The making of Algoritmi
Our people, process, and ideas
Our Japanese Philosophy
We are a team of accomplished business founders and dedicated, driven professionals with deep industry expertise.
Narumi
CEO, Co-founder
美味しいパンとコーヒー
Good bread and coffee
Team
Meet the visionaries
Company Foundation Story
2017
Pre-foundation
Narumi and Maiko met at Narumi's kitchen in Tokyo.
While operating the kitchen as a rental space, they developed a unique method to maintain a clean and comfortable communal kitchen used by an indefinite number of people.
The business was successful, and it was right before they decided to expand the business when the COVID pandemic came.
2020
Early Foundation
During the COVID pandemic, Narumi sought a new startup business model to invest in.
Considering the development of mobile technologies and the alternating people's lifestyles over the past century, they decided to start a delivery-only restaurant business known as a "ghost kitchen".
Coincidently, Hiromu was looking for a kitchen with the same idea.
Within a year, their famous Todai (University of Tokyo) Curry, whose founders are all graduates from the University of Tokyo, became the top 1% of sales in the Uber Eats app in the south-eastern Tokyo area.
They decided to establish a company, which is today's Algoritmi.
Meanwhile, Ryutaro was introduced by a mutual friend of Hiromu and joined the board.
In 2021, the business expanded into three kitchens, including one central and two branch kitchens, to cover a more comprehensive delivery area in Tokyo. Hiromu also developed a system integrating a direct order website and an in-house delivery operation.
2022
Pivots
Since the company aimed to find a startup idea, the team accumulated knowledge on optimising daily operations and designing valuable kitchens.
However, the food delivery sales declined as the pandemic gradually settled down.
The company searched for different business areas, but the concept was consistent: utilising the IT solution to optimise the operation and enable disruptive scalability.
The team worked on multiple projects, such as the elderly care and accommodation business. Shirley joined the company as an advisor.
After many successes and failures, Narumi gained a fascinating insight into the hostel chain and how it can be a billion-dollar business model by utilising his experience and existing technologies.
2023
Discovery
In October 2022, Algoritmi opened its first hostel in Takayama by renovating a 100-year-old traditional Japanese house.
The city is very famous for its cultural experiences and nature.
Since 2023 spring, after the Japanese border opened to foreign travellers, the city has been thriving again for tourism. Algoritmi’s hostel was fully booked throughout the summer and experienced an 80% average occupancy rate.
Tourism is a strong trend in the 21st century, and technology has enabled more people to travel internationally, much cheaper and more accessible.
For example, many features in tourism today were beyond people's minds several decades ago, such as low-cost carriers, mobile booking, and dynamic pricing.
Algoritmi defines a hostel as an accommodation with a shared bathroom and kitchen.
Unlike the widely acknowledged recognition, the future of hostels can appeal to various target groups, not only solo travellers but also couples and family groups, with affordable prices.
Sina joined the company as an advisor for her decade-long experience as a digital nomad. She was initially one of the guests who stayed in Algoritmi’s hostel.
Algoritmi exhibited at the Web Summit 2023 in Lisbon.
2024
Acceleration
In 2024, Algoritmi opened four new branches in Takayama and expanded its capacity from 30 beds to 80.
These hostels are the prototypes of Algoritmi's Smart Hostel. Each house is connected through cameras and interactive video calls so the staff can manage multiple properties simultaneously.
The Smart Hostel is a new operating technology with high efficiency and scalability that strengthens the ability to maintain a high standard of cleanliness and hospitality.
Today, Algoritmi is prototyping the management dashboard and accumulating practical data to prepare for full-scale system development and AI utilization.
Algoritmi Interview
This interview with Becky from the Digital Nomad World online community gave me the opportunity to represent Algoritmi and share some exciting insights. I discussed how Algoritmi is partnering with a Smart Hostel company for digital nomads in Japan—and how you can get involved too! We covered key topics like making and investing money in Japan, getting a visa, owning a hostel, and booking a stay in a traditional Japanese house. Check the timestamps in the description to easily find all the information and make the most of your digital nomad experience in Japan!
Company
Algoritmi Inc.
Company name: Algoritmi Inc.
Head office: 2-16-4 BF1 Minami-Otsuka, Toshima-ku, Tokyo
Established: 1 April 2021
Capital: 99,999,710 yen (650K USD)
Representative director: Maiko Ogawa
Representative director: Ryutaro Suda
