SAMURAI Foundation, Delivering Entrepreneurship to Elementary School Students, Announces Participation of Three Founding Partner Companies

The SAMURAI Foundation (Location: Minato-ku, Tokyo; Representative Director: Kentaro Sakakibara; hereinafter referred to as "the Foundation") is pleased to announce that three companies – Atrae Inc., PR TIMES Inc., and Mental Health Technologies Inc. – have joined as founding partners to support the Foundation's activities. These three companies will also be introduced at the Foundation's establishment anniversary event, held today, July 7, 2026 (Tue).

The Foundation's mission is "Changing the world not by whether we can or cannot, but by whether we do or do not," and it has set a 50-year vision to provide an extracurricular entrepreneurship program, "SAMURAI Entrepreneur Club," free of charge to all elementary school students nationwide. The three participating companies, all of whom resonate with the Foundation's philosophy, will be the first companions to support its activities both financially and operationally, accompanying children's challenges.

Three Founding Partner Companies

The following three companies have joined as founding partners of the Foundation (in Japanese syllabary order). Each company supports the Foundation's activities in its own way, and their support underpins the efforts to provide children nationwide with opportunities to take on challenges.

Atrae Inc.

With a vision to "Create companies that fascinate people worldwide," Atrae Inc. develops "People Tech" businesses that expand human potential through technology (e.g., job search media "Green," team experience platform "Wevox"). The company resonates with the Foundation's goal of delivering an "OS for challenging" to the next generation and participates as a founding partner.

Representative Director & CEO: Yoshihide Nii

"At Atrae, we advocate for 'Expanding human potential through technology (People Tech)' and have continuously pursued the realization of 'Yoshi Yosshi (for employees, customers, shareholders, and society)' for all stakeholders since our founding. In particular, we are convinced that fields such as sports, arts, 'education,' and welfare are important areas that publicly traded companies, as public entities, should proactively support and invest in for a sustainable future.

We were deeply moved by the SAMURAI Foundation's mission, 'Changing the world not by whether we can or cannot, but by whether we do or do not,' and its 50-year vision to deliver an OS for challenging, free of charge, to elementary school students nationwide, using real-world settings. Through this initiative, we hope that children will learn 'to challenge something valuable with friends' and 'to achieve something as a team,' and that they will proactively engage in activities and lead fulfilling lives even in a highly uncertain world."

PR TIMES Inc.

PR TIMES Inc. operates the press release distribution service "PR TIMES" and has the mission "Towards an era where information from those who act moves people's hearts." The company's stance of conveying the actions of each individual who takes on challenges deeply resonates with the Foundation's philosophy.

Project Manager, PR TIMES Business Unit, Second Sales Department: Kinari Sakai

"At PR TIMES, we have expanded the platforms where people striving to achieve something can announce their actions, allowing their thoughts and passion to reach society and lead to someone's next step. Behind every announcement lies the trial and error of the actor who thinks for themselves, works with others, and tries to deliver something to society.

We believe that the time children spend taking on challenges with friends and adults in their communities through the SAMURAI Entrepreneur Club will also provide them with opportunities to perceive work and becoming an adult as expanding their capabilities and the world they can engage with. By taking action with courage and communicating it, support and empathy lead to the next step. Expanding this cycle to the children who will carry the future is an extension of the society that PR TIMES aims for.

We will work with the SAMURAI Foundation to make this collaboration an opportunity for children to experience the joy of taking action themselves and the sense of accomplishment when their actions reach someone."

Mental Health Technologies Inc.

With a vision to "Create the standard for well-being," Mental Health Technologies Inc. develops mental health solutions such as the industrial physician cloud. The company participates as a founding partner from the perspective of valuing the mental well-being of children who take on challenges.

Representative Director & President: Shinnosuke Tonoe

"My own life has been changed by opportunities to take on challenges.

My encounter with Sakakibara-san of Samurai Incubate was the origin of the founding of Mental Health Technologies. It is precisely because I was entrusted with expectations, encouraged, and given the opportunity to challenge myself that I am where I am today.

Through that experience, I strongly feel that children's desire to 'try' and 'challenge' is the very hope for Japan's future. However, opportunities to experience real challenges are still not sufficient.

I believe that what the SAMURAI Foundation aims for is not merely an educational program, but 'the inheritance of a culture of challenge.' It is about passing on the opportunities and hopes that we entrepreneurs have received to the next generation. I resonate with that challenge and have participated as a founding partner."

SAMURAI Foundation Representative Director Kentaro Sakakibara

"I want children to personally experience that they can change the world not by 'whether they can,' but by 'whether they do or do not.' I want to deliver that opportunity to all elementary school students nationwide. This is not something that can be achieved by our organization alone.

These three companies are the first companions to share in that challenge. I sincerely hope that even one more company or one more person will join this circle. After that, it's a matter of doing or not doing. That's all."

About Founding Partners

The Foundation is recruiting "Entrepreneur Club Founding Partners" who will actively participate from the planning to the operation of club establishment (applications accepted until the end of December 2026). The three companies that have participated are the first companions. The Foundation aims to build a "Sustainable Education Fund Model" that visualizes educational effects through demonstration and provides long-term, sustainable support for challenge-based education.

Let's Create Educational Infrastructure Together – A Call for Participation

The Foundation is currently seeking participants in the following ways:

Entrepreneur Club Founding Partner

Partner companies that will actively participate from the planning to the operation of club establishment (applications accepted until the end of December 2026)

Sponsorship Partner / Individual Supporter

Donations and support from companies and individuals with aspirations

Operational Support Member

Entrepreneur mentors, curriculum development, regional coordinators, etc.

Participating Schools / Municipalities / Area Partners

Schools, boards of education, and municipalities wishing to introduce the SAMURAI Entrepreneur Club

Inquiries

Inquiry Form: https://forms.gle/VGu72Jh5mTctSRoQ9

Inquiry Email: info@samurai-foundation.org

Corporate Overview

Corporate Name: SAMURAI Foundation

English Name: SAMURAI Foundation

Established: April 14, 2026

Location: 4F, Azabudai Hills Garden Plaza B, 5-9-1 Toranomon, Minato-ku, Tokyo

Representative Director: Kentaro Sakakibara

Business Activities: Planning and operation of entrepreneurship development programs for elementary school students, collaboration projects with educational institutions and municipalities, educational research and information dissemination

URL: https://samurai-foundation.org/

[Contact for this matter]

SAMURAI Foundation Secretariat, Attn: Koike

Email: nao.koike@samurai-foundation.org