DRONE FUND Co-founder/Managing Partner Souki Omaе Appointed as External Director of Eightknot

Eightknot Co., Ltd. (Headquarters: Kita-ku, Osaka; Representative Director: Hiroto Kimura), a company developing maritime intelligence technology, announced the appointment of Souki Omaе, co-founder and managing partner of DRONE FUND, as an external director. Background of Appointment As autonomous navigation technology transitions from the demonstration phase to the social implementation phase, and regulatory development related to autonomy intensifies in both marine and aerial domains, it was deemed essential to integrate Mr. Omaе's expertise into our management. Mr. Omaе has been deeply involved in establishing the regulatory environment in the drone sector and has consistently been at the forefront of autonomous flight. Furthermore, as our business progresses to the next stage, we aim to accelerate the creation of new business opportunities and the expansion of strategic partnerships by having Mr. Omaе, who boasts one of Japan's largest networks and achievements in autonomous domains, including drones, join our team. With an ecosystem of autonomous mobility technology spanning sea, air, and land currently forming, we, as a front-runner in maritime autonomy, will lead the maritime industry alongside Mr. Omaе, who has spearheaded autonomy in the airspace. Comment from Mr. Souki Omaе I am deeply honored to be appointed as an external director of Eightknot Co., Ltd. In realizing a society based on drones and air mobility, I am convinced that 'the sea is as critical an issue as the sky.' Maintaining remote island routes, inspecting and maintaining offshore wind infrastructure, and streamlining port logistics—these are all societal challenges that cannot be solved without autonomous navigation technology. The ocean is precisely the most crucial frontier for future autonomous technology. Eightknot's 'Eightknot AI CAPTAIN' is a technology that directly addresses the pressing issue of the disappearance of remote island transportation lifelines due to the absence of ship captains, truly supporting the foundation of social infrastructure. I will leverage my experience and knowledge in industry creation, cultivated as a co-managing partner of DRONE FUND, to fully support Eightknot's growth and the global expansion of Japan's maritime autonomous technology. Profile of Mr. Omaе Souki Omaе (born 1974) Founded Creative Hope Co., Ltd. in 2002, developing IT consulting with a focus on strategy. Established a one-stop service from scientific site analysis based on access analysis to Web strategy planning, website design, construction, and operation, personally leading numerous large-scale projects for national brands and international companies/organizations to success as a consultant. Participated in the launch of the Analytics Association (formerly Access Analysis Initiative) in April 2009 and assumed the role of Vice Representative. Active as a Dronegrapher® since 2014. Awarded the semi-grand prix at the Drone Movie Contest 2016 on March 26, 2016. Participated as an advisory board member in the launch of DRONE FUND in May 2017. Served as a radio personality on Tokyo FM's FUTURES from October 2017 to the end of September 2022. Served as general supervisor for Yomiuri TV's 'Drone Scenic Journey,' broadcast from March to August 2018. Appointed as co-founder/managing partner of DRONE FUND in September 2018. Appointed as director of Business Breakthrough Inc. from the end of June 2023. Professor at Business Breakthrough University/Graduate School (specializing in digital marketing). [About Eightknot Co., Ltd.] Eightknot's mission is 'To make safe operation commonplace through intelligent technology,' aiming to realize a new standard for ships through the development of maritime intelligence technology. We provide 'Eightknot AI CAPTAIN System,' an autonomous navigation system that can be retrofitted to ships using intelligent technology, and 'Eightknot AI CAPTAIN Module,' which integrates functions such as steering control, self-position estimation, real-time route generation, recognition of other vessels/obstacles, and safety judgment as modular units into marine equipment and vessels. Eightknot aims to solve challenges in the maritime industry through ship intelligence, creating a world where anyone can safely and comfortably use water mobility. Company Name: Eightknot Co., Ltd. Established: March 8, 2021 Officers: Representative Director CEO Hiroto Kimura, Director CTO Tomoaki Yokoyama Head Office Location: Hilton Plaza West Office Tower 18F, 2-2-2 Umeda, Kita-ku, Osaka Tokyo Office: 3C Kujiraoka Daiichi Bldg., 1-16-8 Kameido, Koto-ku, Tokyo Hiroshima Office: HIOS HIROSHIMA 405, 7-1 Kami-Hatchobori, Naka-ku, Hiroshima Business Description: Development and sales of autonomous navigation systems for water mobility. Website: https://8kt.jp/ X: https://x.com/8k