How HENNGE Breaks Down Barriers to Make Technology More Accessible for All
Cel Ogiya
Curious about HENNGE's journey and how it cranks things up a notch to roll out innovative tech solutions?
Read on to learn more about HENNGE’s corporate history, how it empowers customers with cutting-edge products and technologies, and its forward-thinking corporate culture that keeps on giving.
HENNGE, a leading cloud security provider, has a top-tier global team ready to tackle clients' needs and bridge the gap between fast-moving tech and the people who rely on it.
HENNGE’s Engineering Talent Acquisition team had a casual chat with President and CEO Kazuhiro Ogura, who shared insights into the company’s transformative journey and provided a glimpse into its future direction.
For many businesses, staying ahead of the tech game isn’t just about keeping pace—it’s also ensuring that new technologies are secure and fully optimized to boost productivity and drive business success. End-users often look to tech experts and developers to turn complex systems into practical solutions with intuitive interfaces.
“Companies are often cautious when it comes to adopting emerging or evolving technologies with new solutions and features. At HENNGE, we take a proactive approach by embracing premature technologies, or ‘eating unripe fruits,’ ahead of our customers to build our expertise,” says Ogura. “By having more experience in changes and failures, we’re better equipped to develop cloud-based products, determine which ‘fruits’ will best benefit our customers, and fill that gap with the best security practices.”
An Early Strategist
In the 1980s, when the internet was still in its infancy, computers operated on 8-bit systems that had limited professional use. Despite the tech constraints, Ogura’s natural curiosity and knack for innovation allowed him to craft his own gaming universe at the age of six using his trusty MSX computer, a gift from his parents to replace his old video game console. He would borrow books from the library and meticulously type in 30 pages of code, then run it on his computer to make cursors leap, collide and explode—bringing his character ideas to life from zero to hero.
“Back in the 80s, programming had limited practical applications because the internet was not yet publicly available," Ogura recalls. "Everything changed after 1995, when personal computers became connected to the internet for communication and enabled faster information sharing and collaboration."
In the mid-1990s, as the internet began to gain popularity, Ogura—then a university student and part-time programmer—recognized its untapped potential and founded Horizon Digital Enterprise in 1996.
During this period, the price of always-on, commercial internet services—even for 64 kbps connections—was too expensive for many businesses, primarily due to the high cost of dedicated access lines. To lower the cost of the relay network, Japanese telecommunications company NTT developed an internet connection service, called Open Computer Network (OCN), which could support up to 24 relay lines at 128 kbps data.
“Initially, we sold computer servers that connected to NTT’s OCN. Our first customers were bold and ambitious early adopters who recognized the potential of our products and were eager to grow with us in the tech landscape,” Ogura says.
Liberation of Technology
Starting out as a provider of internet service hardware, the company shifted its focus on server management software. In 1999, Horizon Digital Enterprise—HENNGE’s predecessor—together with its founding members Kazuaki Miyamoto and Yoshiki Nagatome, launched its first product, the HDE Linux Controller 1.0. This clever tool, considered ahead of its time, simplified the complex task of configuring and managing Linux servers through a user-friendly web interface.
Ogura explains, "Back then, Linux was a new operating system that made it easy for people to connect online. We approached companies and told them that they could connect to the internet at a low cost, build a homepage, and communicate with their customers by email."
As the internet became more accessible and open source software began to play a significant role in IT development, Ogura saw the potential of disruptive technology to create added value for customers. “Even though internet connection had become more affordable and open source software like Linux was already available, there were few companies that could connect these technologies to the business world.
“Customers weren’t aware of sustainable ways to maintain the systems, so we took it upon ourselves to provide the hardware, install the software, and make technology more accessible. This is how our corporate philosophy of ‘liberating technology’ was born.”
Overcoming Setbacks and Rising Stronger
Just as Horizon Digital Enterprise was gaining traction in 2000, with strong sales and venture capital flowing in, the company faced a severe setback with the collapse of the IT bubble in 2002 and was on the brink of bankruptcy. It managed to stay afloat thanks to the development of its large-scale email distribution service compatible with Linux, which was in high demand particularly in the financial industry.
When Japan introduced the Personal Information Protection Law in 2005, Horizon Digital Enterprise seized another growth opportunity by launching a security product designed to prevent email data leaks. As the company expanded its globalization efforts, it rebranded as HDE in 2007 and shifted its focus on developing email and cloud security solutions.
Another big hurdle in the company’s journey came with the 2008 Lehman Brothers bankruptcy. This major event sent shockwaves through the financial industry, HDE’s key client base, and sent the company’s supply chain into a tailspin. As the recession took hold, HDE saw a drop in its software sales as clients cut back on capital investments and started building their systems in-house.
