Management Support Firm AIBOU Launches 'IR2.0' to Cultivate 'Fan Shareholders'

AIBOU Inc. (Location: City Court Sakuragaoka 408, 23-17 Sakuragaokacho, Shibuya-ku, Tokyo; Representative Director: Mitsutaka Suzuki), a firm specializing in management, marketing, and financial strategy support, has launched 'IR2.0,' an Investor Relations (IR) branding support service designed to redesign the relationship between companies and individual investors. Simultaneously, the company has unveiled its IR communication site, 'AIBOU IR.'

In recent years, driven by the Tokyo Stock Exchange's requests for improved capital efficiency and the expansion of the individual investor base through the new NISA, companies are increasingly required to communicate 'corporate value beyond just numbers.' Furthermore, the number of Japanese companies issuing integrated reports is growing annually, reflecting a broader movement to communicate values beyond financial data, such as human capital, sustainability, and corporate purpose.

Against this backdrop of changing times, AIBOU believes that the future of IR lies in continuously communicating a company's vision, management story, and the value it aims to deliver to society, thereby strengthening communication activities that help individual investors deepen their understanding and empathy for the company. The company believes that building relationships with 'fan shareholders'—those who empathize with the company and support it over the medium to long term—is the key to promoting long-term holding and stable corporate value growth. AIBOU defines this approach as 'Empathy Capitalism.'

'Shifting the engine of capitalism from profit/loss to empathy.' This concept aims to update investment from short-term trading or profit-seeking into an intentional act of 'wanting to support this company,' building relationships with individual investors who empathize with the company's challenges and aspirations.

'IR2.0,' advocated by AIBOU, is an IR branding support service that aims to upgrade from traditional reporting-based IR to empathy-based IR, which emphasizes relationship building with investors. The company incorporates concepts of 'empathy' and 'relationship design,' which have been valued in corporate branding and fan formation, into the construction of relationships between companies and investors in the capital market. Through the process of knowing, becoming interested in, empathizing with, and supporting a company, AIBOU supports the building of medium- to long-term relationships with individual investors.

Furthermore, the company notes that about half of individual investors are long-term oriented, holding stocks for five years or more, and that we are in an era where investment information is collected via social media. AIBOU believes it is necessary to transform IR from mere 'information disclosure for experts' into communication that 'reaches' individual investors.

At AIBOU, the formation of 'fan shareholders' is viewed not just as a stock price measure or an IR tactic, but as an important management theme that ripples across the entire corporate management. Increasing the number of shareholders who empathize with the company's vision and challenges and hold shares over the medium to long term is expected to have multifaceted effects, including the formation of a stable shareholder base, an increase in the number of shareholders, improved trust in the company, activation of word-of-mouth and social media activity, improved recruitment power, and promotion of understanding of the company's products and services. Additionally, as employees deepen their understanding of corporate value and management philosophy, it is believed to lead to improved ownership and engagement. AIBOU proposes a new form of IR that supports corporate growth by treating IR not as mere information disclosure, but as 'communication that conveys corporate value to society and expands the circle of empathy.'

'AIBOU IR' provides information on IR2.0 and Empathy Capitalism, as well as explanations on 'how to read IR materials' for individual investors, analysis of integrated reports, financial results briefing materials, and shareholder meetings, corporate research content that deciphers 'what is amazing about the company,' and considerations regarding IR site improvement and fan shareholder formation. With the theme of 'making IR more accessible,' the site aims to deliver IR information, which was previously thought to be only for some investors and experts, to individual investors in an easy-to-understand manner, thereby creating new relationships between companies and investors. Through AIBOU IR, the company aims to be an IR partner that supports corporate value improvement by disseminating information on 'the future of IR' and 'building relationships with individual investors.'

AIBOU is joined by professionals in various fields, including management strategy, finance, IR, public relations, marketing, and business development. Unlike traditional IR support, which tends to be limited to 'disclosure material creation' or 'investor correspondence,' AIBOU works as a 'partner' to the company's IR staff, crossing management, brand, and communication to consider 'how to convey corporate value to society.' In addition, the company has established an end-to-end IR communication support system that includes creative areas such as IR sites, integrated reports, financial results briefing materials, president message videos, and content production for individual investors, translating not only the company's numbers and facts but also the management's thoughts and the social significance of the business to connect to medium- to long-term relationship building with investors.

AIBOU Representative Suzuki has been involved in numerous corporate management roles through real estate liquidation and securitization work at a major real estate company, and M&A, corporate investment, and business revitalization support at an independent investment fund. While many companies have excellent technology and businesses, he felt that there was a challenge in that the 'company's thoughts'—why this company exists, what future it is aiming for, and with what thoughts it continues its business—were not being conveyed. Also, through his experience in overseas entrepreneurship in the Philippines and managing an organization of 200 people, he realized that what is important for corporate growth is not only capital and strategy but also the 'existence of people who empathize and support.' Based on these experiences, he came to conceive 'IR2.0,' which redefines IR not as mere information disclosure but as 'communication that builds relationships between companies and investors.'

Mitsutaka Suzuki, Representative Director of AIBOU Inc., commented: 'Corporate value is not determined solely by numbers. What kind of future are we drawing, who are we building relationships with, and what kind of value are we trying to deliver to society? And who empathizes with and supports that? I feel that future IR requires not only explanation but also the power to build relationships. I believe that by increasing the number of investors who empathize with the company and by spreading the cycle where that support leads to long-term corporate growth, Japanese companies' challenges will be more fairly evaluated, and we can realize a society that leads to sustainable growth. AIBOU will build new relationships between companies and investors through IR2.0 and Empathy Capitalism.'