What is the core business model of ExCAMP?

Based on Slide 6, ExCAMP operates as a two-sided marketplace. Landowners (depicted as farmers and elderly residents) provide 'Land Information' to the platform, which ExCAMP then converts into 'Campsite Information' for campers to book. While the deck implies a transaction-based fee model typical of marketplaces like Airbnb, it does not explicitly state commission rates or fee structures.

How does the company acquire users?

Slide 16 identifies Instagram as a primary distribution channel, noting that the @excamp account had reached 10,000 followers at the time of the deck. The slide features a grid of high-quality outdoor photography, suggesting a content-led growth strategy that leverages the visual nature of camping to attract the 'Light Outdoor' demographic.

What specific problems in the Japanese camping market is ExCAMP solving?

Slide 5 outlines three primary pain points: existing campsites are overcrowded with little distance between people, many sites are not truly 'surrounded by nature' despite their labels, and there are few ways for landowners to effectively utilize their property. The deck uses Slide 4 to visually reinforce the 'overcrowding' problem with a photo of a field packed with cars and tents.

What is the background of the founding team?

Slide 17 introduces CEO Kohei Tsukazaki and CTO Daichi Miura. Both founders are associated with the University of Tsukuba. The CTO also has ties to the National Institute of Technology, Matsue College, and the CEO is linked to Tokyo Metropolitan Industrial Technology College. The slide emphasizes their personal connection to the outdoors with photos of them in camping gear.

Is there a clear exit strategy or financial roadmap in this deck?

No. The deck is focused almost entirely on the vision, the problem/solution fit, and early social traction. It lacks a slide on competition, a five-year financial forecast, a breakdown of how the seed funding will be spent, or any mention of potential exit opportunities for investors. It functions more as a 'Product Vision' deck than a 'Business Case' deck.

Forent ExCAMP Pitch Deck (2018): 19-Slide Seed Deck

See all 19 slides of the Forent ExCAMP pitch deck — a 2018 Seed deck — with a slide-by-slide teardown of what the deck does well and where it falls short.

Forent’s ExCAMP deck is a masterclass in visual emotional resonance, using a 'show, don't tell' approach to highlight the friction of modern Japanese camping. By contrasting crowded public sites with serene, private land, the founders immediately establish the value proposition. The deck identifies a substantial market of 8.4 million annual campers and a 250 billion yen light outdoor industry. However, from a fundraising perspective, the deck is remarkably thin on the 'how.' It lacks a clear revenue model, unit economics, or a specific financial ask. While the Instagram traction (10,000 follo…

Key takeaways

The problem is framed through visual contrast between urban crowding (Slide 2) and overcrowded public campsites (Slide 4).
The solution is a marketplace connecting landowners (farmers/foresters) with campers for private site bookings (Slide 6).
ExCAMP targets a 'Light Outdoor Market' valued at 250 billion yen (Slide 11).
The platform addresses a user base of 8.4 million annual campers in Japan (Slide 11).
Early traction is demonstrated through a social media distribution channel with 10,000 Instagram followers (Slide 16).
The product interface includes search, map-based selection, and a booking flow for private sites (Slides 13-15).
The founding team consists of a CEO and CTO with backgrounds from the University of Tsukuba (Slide 17).
The deck completely omits financial projections, business model details, and a specific funding ask.

Executive Summary: The Visual Pitch for Private Nature

Forent's pitch deck for ExCAMP, produced in 2018, is a 19-slide presentation that leans heavily on the 'Airbnb for X' narrative. In this case, the 'X' is private camping land in Japan. The deck is characterized by high-quality, full-bleed photography and a minimalist design that prioritizes emotional impact over data density. While it successfully identifies a cultural friction point—the overcrowding of public spaces in Japan—it leaves many professional investor questions unanswered regarding the mechanics of the business.

Slides 1-4: Establishing the Emotional Need

The deck opens with a title slide (Slide 1) featuring the ExCAMP logo over a serene forest camping scene. This is immediately followed by a jarring contrast: Slide 2 is a full-bleed photo of a packed Japanese commuter train. There is no text on this slide, but the implication is clear—urban life is suffocatingly crowded. Slide 3 returns to the 'Solution' imagery, showing a middle-aged couple enjoying a quiet, private campsite. Slide 4 then presents the 'False Promise' of current camping: a photo of a public campsite so crowded with cars and tents that it resembles a parking lot more than a wilderness retreat. This four-slide sequence effectively builds a narrative arc before a single word of the 'Problem' is written.

