Cross Sector, a Nikon spin-off based in Machida, Tokyo, has raised 770 million yen in cumulative funding across Seed and Series A rounds, including equity investments and loans from financial institutions. This marks the company's first public fundraising disclosure since its establishment on March 19, 2025. The capital will support production of the Frame Finder construction sensing service, development of an automatic steel column adjustment mechanism, and organizational expansion.
Funding and Strategic Investors
Nikon Corporation, the technology originator and a strategic investor, is joined by Coral Capital, Mizuho Capital, Animal Spirits 26 Investment Limited Partnership, Sanshin Kizai, SMBC Venture Capital, and Mitsubishi UFJ Capital. Animal Spirits 26 served as the lead investor, while Coral Capital has supported the company since the Seed stage. The financing combines venture capital investment with loans from financial institutions to strengthen the company's balance sheet.
Addressing Construction Labor Shortages
Japan's construction sites are coping with an aging skilled workforce and a deepening shortage of survey technicians, especially during steel frame assembly. Conventional workflows require repeated measurement of column positions before adjustment, after tightening, and after welding, which slows project schedules. Cross Sector aims to automate this repetitive measurement process so that fewer workers can maintain precise quality control.
Frame Finder Capabilities
Frame Finder uses sensors to automatically track changes in column head positions after an initial reference measurement is taken with a conventional surveying instrument. According to the company, measurement time per steel column drops from 15 minutes to 15 seconds under its test conditions. Measurement data is automatically saved to the cloud, allowing site personnel to check results and enabling managers to monitor progress and approve processes remotely.
Accuracy and Certification
The system has demonstrated measurement accuracy equivalent to within 1 millimeter for a 12 meter single tier steel column when used according to specified methods. Nikon, which developed the sensing technology, obtained Building Technical Performance Certification from the General Building Research Corporation of Japan under GBRC Performance Certificate No. 24-23, effective February 7, 2025. This third party certification supports the system's reliability for construction quality management.
Commercial Traction and Future Plans
As of October 2026, Cross Sector has completed demonstration tests or trial deployments at more than 30 construction sites, primarily with major general contractors. The company is also expanding beyond steel frame measurement into retaining walls, horizontal truss structures, and bridge infrastructure projects. Series A funding will first accelerate sensor production to meet incoming orders, with additional resources allocated to organizational growth and the automatic steel adjustment mechanism.
Leadership Perspective
Cross Sector CEO Takashi Miyawaki said the company was founded to link Nikon's precision measurement technology with field level challenges across industries. He noted that construction still relies heavily on human dependent processes despite severe labor shortages. Miyawaki added that the company will first increase sensor production and aims to make its approach an industry standard in Japan by 2028.
Cross Sector's funding announcement marks a meaningful step toward automated precision measurement in Japan's construction and infrastructure sectors. With financial backing from strategic corporate and venture investors, the company is positioned to scale Frame Finder production and extend its technology beyond steel frame assembly. Its planned expansion into infrastructure maintenance and continuous structural monitoring could support more efficient project delivery and more reliable quality control across the built environment.