The experience of manipulating a robot is tailored into a story, and the company continues to grow by specializing in the rare and precious field of "entertainment". MOVeLOT Corporation, a company that specializes in the rarefied entertainment field, continues to grow. The article on Kento Hiroi, CEO and President of MOVeLOT Co. Interview with Mr. Takehito Hiroi, CEO of MOVeLOT Co.

The Tokyo Metropolitan Government's Consultation Center for New Business Location conducted an interview with Mr. Kento Hiroi, CEO of MOVeLOT Corporation, which specializes in the highly rare "entertainment" field and continues to grow by tailoring the experience of operating a robot into a story. The interview was published on February 4, 2025 on the website of the Tokyo Metropolitan Government's Corporate Location Consultation Center.

Mr. Kento Hiroi, CEO and Representative Director of MOVeLOT Co. The company name is a combination of the words "MOVE" for movement and "PILOT" for a pilot who boards the robot.

Becoming a world-leading company that creates excitement through onboard robot experiences

The majority of robots used in business, such as industrial and service robots, are autonomous robots equipped with AI that perform various tasks on behalf of humans. Among these, MOVeLOT Corporation, founded in February 2023, specializes in the area of "entertainment," where humans board and experience piloting robots, and continues to grow.

The robot entertainment business is expected to become more profitable with a clearer target audience and technological innovation," says CEO Kento Hiroi.

Creating a story out of the robot piloting experience

Japan is a world-renowned animation powerhouse. Among these, animation featuring "human-piloted, passenger robots" has become a major genre, with a large number of productions. With a history of almost half a century, there are many followers of all ages, both in Japan and abroad.

We believe that these people must have at least once dreamed of riding and controlling a robot themselves. We provide a space where they can make that a reality.

According to Mr. Hiroi, there are currently about 10 companies in the world that are involved in the passenger robot business, and about six of them are concentrated in Japan, the "birthplace" of the business.

The strength of MOVeLOT is not only the precision of the robot, but also the fact that the experience of operating the robot is tailored into a story that allows the user to dramatically enjoy time and space as a rare form of entertainment," said Hiroi. Currently, we have two experience centers. At one of them, "ROBOT BASE-00-," you will first try a VR shooting game and a ride-type robot game. There, a mission will occur, and next, in order to complete the mission, you will board the cockpit of the boarding robot "ASTRO" and defeat the enemy with a real Gatling gun in a series of processes. This activity takes about 60 minutes in total and can be experienced by up to four people.

The "ROBOT BASE-00-" includes a VR shooting game. Before boarding the boarding robot "ASTRO," visitors will have a "preliminaries" here.

ASTRO" is in the center of the photo. The fence at the construction site provides a realistic view of the battle site and also serves as a safety book. The colorful lights enhance the sense of the extraordinary.

In principle, tickets for "ROBOT BASE-00-" are sold through overseas websites, and the number of visitors is almost exclusively limited to inbound visitors. The operation will start in October 2023, and although the actual opening period is only about six months due to aircraft refurbishment, maintenance, etc., a total of about 600 foreign tourists from about 30 countries have visited during that time.

Dream Collaboration Makes the Robot Boarding Experience a Reality!

Another experience base is "Patrabo," a 15-minute walk from "ROBOT BASE-00-. While "ASTRO" is MOVeLOT's original boarding robot, the robot installed here is "Ingram" from "Mobile Police Patlabor," a masterpiece of near-future science fiction and robot animation. In addition to its form that faithfully reproduces the original, the fact that Ingram performs the same actions when the pilot wears a special glove with sensors and moves his fingers and arms is a moving experience for both fans and non-fans alike.

Ingram" installed in the "Patravo," approximately 5 meters high. It took about six months to develop, design, and build. When boarding, passengers use the stairs on the left to enter the cockpit in the chest area.

This is a dream collaboration that was realized through negotiations with the company that owns the copyright. In principle, Ingram's customers were limited to Japanese nationals, and during a one-month trial run in October 2024, we had about 900 visitors. Many of the 900 visitors were repeat customers, some of whom were so moved to tears that they donned costumes of characters from the original story and flew the aircraft themselves. We will start full-scale operations in December 2024, but we have already sold out of the flight plans that allow visitors to experience piloting until January. We hope to increase the number of visitors at this rate.

Shirts worn by the characters in "Mobile Police Patlabor" are also for sale. These are rare items that are hard to purchase and are selling well.