Slides 5-6: The Problem and Marketplace Solution

Slide 5 explicitly lists the problems: existing sites are crowded, they lack true nature, and land use options are limited. Slide 6 introduces the marketplace model. It uses simple icons to show 'Landowners' (farmers and foresters) providing land information to ExCAMP, which then delivers campsite information to 'Campers.' This is a classic marketplace diagram, positioning ExCAMP as the essential intermediary that unlocks underutilized private land for a frustrated consumer base.

Slides 7-10: Geographic Proof of Concept

These four slides serve as a gallery of the types of locations ExCAMP aims to offer. Each slide features a high-quality photo with a geographic label in Japanese: Nasu (Slide 7), Hokkaido (Slide 8), Yamanashi (Slide 9), and Wakayama (Slide 10). By showing diverse landscapes—from dense forests and rolling pastures to coastal cliffs and luxury cabins—the deck demonstrates that the 'private campsite' concept isn't limited to one region or one type of camping. It suggests a national scale for the platform.

Slides 11-12: Quantifying the Opportunity

Slide 11 provides the core market data. It cites a 'Light Outdoor Market' of 250 billion yen and states there are 8.4 million annual campers in Japan. The slide references the Japan Auto-Camping Association and the Japan RV Association, providing necessary credibility to these figures. Slide 12 is a 'Testimonial' slide, though it notably lacks text. It features two photos of campers in secluded spots, presumably intended to represent the user experience that leads to the market demand described on the previous slide.

Slides 13-15: Product Walkthrough

The deck moves into the UI/UX of the platform. Slide 13 shows the search interface, which includes filters for pets, starry skies, hiking, and fishing. Slide 14 demonstrates the 'Select' phase, showing a map of the Tsukuba area with pins for various sites, including a 'Private Site' priced at 8,000 yen per group and a public site at 210 yen per person. This price comparison is the only hint at unit economics in the entire deck, suggesting that private sites can command a significant premium. Slide 15 shows the final 'Booking' page, featuring high-quality imagery of the specific site and a clear call-to-action button.

Slides 16-19: Traction, Team, and Press

Slide 16 highlights the company's primary distribution channel: Instagram. It claims 10,000 followers for the @excamp account, showcasing a grid of aesthetic outdoor photography. This is a vital slide as it proves the founders understand how to reach their 'Light Outdoor' target audience. Slide 17 introduces the team, CEO Kohei Tsukazaki and CTO Daichi Miura, highlighting their academic credentials from the University of Tsukuba. Slide 18 displays logos from 'Trendy,' 'Go Out,' and 'The Bridge,' indicating early press coverage and industry recognition. The deck concludes on Slide 19 with a simple contact email.

What Works in the ExCAMP Deck

Visual Storytelling: The use of Slide 2 (the crowded train) and Slide 4 (the crowded campsite) is a brilliant way to build empathy for the user's pain point without using a single bullet point. It makes the 'Problem' feel visceral.

Clear Value Proposition: The contrast between the 210 yen public site and the 8,000 yen private site on Slide 14 clearly illustrates why this is a viable business. It shows that users are willing to pay a massive premium for privacy and exclusivity.

Social Proof: For a 2018 Seed deck, having 10,000 Instagram followers (Slide 16) and mentions in major Japanese tech and outdoor publications (Slide 18) provides strong evidence of product-market fit and brand resonance.

What is Missing from the ExCAMP Deck

Business Model Specifics: While we can infer it is a marketplace, the deck never states the take rate. Does ExCAMP take 10%? 20%? Is there a listing fee for landowners? This is a critical omission for investors calculating potential ROI.

Financial Projections: There are no charts showing projected growth, revenue targets, or break-even points. Investors are left in the dark regarding the company's financial ambitions.

The 'Ask': The deck does not state how much money the company is looking to raise, what the valuation is, or what the specific milestones are for the next 18 months. A pitch deck without an 'Ask' slide is essentially just a brochure.

Competitive Analysis: The deck ignores other booking platforms or the threat of incumbents like Airbnb expanding into the 'outdoor' category. It assumes ExCAMP is operating in a vacuum.

Lessons for Founders: What to Copy

Use High-Quality Imagery: If your product is experiential (travel, outdoors, real estate), your deck must look the part. ExCAMP uses professional-grade photography that makes the viewer want to use the product. This is far more effective than a wall of text describing 'nature.'

