Globis backs Sokolab, the AI startup turning sketches into character merchandise
What's the deal? Globis Graduate School of Management, one of Japan's largest business schools, has invested in Sokolab, a Hamamatsu-based startup that uses generative AI to turn hand-drawn illustrations into characters and merchandise. The investment came through Globis's G-CHALLENGE fund, which backs ventures founded by its students and alumni. Winners can receive up to ¥10M (roughly $67,000).
Sokolab's core product, Charaxy, lets users upload sketches, which AI then transforms into polished character designs that can be printed on physical goods and sold. The company plans to expand into children's digital art albums, corporate novelty items, and an IP management system.
Why now? Sokolab won the grand prize at the G-CHALLENGE 2024 business plan competition in February 2025, beating out 47 competing teams. The contest, now in its 13th year, has attracted 509 teams since inception and serves as a pipeline from Globis's MBA programme to its broader startup ecosystem.
Founder Akihiro Nara, a 2024 Globis graduate, previously worked at YamahaDealroom has a profile for this one. Try Dealroom →, where he developed and commercialised the ULTRASONICA ultrasonic camera from scratch. He launched Sokolab in 2024.
What could go wrong? The AI-powered merchandise space is getting crowded. As generative AI tools become cheaper and more accessible, barriers to entry are low — any competitor could replicate a similar sketch-to-product workflow. Sokolab's bet on IP creation and community features will need to prove sticky enough to fend off copycats.
There's also the question of scale. Converting hand-drawn art into purchasable goods requires reliable fulfilment infrastructure, and expanding from individual consumers to corporate clients adds operational complexity.
The signal: This investment reflects two converging trends. First, MBA programmes in Japan are increasingly positioning themselves as startup launchpads, not just management training grounds. Globis runs a full stack of support — from its G-INCUBATE project and G-STARTUP accelerator to its G-GROWTH investment programme and G-SQUARE incubation office — designed to shepherd students from classroom to cap table.
Second, generative AI is opening up new micro-commerce models where everyday creativity becomes monetisable. Sokolab is betting that anyone — a child, a hobbyist, a corporate marketing team — can become a brand owner with the right tools. Whether that vision scales beyond a niche remains to be seen, but the thesis is clear: AI lowers the barrier between imagination and product.
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