“Following the collapse of the IT bubble, we became so focused on building the company that we may have overlooked our eagerness to explore new possibilities," Ogura says. “We nearly faced bankruptcy twice. The only way to survive the evolving tech landscape is through continuous change. We need to create a strong culture of transformation and try new things every day."
Shaking Things Up From the Ground Up
On a spring afternoon in 2011, as people went about their day, bustling through their busy routines with no hint of what was coming, Japan’s northeast coast was struck by a magnitude 9.0 earthquake. It was the strongest earthquake ever recorded in the country, which triggered a massive tsunami. The extensive damage to computer services and IT infrastructure resulted in the loss of personal and critical data. This disaster highlighted the urgent need for cloud backup solutions, which allowed databases to be transferred or stored on remote servers. Cloud services, such as software-as-a-service, offer secure access and protect data, particularly during challenging situations.
The advent of cloud computing technology was a game-changer for HDE. Even before the Great East Japan Earthquake, HDE was already developing its cloud security service, the HDE Mail Service, which evolved into HENNGE One and serves as the company’s flagship product.
Embracing Challenges and Fostering Continuous Change
In 2019, HDE officially rebranded as HENNGE to highlight its focus on ongoing growth and transformation. The name HENNGE is a portmanteau of two words: the Japanese word "henka," meaning "change," and “challenge.” To fuel its expansion, the company went public in the same year.
“We changed our name to reflect our commitment to continuous improvement for our customers. We make mistakes early, learn from them, and find the best solutions to deliver exceptional value,” Ogura says. “Especially in uncertain times, we embrace evolving technologies as a way to help people navigate challenges without fearing change ourselves.”
Aiming to become a world-class IT company, HENNGE’s core strength lies in its diversity. To reach customers worldwide and make technology accessible to a broader audience, HENNGE relies on its global team, bringing together unique perspectives and cultural insights to develop innovative technology solutions and encourage creative, out-of-the-box thinking.
How HENNGE Helps Transform Businesses Through Cloud Technology
To thrive amidst rapid-fire changes in today’s tech landscape, businesses need to embrace digital transformation, with cloud technology leading the way. By moving their digital assets and applications from on-premise systems to the cloud, companies can boost operational efficiency, simplify management and monitoring of their multi-account environments, and enhance overall security.
When it comes to adopting cloud solutions, one major challenge for enterprises is tackling the skills gap, which stems from a lack of understanding of cloud technology and how to implement it effectively. HENNGE considers its mission to bridge the gap between technology and users as an endless journey. It also seeks to to help companies transition to a SaaS-based work style, allowing for greater flexibility and increased productivity.
HENNGE aims to remove the technology barriers that obstruct digital transformation by delivering comprehensive technology solutions to empower customers. "Innovations sometimes don’t reach consumers directly. Our ultimate goal is to connect customers, the market, and technology more effectively," Ogura says.
HENNGE dives into a hands-on, trial-and-error approach to unlock solutions and provide customers with improved products and services that meet their needs. Its flagship product, HENNGE One, is a comprehensive cloud security service that works with widely used cloud-based services, including Microsoft 365, Google Workspace, Box, and LINE WORKS.
HENNGE One consists of three editions: Identity Edition, which provides access control to prevent unauthorized data access; Data Loss Prevention Edition, which includes various email security features to mitigate data loss risks or unintentional information leakage; and Cybersecurity Edition, which automatically detects and isolates suspicious emails and files to protect against cyber attacks.
“In technology, what works well today may not be the same in five or ten years. We leverage cutting-edge technology to ensure our product remains competitive and relevant. Simultaneously, we collect customer feedback to continuously innovate and adapt our products and services according to the ever-changing needs of our clients.”
Ogura cites, “Our customers might say that our product features are better than others, or we offer more competitive pricing. I think what truly matters is that we are always evolving with our customers. That kind of trust is something they can lean on.”
Headquartered in Shibuya, HENNGE has offices in Osaka, Nagoya, and Fukuoka. To meet the rising demand for cybersecurity services in Asia, the company opened its first overseas branch, HENNGE Taiwan, in October 2016, with plans to expand into other regions. Presently, the company is led by a dynamic team comprising four internal directors, two external directors, and eight executive officers, all committed to steering HENNGE’s growth and success. HENNGE remains dedicated to continuous evolution to stay in sync with the ever-changing landscape of the IT industry.
Are you ready to embark on a fruitful career at HENNGE? Check out our position vacancies at recruit.hennge.com/en/ and see where you might fit!
Better yet, take the coding challenge to test your skills and find out how you can be part of HENNGE’s mission to liberate technology and make it accessible for everyone.