Identify a Cultural Friction Point: ExCAMP doesn't just sell 'camping'; it sells 'escape from the crowd.' By identifying a specific cultural nuance of Japanese life—the lack of private space—they make their solution feel necessary rather than just 'nice to have.'

Leverage Niche Distribution: Showing a dedicated Instagram following for a specific niche (Slide 16) is a great way to prove you have a 'moat' in customer acquisition. It shows you own the conversation in your specific category.

Keep the UI Simple: The product walkthrough (Slides 13-15) is clean and focuses on the user's journey (Search, Select, Book). It avoids over-complicating the technology and focuses on the ease of the transaction.

Frequently asked questions

What is the core business model of ExCAMP?: Based on Slide 6, ExCAMP operates as a two-sided marketplace. Landowners (depicted as farmers and elderly residents) provide 'Land Information' to the platform, which ExCAMP then converts into 'Campsite Information' for campers to book. While the deck implies a transaction-based fee model typical of marketplaces like Airbnb, it does not explicitly state commission rates or fee structures.
How does the company acquire users?: Slide 16 identifies Instagram as a primary distribution channel, noting that the @excamp account had reached 10,000 followers at the time of the deck. The slide features a grid of high-quality outdoor photography, suggesting a content-led growth strategy that leverages the visual nature of camping to attract the 'Light Outdoor' demographic.
What specific problems in the Japanese camping market is ExCAMP solving?: Slide 5 outlines three primary pain points: existing campsites are overcrowded with little distance between people, many sites are not truly 'surrounded by nature' despite their labels, and there are few ways for landowners to effectively utilize their property. The deck uses Slide 4 to visually reinforce the 'overcrowding' problem with a photo of a field packed with cars and tents.
What is the background of the founding team?: Slide 17 introduces CEO Kohei Tsukazaki and CTO Daichi Miura. Both founders are associated with the University of Tsukuba. The CTO also has ties to the National Institute of Technology, Matsue College, and the CEO is linked to Tokyo Metropolitan Industrial Technology College. The slide emphasizes their personal connection to the outdoors with photos of them in camping gear.
Is there a clear exit strategy or financial roadmap in this deck?: No. The deck is focused almost entirely on the vision, the problem/solution fit, and early social traction. It lacks a slide on competition, a five-year financial forecast, a breakdown of how the seed funding will be spent, or any mention of potential exit opportunities for investors. It functions more as a 'Product Vision' deck than a 'Business Case' deck.

Cover slide of the Forent ExCAMP pitch deck — Seed 2018 — Forent ExCAMP pitch deck, slide 1 (2018)

Forent ExCAMP pitch deck: the facts

Company: Forent ExCAMP
Year: 2018
Stage: Seed
Slides: 19

Forent ExCAMP pitch deck PDF

The full Forent ExCAMP deck is embedded on this page and can be read slide by slide in the browser — no download or account required. Each slide is covered in the breakdown above.

What the Forent / ExCAMP pitch deck was used for

This deck is the 2018 seed-stage pitch for ExCAMP by Forent, a Tsukuba University–origin startup offering an Airbnb-style marketplace for camping on unused private land in Japan. The pitch positions ExCAMP as a photo-based search and reservation platform where campers discover and book campsites nationwide, including private land turned into temporary campgrounds. The fundraise appears to be an undisclosed seed round around 2019 associated with this deck, as noted by a pitch-deck catalog that attributes a 2019 raise to Forent (ExCAMP) using this presentation. The deck reportedly uses high-impact imagery contrasting crowded urban environments with tranquil nature retreats to frame the opportunity among Japan’s millions of annual campers, while leaving key financial and business-model details sparse (per the existing article excerpt from PitchDeckHunt).

Business model: Photo-based online marketplace that matches landowners with campers, letting owners list unused private land, vacant lots, forests and other properties as bookable campsites while campers search and reserve sites nationwide via images and amenity filters.

Industry: Online travel / camping marketplace; outdoor and rural land-use technology platform.

Round: Seed (the deck is described as a 2018 seed-stage pitch and is associated with an undisclosed 2019 fundraising round).

Year: 2019 (the pitch-deck catalog explicitly attributes an undisclosed 2019 raise to Forent (ExCAMP) using this deck).

