expedition easily and conveniently, without any special training and with only a cost that anyone can afford if they work hard. We are developing and commercializing this technology on a daily basis with the aim of taking everyone from infants to the elderly to the stratosphere, the "gateway to space", in other words, to "establish space tourism".

FOUNDER

IWAYA INC.
CEO
Keisuke Iwaya

Graduated from the Department of Mechanical Intelligence Engineering, Faculty of Engineering, Hokkaido University.
Inventor

In 2011, while studying aerospace engineering at university, started research and development of balloons; commercialised around 2014, established IWAYA INC. in 2016. In 2020, we began development of a manned balloon, and in 2023 we conducted our first stratospheric flight at an altitude of 10 km or more. On July 17, 2024, the first manned flight at an altitude of over 20 km was successfully completed in Japan.

Balloons are a rational means of realising the dream of 'seeing space' and a new method that is safe, stable, economical and sustainable. It will bring the view of space to far more people than ever before.

CORPORATION

(as of 1 November 2024)

  • Head office　26-12, Oasa-nakamachi, Ebetsu, Hokkaido 069-0854, Japan
  • Ebetsu R&D center　A, 26-22, Oasa-Nakamachi, Ebetsu, Hokkaido 069-0854, Japan
  • Creative Department　4-11, Oasahigashimachi, Ebetsu-shi, Hokkaido 069-0852, Japan
  • Tokyo Office　X-NIHONBASHI, 1-5-3 Nihonbashi Muromachi, Chuo-ku, Tokyo 103-0022, Japan
  • Established　1 April 2016
  • Capital　50.42 million yen
  • CEO　Keisuke Iwaya
  • Employees　85
  • Official website　https://iwaya.biz/en

Board members

  • CEO　Keisuke Iwaya
  • Director CFO　Toshihiro Nakazono (Corporate Planning Department Manager, IWAYA INC.)
  • Director　Katsumi Tanaka (Project Development Department Manager, IWAYA INC.)
  • Outside director　Toru Akaura
  • Outside director　Harunori Nagata,Ph.D. （Professoｒ, Division of Mechanical and Space Engineering, Faculty pf Engineering, Hokkaido University)
  • Full-Time Audit & Supervisory Board Member　Yoshikazu Yamashita （Former Senior Manager of Loan Department, Sapporo Sales Department, North Pacific Bank）
  • Audit & Supervisory Board Member　Yasuhiro Shinohara (Former Deputy Director-General, Ministry of Land, Infrastructure, Transport and Tourism)
  • Audit & Supervisory Board Member　Hiroaki Rokugawa
  • Executive Officer　Takashi Suzuki (Head of Tokyo Office, IWAYA INC.)
  • Executive Officer　Yusuke Fujihara (Development Department Manager, IWAYA INC.)
  • Executive Officer　Kazuki Yamamoto (New Business Development Department Manager, IWAYA INC.)
  • Advisor　Akira Nakadai
  • Advisor,Certified Public Tax Accountant　Ikewaki Accounting Office

Business activities

  • Operation of high-altitude manned balloons
  • Design and development of pressurised cabins
  • Development of life support systems
  • Pressurised suit design and development
  • Long-range communications equipment development
  • Unmanned balloon payload research and development
  • Balloon launch equipment development
  • Zero-pressure balloon design and development
  • Super-pressure balloon research
  • Hydrogen balloon research and development

Intellectual property acquisition status

  • JP6932408　Airtight cabin for manned near-space flight
  • JP7118467　Method for aerial photographing object in air
  • JP7013059　Cabin with endoskeleton structure
  • JP7007005　Power transmitting mechanism via magnetic coupling
  • JP6994795　Anchor parachute
  • JP7071771　Device for holding temperature in cabin under vacuum
  • JP7153408　Balloon equipment for exhausting gas and transforming envelope into parachute
  • JP7177562　Method for attaching load tape to balloon envelope
  • JP7164261　Installed-removed state-switchable structure at top of balloon
  • JP7213600　Method of repairing broken hole of cabin for emergency
  • JP7246797　Structure member at top of balloon
  • JP7201284　US11952095B1 Multi-pane window for cabin
  • JP7201285　Seat installed in cabin with hanging string
  • JP7309238　US11952096B1 Method for recovering helium gas for balloon
  • JP7343934　Structure for attaching load tape to balloon envelope
  • JP7425518　Cabin-mounted life support system for crew
  • JP7416506　Structure member at top of large balloon
  • JP6966826　CN114506440B Ring member for clamping envelope at top of balloon
  • JP7071770　US11858642B2 System for preventing condensation in cabin under vacuum
  • JP7031920　US11794906B2 CN115107983B Thermal control method in cabin utilizing phase change material
  • JP7473266　Reinforced airtight cabin for high altitude balloon
  • JP7515932　Method for preventing condensation at window using different color or film on cabin wall
  • JP7535833　Server capable of telecontrolling balloon via satellite or ground station
  • Patent pending　Communication means between balloon and ground base
  • Patent pending　Method for maintaining oxygen concentration in airtight cabin
  • Patent pending　Operating mechanism within cabin for external ballast equipment
  • Patent pending　Manual operating device within cabin for exhaust valve at top of balloon
  • Patent pending　Equipment for ripping balloon envelope to release helium gas
  • Patent pending　Device for installing oxygen bottle inside cabin