Mobile communications and interface design / Founded 1999
NTT DoCoMo Emoji
The 12-by-12-pixel grid that changed communication
Company Record
The original 176 emoji were designed for NTT DoCoMo's i-mode service as compact visual cues for early mobile communication.
Milestones
- 1999Shigetaka Kurita designed the original 176 emoji.
- 2008Emoji appeared on the iPhone for the Japanese market.
- 2010Unicode standardization enabled cross-platform adoption.
- 2016MoMA acquired the original set.
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01 / Ledger case fileThe 12-by-12 Grid That Changed CommunicationShigetaka Kurita was solving a character-limit problem when a severe pixel constraint led him to design the original 176 emoji.10 minute read02 / Founder recordShigetaka KuritaKurita used a 12-by-12-pixel grid to solve a practical communication problem and created the foundation of a visual language now used across the world.NTT DoCoMo Emoji / Tokyo, Japan03 / Field noteThe Geography of InnovationRemote work changed access, but place still shapes capital, talent, networks, customers, and the knowledge a company begins with.Founder Ecosystems04 / Company recordAnima IrisAfrican luxury, designed and produced with ownershipLuxury fashion and accessories / Founded 2019