MOVeLOT's policy of increasing the number of visitors who experience robot operation can also be seen in the "characteristics" shared by the two robots.

Both ASTRO and Ingram have no legs. However, it also creates various problems, such as a longer production period, higher costs, increased safety concerns, limited storage environment due to the taller body, and higher maintenance costs. The cost of the aircraft will eventually be passed on to the ticket price. Eventually, these issues will have to be passed on to the ticket price, leading to a decline in the number of passengers. That is why we decided on a "no legs" design policy.

This design policy has proven to be a good thing, as evidenced by the success of the aforementioned "ROBOT BASE-00" and "Patorabo. The fact that the visitors cannot move around is more than compensated for by the extraordinary experience that attracts so many people.

The door in the lower front of the photo is the entrance to Patravo. The fact that such a warehouse exists in such a convenient location close to Kinshicho Station is one of the strengths of Sumida Ward.

Advantages of the Sumida, Tokyo Location: Unparalleled Market and Increased Opportunities for Collaboration

Finally, we asked about the appeal of Sumida-ku, Tokyo, where MOVeLOT is based.

We don't need to be in Tokyo just to make robots, but from the standpoint of our commitment to increase the number of people who experience the operation of robots, the overwhelming number of customers in Tokyo is a major attraction. The reason why we chose Sumida-ku was almost a coincidence. When I was looking for an incubation facility for start-ups in Tokyo, I learned that there was an incubation facility for venture companies called "Center of Garage" in Yokogawa, Sumida-ku, which had a work space with a high ceiling height and a high load-bearing floor, ideal for robot manufacturing. This was the first step to starting work in Sumida Ward.

Hiroi continues, "Sumida Ward also has great advantages in terms of attracting inbound visitors.

In particular, the proximity to the three most popular inbound destinations, Sensoji Temple, Tokyo Skytree, and Akihabara, has been a great benefit to us," Hiroi said. As far as I know, there are nearly 90 hotels in this area, and the number of foreign tourists is extremely high. It's easy for them to access our inbound ROBOT BASE-00.

The location of the base in Sumida Ward has also expanded the growth potential of the Sumida Innovation Core (SIC), which is a meeting place for startups, sponsors, and local manufacturing companies.

We were introduced to Tobu Railway at the SIC and were able to obtain the possibility of collaboration. What we are working on to make this collaboration a reality is the modification of the ASTRO to change its power from hydraulic to electric. We are planning to take "ASTRO" by truck to Tobu Zoo, for example, so that visitors can experience operating a robot inside the back of a truck. The plan is to have the robot version of an x-ray machine in operation by February 2025. In addition, Sumida Ward has offered Ingram piloting experience tickets as a tax return gift for taxpayers. I am looking forward to seeing the response.

In order to increase the number of people who pilot a boarding robot, Mr. Hiroi hopes to eventually develop a new boarding robot in collaboration with animations other than "Mobile Police Patlabor. preparations are steadily underway to make his dream come true.

Company Profile

Company name: MOVeLOT, Inc.

Location: 2-13-2 Kamezawa, Sumida-ku, Tokyo

Representative: Kento Hiroi, CEO and Representative Director

Establishment : February 10, 2023

Business Description: Production of passenger robots,

　　　　　　　 Development of framework for passenger robots, contracted robot development business

Website: https://movelot.co.jp/

Source of information

Tokyo Metropolitan Enterprise Location Consultation Center

Home Page:https://www.ilsc.metro.tokyo.lg.jp/

What is the Tokyo Metropolitan Consultation Center for New Business Location?

The Tokyo Metropolitan Corporate Location Advisory Center provides free consultation for companies and sole proprietors in search of a "location" to establish or expand their business. We will ask you about your desired conditions and make a simultaneous inquiry to private real estate businesses that handle offices, stores, factories, and business sites.

We also provide information on public property information and support systems of the Tokyo Metropolitan Government and its municipalities.

(The Tokyo Metropolitan Government's Business Location Consultation Center is operated by the Bureau of Industrial and Labor Affairs, Tokyo Metropolitan Government.)

Articles

Interviews with companies located and operating in Tokyo and persons in charge of corporate support from the municipalities are posted on the website of the Tokyo Metropolitan Government's Consultation Center for Investors in New Business Facilities.

URL: https://www.ilsc.metro.tokyo.lg.jp/voice/053.html