1982 Impact Fund Invests in Social Business

1982 Impact Fund (Location: Minato-ku, Tokyo; hereinafter referred to as "the Fund") launched its social business public offering concurrently with its establishment in May 2024 and has been carefully selecting businesses aiming to solve fundamental social issues.

The current investment targets are "株式会社ANELLA Group (formerly: 株式会社DT)" which is tackling two issues: "finding adoptive homes for rescued dogs and cats" and "providing employment support for people with disabilities."

1. Social Issue Background

Regarding the first issue, while the number of dogs and cats euthanized in Japan is on a declining trend, it was approximately 10,000 in 2023. This is due to reasons such as abandonment, overbreeding, and impulsive purchases, leaving many lives without a place to go. On the other hand, rescue facilities for dogs and cats face difficulties in ensuring the quality of medical care and living conditions due to shortages in funding, personnel, and facilities. Finding adoptive homes is also challenging, and coupled with issues in information dissemination and location, the number of lives that can be saved is limited. Furthermore, unstable income structures and rising prices make continued operation even more difficult.

For the second issue, employment continuation support for people with disabilities, there are currently two forms: Type A and Type B. Type B employment continuation support businesses, in particular, allow for flexible work without employment contracts, but the average monthly wage is approximately 16,500 yen, making economic independence difficult. These businesses have a strong welfare nature and tend to operate at a loss due to profitability challenges and low utilization and retention rates. It is also presumed that the types of work offered do not adequately cater to the diverse needs of users.

株式会社ANELLA Group is challenging the simultaneous resolution of these two social issues.

2. Company Overview of Investment Target

"株式会社ANELLA Group" (hereinafter referred to as "ANELLA Group"), in which the investment has been decided, operates as a "rescued dog and cat interaction cafe," providing a place to meet rescued dogs and cats and services such as affordable grooming. Furthermore, by operating this cafe as a Type B employment continuation support business, it offers users (people with disabilities) engaging work that goes beyond simple tasks, with the added benefit of expected animal therapy effects.

A Novel Approach to Seemingly Unrelated Social Issues

While the severe operational conditions of dog and cat rescue facilities and the fragile business foundations and low retention rates of people with disabilities in employment support may seem like completely different issues, ANELLA Group is tackling the simultaneous resolution of these two problems with the approach of "operating a rescued dog and cat interaction cafe as a Type B employment continuation support business."

By operating the rescued dog and cat interaction cafe as a Type B employment continuation support business, ANELLA Group secures a stable revenue base through subsidies from the government in addition to cafe sales and other revenue. By not offering services at low prices due to being a Type B business, and by setting standard prices, they have also achieved normalization in terms of wages for people with disabilities. The synergistic effect of attractive work involving interaction with dogs and cats and relatively high wage payments is expected to increase the retention rate of people with disabilities. The stable operation of the cafe, which also functions as a rescue facility, is expected to reduce the number of dogs and cats euthanized.

Typically, in Type B employment continuation support businesses, revenue decreases when users with disabilities find employment, and in rescue dog and cat facilities, revenue decreases when dogs and cats find adoptive homes. However, ANELLA CAFE, operated by ANELLA Group, has a business model that allows for the employment of users with disabilities and the adoption of rescued dogs and cats without reducing revenue, which we consider to be highly innovative.

Through this investment, we will strongly support this innovative social issue resolution that protects the lives of rescued dogs and cats while enabling people with disabilities to gain fulfilling employment opportunities.

3. Future Developments

The Fund will continue to actively support companies aiming to solve social issues. For investee companies, we will provide not only financial support but also mentoring support utilizing the knowledge and network of our representative directors.

4. About the Social Business Public Offering

The Fund is continuously accepting applications from businesses aiming to solve fundamental social issues through sustainable business operations. For details, please visit the Fund's website (https://1982impact.jp).

5. Fund Overview

Fund Name: 1982 Impact Fund

Location: Minato-ku, Tokyo

Establishment: May 30, 2024

URL: https://1982impact.jp

A characteristic of this Fund is that the investor (representative director) is an economic figure born in 1982. Classmates who have achieved success in their respective businesses have gathered to provide funds and business know-how, aiming to contribute to the revitalization of social contribution activities by economic figures through the success of multiple social businesses.

Inquiries regarding this matter:

1982 Impact Fund Public Relations

Email: pr@1982impact.com