Raised: Undisclosed (a pitch-deck catalog notes that Forent (ExCAMP) raised an undisclosed amount in 2019 with this deck, without specifying the sum).

Headquarters: Reported business operator address for ExCAMP: 1-1-1 Tennodai, Tsukuba-shi, Ibaraki 305-8577, Japan; later corporate site lists headquarters at Nishi-Shinjuku Mizuma Building 2F, 3-13 Nishi-Shinjuku 3-chome, Shinjuku-ku, Tokyo 160-0023, Japan.

What happened after the Forent / ExCAMP deck

ExCAMP launched in 2018 as a photo-based campsite search service and subsequently added reservation capabilities, enabling campers to book campsites on both existing campgrounds and unused private land via Forent’s marketplace platform. Over time, the service expanded coverage to multiple regions across Japan and participated in initiatives to repurpose idle assets such as disused railway land, wh

Launch of the photo-based campsite search service ExCAMP by Forent in June 2018, offering user-submitted photos and deta
Start of reservation services on ExCAMP, allowing campers to book private land and unused properties as campsites throug
Geographic expansion of ExCAMP’s inventory to cover areas from Hokkaido through parts of Kanto (including Chiba and Yama
Recognition and adoption in initiatives such as JR Hokkaido’s program for reusing disused railway land, which selected E
Development of ExCAMP and related outdoor projects under Forent’s broader corporate mission of updating rural regions th

What the Forent / ExCAMP deck got right

Crisp Airbnb-for-camping narrative. The deck centers on a clear, memorable positioning—ExCAMP as an "Airbnb for camping"—which is reinforced by external descriptions emphasizing the sharing-economy model for idle land and facilities and a nationwide scope of private sites and campgrounds.
Compelling photo-based discovery UX. ExCAMP’s core product experience relies on user-submitted photos and detailed campsite attributes (pet policy, river activities, stargazing, etc.), which creates a differentiated, visually driven search interface compared with traditional text-heavy campground listings.
Balanced two-sided value proposition. The marketplace design clearly articulates value for both landowners—who can monetize idle land, forests, cottages, or vacant lots—and campers—who gain access to more private and unique sites, grounding the business in a tangible win–win sharing-economy story.
Demonstrated early launch and geographic reach. External materials tied to the deck note that the service was already launched and had coverage from Hokkaido through Kanto, Ise-Shima, and Okinawa, with some sites able to host large groups and an Instagram channel with around 15,000 followers, giving the pitch real-world traction and geographic breadth to point to.
Strategic alignment with rural revitalization and partners. Forent’s later framing of itself as a rural-focused outdoor and technology developer, along with initiatives like JR Hokkaido’s land-use program, adds credibility that the team can engage with institutional partners and local stakeholders around land activation, strengthening the strategic context of the ExCAMP concept.

What could have been stronger

Sparse financial and monetization detail. Public information about the deck and platform highlights the photo-based search experience and the Airbnb-for-camping concept but does not surface any detailed financial projections, unit economics, or monetization specifics (e.g., commission rate, pricing strategy, or payback period), leaving investors with limited visibility into the economic engine behind the marketplace.
Traction presented in qualitative rather than quantitative terms. Available descriptions emphasize that ExCAMP already lists sites from Hokkaido through Okinawa and that some locations can host up to 50 people, but they do not provide quantified metrics such as total bookings, gross merchandise value, cohort retention, or revenue growth that would typically substantiate traction claims in a seed deck.
Limited clarity on customer segmentation and go-to-market focus. While ExCAMP’s materials describe a broad geographic footprint and various landowner types (vacant land, cottages, forests), there is little externally visible segmentation of target customers or go-to-market strategy by region, landowner profile, or camper segment, which may make it harder for investors to understand how the company prioritizes and scales supply and demand.

How an investor would read this deck

What draws attention

Two-sided marketplace dynamics, including how ExCAMP balances and scales landowner supply and camper demand across Japan’s diverse regions.
Regulatory and liability considerations in turning private land and forests into temporary campsites, such as insurance, safety standards, and municipal land-use rules.
Evidence of product-market fit beyond anecdotal reach, including concrete booking, revenue, and retention metrics to validate the Airbnb-for-camping thesis.
Defensibility of ExCAMP’s position given that traditional campgrounds, travel agencies, and large OTAs could add similar inventory or features.

