SmartHR Acquires SUNITED Corporation, Specializing in IT System BPO, Making it a Group Company
SmartHR announced on March 27, 2026, the acquisition of all shares of SUNITED Corporation, a wholly-owned subsidiary of Kowa Corporation specializing in IT system BPO, making it a group company. This move aims to combine SmartHR's strengths in SaaS and AI technology with SUNITED's specialized knowledge and operational capabilities in IT system BPO, to establish 'AI BPaaS,' a next-generation business outsourcing model utilizing AI.
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- 📰 Published: March 30, 2026 at 20:00
- 🔍 Collected: March 30, 2026 at 22:56 (2h 56m after Published)
- 🤖 AI Analyzed: April 22, 2026 at 06:18 (535h 22m after Collected)
SmartHR Co., Ltd. (Headquarters: Minato-ku, Tokyo; Representative Director CEO: Masato Serizawa) announced on March 27, 2026, the acquisition of all shares of SUNITED Co., Ltd. (Headquarters: Chiyoda-ku, Tokyo; Representative Director: Hiroyuki Fukutomi), a wholly-owned subsidiary of Kowa Corporation and a company specializing in IT system BPO, making it a group company.
SUNITED has extensive experience in overall back-office operations, with a focus on BPO (Business Process Outsourcing) for information system departments. Its strength lies in its delivery capability to provide high-quality practical support to companies of all sizes, from small and medium-sized enterprises to large organizations.
Recently, while many companies are investing in DX, the shortage of IT talent to support it has become a serious bottleneck. Particularly in the IT system domain, which is crucial for IT operations, securing specialized personnel is difficult, leading to a 'DX gap' between companies that can fully enjoy the benefits of technology and those that cannot.
To realize a society where everyone has fair access to technology, practical support that sustains on-site operations is indispensable, alongside the provision of software. Through this acquisition, SmartHR aims to combine its strengths in SaaS and AI technology with SUNITED's 'specialized knowledge and operational capabilities in the IT system domain' to establish 'AI BPaaS,' a next-generation business outsourcing model utilizing AI, going beyond mere business delegation.
## Future Developments
As a scale-up company that continues to achieve discontinuous growth, we will continue to consider business expansion through M&A and enhance the value of services provided by the SmartHR Group. We will pursue further growth towards solving social issues related to labor and realizing a society where everyone can work in their own way, through a multifaceted approach that is not limited to existing business frameworks.
## Comments on this Matter
**Hiroyuki Fukutomi, Representative Director, SUNITED Co., Ltd.**
We are very pleased to join the SmartHR Group and grow together.
Our mission is to 'brighten corporate departments.' We have maximized the enthusiasm of back-office workers by providing 'operational improvements' that are close to the field. By combining SmartHR's extensive products and knowledge for solving social issues related to 'work' with our implementation capabilities, we will update Japan's workplaces to be more positive and faster.
We will continue to cherish and refine the passion and expertise we have cultivated in the field, maintaining SUNITED's unique identity, and going forward, we will leverage group synergies to create further social value.
**Masato Serizawa, SmartHR Co., Ltd.**
We are very pleased to welcome SUNITED Co., Ltd. into the SmartHR Group.
Amidst the challenge of IT talent shortages in DX promotion, it is essential not only to introduce technology but also to establish a system for its practical adoption and continuous utilization. By integrating SUNITED, which possesses high expertise and execution capabilities primarily in the IT system domain, with SmartHR's SaaS and AI technology, we will pursue comprehensive DX support that goes beyond software provision and expand the scope of our value offerings.
The SmartHR Group will continue to aim for a 'well-working society' where everyone can work in their own way.
SUNITED has extensive experience in overall back-office operations, with a focus on BPO (Business Process Outsourcing) for information system departments. Its strength lies in its delivery capability to provide high-quality practical support to companies of all sizes, from small and medium-sized enterprises to large organizations.
Recently, while many companies are investing in DX, the shortage of IT talent to support it has become a serious bottleneck. Particularly in the IT system domain, which is crucial for IT operations, securing specialized personnel is difficult, leading to a 'DX gap' between companies that can fully enjoy the benefits of technology and those that cannot.
To realize a society where everyone has fair access to technology, practical support that sustains on-site operations is indispensable, alongside the provision of software. Through this acquisition, SmartHR aims to combine its strengths in SaaS and AI technology with SUNITED's 'specialized knowledge and operational capabilities in the IT system domain' to establish 'AI BPaaS,' a next-generation business outsourcing model utilizing AI, going beyond mere business delegation.
## Future Developments
As a scale-up company that continues to achieve discontinuous growth, we will continue to consider business expansion through M&A and enhance the value of services provided by the SmartHR Group. We will pursue further growth towards solving social issues related to labor and realizing a society where everyone can work in their own way, through a multifaceted approach that is not limited to existing business frameworks.
## Comments on this Matter
**Hiroyuki Fukutomi, Representative Director, SUNITED Co., Ltd.**
We are very pleased to join the SmartHR Group and grow together.
Our mission is to 'brighten corporate departments.' We have maximized the enthusiasm of back-office workers by providing 'operational improvements' that are close to the field. By combining SmartHR's extensive products and knowledge for solving social issues related to 'work' with our implementation capabilities, we will update Japan's workplaces to be more positive and faster.
We will continue to cherish and refine the passion and expertise we have cultivated in the field, maintaining SUNITED's unique identity, and going forward, we will leverage group synergies to create further social value.
**Masato Serizawa, SmartHR Co., Ltd.**
We are very pleased to welcome SUNITED Co., Ltd. into the SmartHR Group.
Amidst the challenge of IT talent shortages in DX promotion, it is essential not only to introduce technology but also to establish a system for its practical adoption and continuous utilization. By integrating SUNITED, which possesses high expertise and execution capabilities primarily in the IT system domain, with SmartHR's SaaS and AI technology, we will pursue comprehensive DX support that goes beyond software provision and expand the scope of our value offerings.
The SmartHR Group will continue to aim for a 'well-working society' where everyone can work in their own way.