Rakuten Kobo

Rakuten Kobo Inc., commonly known as Kobo, is a prominent manufacturer of eReaders and a distributor of digital content. The brand was founded in 2009 in Toronto, Canada, under the name Shortcovers. It was originally a spin-off from the major Canadian bookstore chain Indigo Books & Music, which sought to create a competitive digital reading ecosystem to rival global giants. The name 'Kobo' is famously an anagram of the word 'book'.

In early 2012, the company was acquired by the Japanese technology and e-commerce conglomerate Rakuten Group for approximately $315 million. Despite the change in ownership, Kobo has maintained its global headquarters in Toronto, continuing its legacy as a Canadian-born brand with international backing.

Manufacturing of Kobo devices has traditionally been centered in Taiwan, partnering with Original Equipment Manufacturers (OEMs) like Netronix and more recently Top Victory Electronics. While the high-end eReaders are frequently labeled as 'Made in Taiwan', some entry-level models or specific batches are also produced in China. The brand continues to position itself as a flexible alternative to closed ecosystems, supporting open formats and library integration.