BALLAS Raises 3.4 Billion Yen in Series B for AI Construction Supply Chain
Japanese startup BALLAS has raised 3.4 billion yen in total Series B funding, including an extension, to build an AI-native supply chain platform for construction parts.
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giftdetect· the right gift in minutesBALLAS, the Japanese operator of a procurement platform for construction components, announced on 10 November that it has raised a total of 3.4 billion yen in its Series B round, including an extension. The sum comprises 2.5 billion yen in equity and 900 million yen in debt, bringing total funding since its founding to roughly 5.3 billion yen.
In the extension, JIC Venture Growth Investments (JIC VGI), whose parent is the public-private fund Innovation Investment Organization (JIC), subscribed to a third-party share allocation. The government-backed Japan Finance Corporation and MUFG Bank provided loans. The first close in April brought in 2.4 billion yen (2.1 billion yen equity, 300 million yen debt), led by SMBC Edge and Z Venture Capital.
From structured data to AI agents
Founded in February 2022, BALLAS connects construction firms as buyers with fabrication plants as sellers, and has structured design, purchasing, manufacturing and installation data along the way. Since the first close it has shifted toward handing that data to AI, automating everything from deal negotiation to delivery with AI agents. The company calls the result an "AI-Native End-to-End Supply Chain Platform".
Its products are BALLAS LINKS for demand-side project management and BALLAS SCM for supply-side module management. Custom construction parts have historically lacked industry data, as most information sits in 2D drawings. BALLAS starts from 3D designs and standardizes transaction records into modules AI agents can use. GMV has grown 130% a year on average since Series A.
Why it matters
Japan's construction investment rose about 16%, from 68 trillion yen in fiscal 2022 to an expected 79 trillion yen in fiscal 2025. Over the same period, fabrication plants fell about 12%, from 14,902 to 13,081, due to aging owners and succession problems. BALLAS works with more than 150 partner plants and expects to support two to three times last year's unit supply capacity in 2026, as prefabrication and factory-built units spread under the transport ministry's i-Construction 2.0.
The new funds will go to expanding the AI development team and hiring engineers, product managers and AI operations staff. Sadamitsu Kugatsu, with experience from AI research to industrial deployment, has joined as an AI fellow. Next, BALLAS plans to link BIM design data with LINKS and SCM to connect all phases and prevent rework, moving from "AI-powered" to "AI-Native".
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