e-cloud NEXT to Launch Individual Stock Fund for Nihon Agri Co., Ltd., Aiming to Transform Industrial Structure with "Profitable Agriculture," Applications Open April 27

e-cloud Inc., which operates a startup investment platform, will begin accepting applications for "e-cloud NEXT," a members-only fund for individual investors specializing in middle to late-stage startups, starting Monday, April 27, 2026. This fund is scheduled to invest in Nihon Agri Co., Ltd., which aims to create a new industrial structure by comprehensively developing everything from the production to the sale of Japanese agricultural products.

*Recruitment: "Recruitment" is used to clearly indicate "private placement of fund interests."

*Members-only fund for individuals: Investment is possible for individuals who meet the registration criteria, mainly through asset management companies and other corporations.

**Prospective Investee Company**
Nihon Agri Co., Ltd.
https://nihon-agri.com/

**Application Start Date**
From Monday, April 27, 2026

**Minimum Investment Amount**
From 10 million yen

**How to Apply**
This fund is a "face-to-face application" fund that can only be applied for through a sales representative. Customers registered as investors with e-cloud NEXT will be individually guided face-to-face regarding the detailed content of the fund and how to apply. In addition, if applications reach the fund limit, acceptance may close before the application deadline.

*e-cloud NEXT sells both face-to-face application funds and internet application funds. From the perspective of investor protection, we will guide you to applicable funds based on your registration information. Please check the FAQ on the service website for details.

For details on investor registration and usage flow, please visit the service website.

Click here for service details

**About Nihon Agri Co., Ltd.**
From Nihon Agri Co., Ltd. press release

Recently, the number of agricultural workers has been decreasing due to the aging population and population decline. The Ministry of Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries estimates that approximately 30% of agricultural land will be lost by 2030 compared to 2020 (*1). In this situation where the sustainability of Japan's agricultural industry is questioned, it is necessary to expand scale, improve productivity, reduce costs, and create an internationally competitive agricultural industry to maintain and develop the industry.

Nihon Agri's mission is to "astonish the world with Japanese agriculture." It aims to transform the industrial structure by comprehensively handling everything from production to sales. It promotes the realization of sustainable agriculture that leads to stable income for those involved in agriculture by improving productivity and reducing costs, and building a profitable agricultural model.

Since its establishment in 2016, it has been exporting Japanese apples mainly to Asia, including Taiwan and Hong Kong. In addition, it is working to expand into other crops and regions, utilizing its experience in apple production, sorting, packaging, export, and sales throughout Japan, adopting high-density planting (*2) in Aomori Prefecture. In addition to its own production centered on fruit trees, it provides the agricultural entry support service "Nichinou Pack" to support the realization of "profitable agriculture."

*1: Ministry of Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries "Perspectives for consideration toward the formulation of the Basic Plan: Japan's food supply (farmland, people, technology)" (https://www.maff.go.jp/j/council/seisaku/kikaku/bukai/attach/pdf/241106-3.pdf)

*2: A cultivation method that is becoming mainstream globally, seeking profitability and efficiency. It is expected to yield three times more than the widely adopted cultivation method in Japan (Maruba cultivation). By training each tree thinly to increase the number of planted trees per area, and by planting trees in a straight line (aligned tree shape), it is suitable for mechanization and labor saving.

**What is e-cloud's individual stock fund "e-cloud NEXT"?**
e-cloud NEXT is a members-only fund targeting growth startups aiming for IPOs, incorporating one promising middle to late-stage company. It will be developed as a new investment option and a new fundraising option that connects individual financial assets to domestic growth industries.

**Feature 1. Carefully selected growth companies aiming for IPOs as investment targets**
Funds are incorporated with carefully selected high-growth companies aiming for future IPOs. We provide rare investment opportunities by utilizing the know-how cultivated in VC (venture capital) and finance, and our partnership network including securities companies.

*Future IPO realization is not guaranteed.

**Feature 2. "Individual Stock Fund" with clear investment targets**
One fund invests in only one specific company. Investors can deeply understand the business content, vision, and growth strategy of the target company and make investment decisions based on empathy. We introduce companies that we truly want to support, emphasizing the passion of management and "stories of challenge" in addition to financial data.

**Feature 3. Changing the world from Japan! Discovering domestic startups challenging big themes**
Investment targets are domestic startups. Frontier areas that compete globally with unique technological capabilities, Japan's heavy