[Alibaba Co., Ltd. × Meta Heroes] "HERO Salon" for Executives to Survive the AI Era Kicks Off! Special Kick-off Networking Event to be Held for Two Days in April

Meta Heroes Co., Ltd. (Headquarters: Osaka, Osaka; Representative Director: Kazutoshi Matsuishi; hereinafter "the Company") is pleased to announce that it will hold a "Kick-off Networking Event" over two days on Friday, April 24, 2026, and Tuesday, April 28, 2026, featuring Alibaba Co., Ltd. as a special guest, to commemorate the establishment of "HERO Salon," a reskilling community for executives and business leaders to win in the AI era.

■ Event Overview

As the Company aims to solve social issues by utilizing the latest technologies, it is launching a new AI reskilling community for executives called "HERO Salon." As a kick-off, a special event will be held inviting Mr. Yuki Sudo of Alibaba Co., Ltd., which operates one of the world's largest B2B platforms. At this event, participants will learn about Alibaba's latest initiatives and the real-world status of AI utilization, and the full scope of the "adult reskilling" provided by the Company will be unveiled. Concrete pathways will be presented on how to directly link AI to business sales and mechanisms.

■ Why is Executive Reskilling Necessary Now?

The rapid spread of generative AI has brought about dramatic changes in the way business is conducted. However, many business sites face challenges such as "I want to use AI, but I don't know where to start" or "I'm keeping up with information, but I can't apply it to practical work or sales." From the stage of "knowing" AI to the stage of "mastering it and producing results"—with corporate sustainability being questioned, reskilling by executives themselves is an urgent task.

■ What HERO Salon Aims For

"To create companies that survive the AI era and remain for 50 years to come." To give shape to this vision, the Company is launching "HERO Salon," not just a place for learning, but a community where executives with shared aspirations connect and grow together. This kick-off event will integrate Alibaba Co., Ltd.'s global insights with the Company's DX education and implementation track record. It will provide concrete inspiration for all participants to advance to the "next stage of growth." Especially on April 28, an experiential session will be offered at the Company's DX education facility "Hero Egg," where participants can interact with the latest technologies.

■ Meta Heroes' Journey So Far

The Company has so far conducted AI corporate training for over 15,000 people in six months, under the theme of "Society 5.0 × SDGs × HERO." In May 2025, it hosted the "Metaverse, XR, and AI Award" at the EXPO Hall of the Osaka-Kansai Expo, recording a total of 14,622 visitors. It has built trust in the social implementation of technology, receiving endorsements from 153 local governments and other organizations nationwide. Through these achievements, we believe that the "educational know-how that enables anyone to wield technology as a weapon" cultivated through these experiences should now be returned to executives, leading to the establishment of this salon.

■ The Future HERO Salon Creates

"HERO Salon" is a place where all participating executives evolve into "heroes" who pioneer the next era. Through this salon, we pledge to accelerate DX in Japanese companies and increase the number of strong organizations that can compete globally. Let's create the future together, with AI as a powerful wing.

■ Event Details

Event Name	HERO Salon Kick-off Networking Event
Participation Fee	Free
Target Audience	Companies that want to survive the AI era, executives, sole proprietors
Application	https://peatix.com/event/4948730/view

【Day 1: Learning AI Utilization in the Business Hub】

Date: Friday, April 24, 2026, 18:00 - 20:30 Venue: WeWork Namba Skyo 27F Access: Please inform the reception that you are attending the "Meta Heroes event."

【Day 2: Hero Egg Latest Facility Tour & Networking Event】

Date: Tuesday, April 28, 2026, 18:00 - 20:30 Venue: Hero Egg (inside e-Stadium Namba Main Store, Namba Parks 1F) Benefit: You can directly tour the facility on the day. Directions: * From 2F: https://x.gd/1paev From 1F: https://www.tiktok.com/@estadium_/video/7286774208422497537

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■ Speaker Introduction

Special Guest Speaker: Alibaba Co., Ltd.

Yuki Sudo, Sales Executive, Global B2B Business Division

From Alibaba's perspective, which operates the world's largest B2B platform, he will discuss the reality of global AI utilization and strategies Japanese companies should now adopt.

Host Speaker: Meta Heroes Co., Ltd.

Manami Yokota, General Manager, Hero Egg Business Division

She will talk about the Company's initiatives, the specific value provided by "HERO Salon" for executives, and the vision for the future.

【About Hero Egg】

Hero Egg is a DX education facility opened in August 2024, where one can learn about Metaverse (XR) and AI. Located within "e-Stadium Namba Main Store" on the 1st floor of Namba Parks, a commercial facility in Namba, Osaka, it operates with the concept of "learning together" for both children and adults, offering game and AI experiential programs, seminars, and practical workshops. It provides free educational opportunities to children who will lead the future, aiming to be a place where anyone can access cutting-edge technology, learn, and challenge themselves regardless of economic constraints. Hero Egg, which fosters "the power to create" by enjoying future technologies, is a place where anyone can become a "hero" who pioneers the next era. Official Website: [https://heroegg.com/] Address: e-Stadium Namba Main Store, Namba Parks 1F, 2-10-70 Nambanaka, Naniwa-ku, Osaka-shi, Osaka 【Contact for Hero Egg】: info@heroegg.com

【Meta Heroes Co., Ltd.】

Meta Heroes Co., Ltd. develops its business under the theme of "Society 5.0 × SDGs × HERO." It is a company that primarily engages in development utilizing Metaverse (XR) and AI, operates the DX education facility "Hero Egg," conducts AI corporate training for over 15,000 people in six months, and simultaneously works to solve social issues such as education, disaster prevention, and regional revitalization. In May 2025, it hosted the "Metaverse, XR, and AI Award" and "Disaster Prevention Expo" at the EXPO Hall of the Osaka-Kansai Expo, successfully holding a large-scale event that attracted a total of 14,622 visitors over two days and received endorsements from 153 local governments, educational institutions, and organizations nationwide. Established: December 03, 2021 Representative Director: Kazutoshi Matsuishi Osaka Head Office: Sankyo Umeda Bldg. 8F, 1-5 Doyama-cho, Kita-ku, Osaka-shi, Osaka DX Education Space "Hero Egg": e-Stadium Namba Main Store, Namba Parks 1F, 2-10-70 Nambanaka, Naniwa-ku, Osaka-shi, Osaka Community Space: Plaza Umeda Bldg. B1F, 8-17 Taiyuji-cho, Kita-ku, Osaka-shi, Osaka Official Website: [https://meta-heroes.co.jp] X (formerly Twitter): [https://x.com/metaheroes_jp]