NALU Inc. Announces Sponsorship Agreement with Professional Free Surfer Riku Matsumoto – The First Step in Reinvesting Profits Toward Vision Realization

NALU Inc. (Headquarters: Yokohama, Kanagawa; CEO: Gou Kimoto; hereinafter 'NALU') is pleased to announce the signing of a sponsorship agreement with free surfer Riku Matsumoto (Matsumoto Riku).

This agreement is part of NALU’s ongoing efforts to realize its corporate vision of 'Empowering aspirations and spreading pride continuously,' and marks the company’s first sponsorship deal with an athlete.

About NALU Inc.

NALU operates as a business solutions provider with the vision of 'Empowering aspirations and spreading pride continuously.' The company offers specialized services including HR Climbers (a recruitment service focused on HR professionals), HR Partners (a skill-sharing platform for HR professionals), and TERRACE (a skill-sharing platform for engineers).

Since its founding in 2020, NALU has supported the hiring and organizational development of hundreds of companies.

The company is currently in its 'second founding phase,' accelerating investments into new ventures. As part of this strategy, NALU has adopted a policy to allocate a portion of profits from business operations toward initiatives that advance its vision.

This sponsorship agreement is the first concrete action under that policy.

Background of the Sponsorship Agreement

Typically, corporate athlete sponsorships are pursued for advertising impact or marketing outcomes. However, NALU does not offer consumer-facing (toC) products, so direct marketing benefits from supporting an athlete are limited.

Despite this, NALU decided to proceed with the sponsorship because it believes this action embodies the realization of its vision.

The image of someone persistently striving toward their aspirations, even without knowing the outcome, aligns closely with the type of individual NALU values and refers to as a 'person of purpose.'

Supporting individuals who courageously pursue unprecedented paths is, in itself, an expression of NALU’s vision.

NALU has always prioritized creating new businesses and values through original thinking, free from conventional frameworks and precedents. The lifestyle of Riku Matsumoto, who has chosen to forge his own path as a 'free surfer'—a rare career path in Japan—deeply resonates with NALU’s own ethos. This shared spirit is the reason behind this sponsorship.

Related Links ▶ The CEO’s thoughts and detailed background (Kimoto’s note): https://note.com/go_kimoto/n/nb5cf18cc1009 ▶ Riku Matsumoto’s profile and interview (NALU official website News): https://www.nalu-inc.co.jp/surferriku/

About Professional Free Surfer Riku Matsumoto

Photo by Natuko Shibata

A free surfer from Shizuoka Prefecture. At age 15, he obtained the JPSA-certified professional surfer qualification, yet chose to pursue a career as a 'free surfer' rather than a competitive athlete. At 16, he moved alone to Mentawai, Indonesia.

Based at one of the world’s most renowned surf spots, he works as a surf guide while continuously expressing and sharing his surfing through photos and videos.

He has developed a unique style that blends the technical skills honed through competition with the expressive freedom of free surfing. His signature is 'taking lines different from others.' This style, naturally formed through diverse experiences and environments rather than刻意 crafted, has drawn attention both domestically and internationally.

Key Achievements: Winner of 'KNOT Online Contest 2022,' Member of the winning Japanese team at 'Da Hui Backdoor Shootout 2025,' among others. Sponsors: JULY WETSUITS, HAYDENSHAPES SURFBOARDS, and others.

SNS: https://www.instagram.com/matsu_riku119/?hl=ja

Comment from Gou Kimoto, CEO

At NALU, we do not want our vision to remain just 'pleasant-sounding words.'

We believe that a company’s true values are revealed in how it uses its profits.

Supporting individuals like Riku, who choose and persist on unprecedented paths through their own will, is the essence of our vision.

We will support his journey as a long-term investment beyond short-term business gains.

Comment from Professional Free Surfer Riku Matsumoto

Through my conversations with Mr. Kimoto, I deeply felt his emphasis on human connections and embracing new challenges, rather than solely chasing results. I am currently on a new path myself, stepping away from competitions to pursue free surfing.

While choosing a different path from others can sometimes bring uncertainty, I value continuing to believe in and pursue what I truly want to do. I felt this mindset strongly resonates with NALU’s philosophy.

Being told that NALU wants to support my goals and future challenges gave me great encouragement. I now strongly feel that I want to grow together with NALU.

Moving forward, I hope to grow alongside the NALU team and take on challenges I could never experience alone.

Future Outlook

NALU will continue to support individuals who pursue their aspirations in various ways, including sponsorship. Beyond this initiative, the company will continue creating new ventures and activities to advance its vision.

For more details on NALU’s vision and the intentions behind this sponsorship, please visit the following note. Details: [URL to be inserted after Kimoto’s note is published]

Company Overview and Inquiries

Company Name: NALU Inc.

Address: Ocean Gate Minatomirai, 3-7-1 Minatomirai, Nishi-ku, Yokohama, Kanagawa 8F, WeWork

Representative: CEO Gou Kimoto

Founded: February 2020

Business Activities: Recruitment services / Talent acquisition and organizational design consulting / Creative production

URL: https://www.nalu-inc.co.jp/

〈Inquiries regarding this announcement〉

NALU Inc.

E-mail: info@nalu-inc.co.jp