AGS Group Participates as Platinum Sponsor at 'B Dash Camp 2026 Spring'

AGS Group (Headquarters: Chiyoda-ku, Tokyo; Representatives: Atsushi Hachimizawa, Yoshihide Hirowatari; hereinafter 'AGS') participated as a platinum sponsor at B Dash Camp 2026 Spring in Sapporo, held from May 20 (Wed) to May 22 (Fri), 2026.

Representative Hirowatari served as a moderator for the sponsor session titled 'Learning from Executives Who Have Experienced Founding, IPO, and Exit: Startup Management in an Era of Transformation.' Additionally, AGS presented the 'AGS Award' to Cell-En Inc. (COO: Naomi Yamaguchi), a company aiming for a prosperous and sustainable future through microbial power generation, which competed in the finals of the Pitch Arena startup contest. Many event participants also visited the free consultation booth set up at the venue.

AGS is committed to strongly supporting the challenges faced by startups through both hands-on management support and capital investment.

■ Sponsor Session: 'Learning from Executives Who Have Experienced Founding, IPO, and Exit: Startup Management in an Era of Transformation'

Moderated by Representative Hirowatari, the session featured guests Shinnen Usami (CEO of Supporters Holdings Co., Ltd.) and Atsushi Nouchi (CEO of AT Capital Inc.), who engaged in an intense discussion. They shared raw experiences that only insiders could tell, ranging from the passion at the time of founding to the joys and hardships of IPOs, as well as real-life experiences with M&A and exits. The venue was filled with excitement as they discussed behind-the-scenes stories and future-oriented themes such as 'How would you act if you were to start a business again in the AI era?'

■ Presentation of the 'AGS Award' at Pitch Arena

For the Pitch Arena startup contest, 12 companies advanced to the preliminaries after document screening and interviews from over 150 applicants, and 7 companies made it to the final round on the last day.

AGS presented its original 'AGS Award' (worth 1 million yen in free consulting services and one year's supply of Yebisu Beer) to Naomi Yamaguchi, COO of Cell-En Inc.

~Comment from Naomi Yamaguchi (COO, Cell-En Inc.)~

I am deeply grateful for the honor of receiving the AGS Award. For our company, which is advancing device manufacturing and development toward the social implementation of microbial power generation, AGS's consulting support is very reassuring, and I am confident that it will accelerate our progress. We aim to strengthen our organization and achieve sustainable growth while receiving their management expertise. Thank you once again.

■ Background of AGS's Sponsorship

AGS began with tax, accounting, and business succession services, and now provides services including M&A, IPO, corporate revitalization support, and international operations. Regarding startup support, the company launched a specialized department in 2024 and established 'AGS Capital Partners' in April 2025 to handle CVC functions, supporting startups through both hands-on management support and capital. Having agreed with the purpose and significance of B Dash Camp, AGS began participating as a sponsor in 2016, marking its 11th year.

■ About B Dash Camp

B Dash Camp is one of Japan's largest invitation-only conferences held twice a year. It brings together stakeholders such as executives, listed companies, venture capitalists, and startup supporters active on the front lines of the startup industry. Various programs are held, including 'sessions' on industry trends, 'networking' among participants, and the 'Pitch Arena' startup contest.

~B Dash Camp 2026 Spring in Sapporo~

- Dates: May 20 (Wed) - May 22 (Fri), 2026
- Organizer: B Dash Ventures Inc.
- Website: https://camp.bdashventures.com/sapporo/

About AGS Group

Centering on AGS Consulting Co., Ltd. and AGS Tax Corporation, it is an independent, comprehensive accounting firm originating in Japan. As 'experts closer than anyone else,' they provide tax, accounting, IPO, M&A, corporate revitalization support, international tax/accounting advisory, and support for overseas expansion/withdrawal to a wide range of clients, from startups to listed companies, including 4,500 corporate and 2,000 individual clients. They believe in contributing to the management of companies that support the Japanese economy and aim to be the number one accounting firm originating in Japan.