Risks that stand out

Marketplace liquidity risk if ExCAMP cannot source enough desirable private campsites in each region to meet camper expectations, or if landowners are reluctant to list due to perceived complexity or risk.
Regulatory and safety risk in repurposing idle land and forests for camping, which could lead to incidents or compliance challenges that affect brand trust or growth.
Competitive risk from existing travel platforms, campground booking sites, or new entrants that may replicate the Airbnb-for-camping concept and leverage larger user bases.
Execution risk if the team cannot translate early geographic breadth and social media following into sustainable financial performance and robust unit economics.

Questions this deck invites

What are ExCAMP’s key operating metrics today (monthly bookings, active campers and landowners, gross booking value, take rate, and revenue), and how have these evolved since launch in 2018?
How does ExCAMP handle legal, safety, and insurance requirements when converting private land and unused forests into bookable campsites, and what agreements or protections does it offer landowners and campers?
What specific monetization model (commission percentage, listing fees, subscription options) does ExCAMP use with landowners and campers, and how sensitive is unit economics to changes in occupancy or pricing?
What is the company’s playbook for acquiring and retaining landowners and campers at scale—particularly beyond early regions like Hokkaido, Kanto, and Ise-Shima—and which channels have proven most efficient so far?
Has the company raised additional capital after the undisclosed 2019 round associated with this deck, and what milestones or experiments did that capital enable in terms of geographic expansion, product development, or partnerships?

What founders can take from the Forent / ExCAMP deck

A focused "Airbnb for camping" positioning can quickly communicate a complex marketplace concept by referencing a familiar model while still emphasizing unique inventory such as private land and unused forests.
Photo-driven discovery with rich metadata (pets allowed, river activities, stargazing) is a compelling UX differentiator in outdoor travel and can be central to the narrative of why a new platform is needed.
Highlighting both sides of a sharing-economy marketplace—income and land-use benefits for owners and unique experiences for campers—helps show a balanced value proposition for a two-sided platform.
Even when a service is already launched and geographically broad, investors will expect quantified traction and clear unit economics; qualitative descriptions alone can leave critical gaps in a seed-stage story.
Leveraging social channels like Instagram as a primary acquisition and branding tool is a concrete go-to-market element that can strengthen a deck when coupled with follower counts or engagement metrics.

Forent / ExCAMP pitch deck: common questions

What is ExCAMP and what problem does it solve?

ExCAMP is an online, photo-driven campsite search and booking platform operated by Forent that lets campers find and reserve campsites on both established campgrounds and unused private land across Japan. The service is described as an "Airbnb for camping," matching owners of vacant land, forests, cottages and other idle properties with campers seeking unique, nature-rich and often more private camping experiences.

Who operates ExCAMP and where is the company based?

ExCAMP is operated by Forent Co., Ltd., a startup initially associated with Tsukuba University and later branding itself as a "future-oriented developer" that updates rural areas using outdoor activities and technology. The company lists corporate offices in Tsukuba (Ibaraki Prefecture) and later in Nishi-Shinjuku, Tokyo, and operates branches in Hokkaido and Tsukuba according to its corporate site.

How much funding did ExCAMP raise with this pitch deck and when?

While detailed round terms are not publicly disclosed, a pitch-deck catalog notes that Forent (ExCAMP) raised an undisclosed amount in 2019 using this ExCAMP deck. The company’s public communications in 2018 focus on launching the ExCAMP platform and beginning reservations, as seen in press releases announcing the start of the photo-based campsite search service and later the booking service, but they do not state specific investment amounts or investors.

How does ExCAMP create value for landowners and campers?

ExCAMP’s value proposition is that landowners with unused land or idle facilities can temporarily offer their property as a campsite and receive income, while campers gain access to distinctive, often private sites beyond conventional campgrounds. The platform emphasizes discovery via user-submitted photos and detailed metadata such as whether pets are allowed, river activities are available, or stargazing is possible, so users can match campsites to their preferred style of camping.

What traction or reach has ExCAMP reported for its camping marketplace?

According to Forent’s and ExCAMP’s own materials, the service has expanded to cover a range of areas including Hokkaido, parts of the Kanto region such as Chiba and Yamanashi, the Ise-Shima area in Mie, and Okinawa, with some private sites able to host groups of up to about 50 people. ExCAMP also reports using Instagram as a key acquisition channel, mentioning an account with roughly 15,000 followers as a source of demand generation for campsites listed on the platform.