Cregio Partners and Fukuyama City FC Sign Partnership to Support Startups and Revitalize Bingo-Fukuyama Economy

Cregio Partners Co., Ltd. (Headquarters: Hiroshima City, Representative Director: Ji-sang Lee), a capital policy and M&A advisory firm, has signed a "Startup Support Partnership Agreement" with Fukuyama City Football Club (Representative: Keita Okamoto, hereinafter "Fukuyama City FC"), a soccer club based in Fukuyama City, Hiroshima Prefecture. The goal is to support startups and revitalize the local economy in the Bingo-Fukuyama area.

Through this agreement, both parties will leverage their respective strengths to promote connections between startups and regional companies, aiming to build an ecosystem that creates new businesses from the Bingo-Fukuyama area.

**Background and Purpose of the Partnership**
The Bingo-Fukuyama area is home to many excellent companies, particularly in the manufacturing industry. However, it also faces structural social issues such as population decline, labor shortages, and rising prices. In this environment, it is essential to create new value through collaboration between existing companies' resources and startups possessing innovative technologies and business models.

Cregio Partners has a track record of supporting M&A and capital policies primarily in the Chugoku and Shikoku regions. Recently, it has also focused on supporting capital alliances in the startup domain and matching them with business corporations. On the other hand, Fukuyama City FC has been working to revitalize the Bingo-Fukuyama area as a platform for problem-solving through collaboration with regional and partner companies, going beyond the scope of a sports club. They contribute to the formation of a local business ecosystem by facilitating connections and collaborations between companies using their sponsor network.

By working together, the two organizations will promote business and capital alliances between regional companies and startups, creating new growth opportunities for the region.

**Key Initiatives of the Partnership Agreement**
Based on this agreement, the following initiatives will be promoted:
1. Matching support between startups and regional companies: Using Cregio Partners' startup/VC network and Fukuyama City FC's regional company network to create opportunities for business and capital alliances.
2. Joint events and seminars: Organizing seminars and webinars to share the latest startup trends and open innovation cases, promoting understanding among regional companies.
3. Collaboration with VC communities in the Setouchi and Chugoku/Shikoku areas: Strengthening ties with regional VCs and startup communities to build a broad support network.

**Comments from Representatives**
Keita Okamoto, Representative of Fukuyama City FC:
"We are very pleased to have signed this partnership agreement for startup support with Cregio Partners. As a 'regional problem-solving soccer club,' Fukuyama City FC has challenged itself to create value beyond sports. Through this agreement, we will create new connections between regional companies and startups, generating new value for the region. We aim to realize the 'Fukuyama Model' where a local club moves the city and the economy."

Ji-sang Lee, Representative Director of Cregio Partners Co., Ltd.:
"It is a great honor to collaborate with Fukuyama City FC, which is rooted in the region and leading revitalization through the power of sports. By fusing our expertise in capital policy and M&A with Fukuyama City FC's network, we will accelerate the bridging between regional companies and startups. Through this agreement, we will build a mechanism for creating new value in the region and contribute to sustainable economic development."

**About Fukuyama City Football Club**
A soccer club based in Fukuyama City, Hiroshima Prefecture. It works on regional revitalization through sports in collaboration with local companies, government, and citizens. Official Website: https://fukuyama-city.com/

**About Cregio Partners Co., Ltd.**
An M&A advisory firm. It supports the growth and succession of companies through M&A brokerage, business succession, capital policy, and corporate restructuring. It has one of the top M&A support records in the Chugoku and Shikoku regions. Official Website: https://cregio.jp/