Circulation Awarded "Professional Talent Matching Program (Practical Execution Type)" by the STARTUP HOKKAIDO Executive Committee

Circulation Co., Ltd. (Headquarters: Shibuya-ku, Tokyo; President: Yu Fukuda; hereinafter "Circulation"), which operates a professional sharing business that solves management issues by sharing the experience and expertise of over 30,000 professionals across multiple companies, is pleased to announce that it has been awarded the "Professional Talent Matching Program (Practical Execution Type)" (hereinafter "this project"). This project is part of the "Expert-Led Business Growth & Funding Support Program" aimed at supporting companies selected for "J-Startup HOKKAIDO," an initiative promoted by the STARTUP HOKKAIDO Executive Committee (Secretariat: Sapporo City, Hokkaido Government, Hokkaido Bureau of Economy, Trade and Industry, private companies, etc.).

Centered on our Hokkaido branch, we will generate co-creation between professional talent from the Tokyo metropolitan area and promising startups within Hokkaido, providing powerful support for their challenges in global markets and business growth.

The Situation in Hokkaido and the Need for Startups in Japan Currently, based on the "Five-Year Startup Development Plan" led by the Ministry of Economy, Trade and Industry, Japan has set a high goal of increasing investment in startups to the 10 trillion yen scale by 2027 and creating 100,000 startups in the future. As of 2026, the social implementation of advanced technologies and the creation of global unicorns have become the most critical issues affecting Japan's international competitiveness.

Hokkaido, with its vast land and rich resources, is not only Japan's food base with a food self-sufficiency rate exceeding 200% (calorie-based), but in recent years, it has also developed a space industry centered around the Hokkaido Spaceport (Taiki Town) and possesses some of the largest renewable energy potential in the country. Against this backdrop, the "STARTUP HOKKAIDO Executive Committee," an industry-academia-government collaboration organization, aims to develop Hokkaido into an "Asian Startup Island."

On the other hand, to scale deep-tech and primary industry DX at a global level, management talent with high-level expertise (CFO, global BizDev, intellectual property strategy, etc.) is essential, but securing such talent within the region remains a challenge for growth.

Furthermore, Circulation opened its Hokkaido branch in February 2025 and has been accelerating the resolution of corporate issues and the promotion of growth. In this project, we will utilize Circulation's professional sharing mechanism to match Hokkaido startups with professionals who possess the optimal experience to address their high-level management challenges, providing hands-on support to accelerate business growth and contribute to the creation of unicorn companies originating from Hokkaido.

Specific Initiatives in This Project We will select target companies from among those chosen for "J-Startup HOKKAIDO" and implement the following support:

1. Identification of Management Issues and Requirement Definition Circulation consultants will engage in dialogue with management to identify top-priority issues based on the business phase (overseas market development, IPO preparation, organizational development, marketing strategy, etc.).

2. Matching Optimal Professional Talent and Team Formation From our database of over 30,000 individuals, we will select professionals with the most suitable practical experience to solve the identified issues and form a project team.

3. Achieving Results Through Hands-on Support Through weekly or bi-weekly regular meetings and practical support, we will provide assistance that goes beyond mere advice. Furthermore, we aim to return the knowledge and success stories gained through this project to the entire Hokkaido startup ecosystem.

Comment from Yu Fukuda, President and Representative Director, Circulation Co., Ltd. I am very honored to be involved in supporting the startup companies that will carry the future of Hokkaido together with the STARTUP HOKKAIDO Executive Committee. Circulation has set a vision of "creating a society where experience and expertise from around the world circulate," and we have supported the transformation of many regional companies to date. There are many companies in Hokkaido with technologies and ideas that can change the world. Through this project, we will create a "circulation of knowledge" by combining the experience and expertise of professional talent, and we will work as a whole company, together with our Hokkaido branch, to contribute to the growth of companies that will fly from Hokkaido to the global stage.

Contact Information for This Project ・STARTUP HOKKAIDO Secretariat: STARTUP HOKKAIDO Executive Committee Contact: Toyoda Email: info@startuphokkaido.com

・Circulation Co., Ltd. Contact: Hosono (Hokkaido Branch), Shindo (Public Team) Email: alliance@circu.co.jp Address: ForPro Circulation Building, 3-21-5 Jingumae, Shibuya-ku, Tokyo 150-0001 Phone: 03-6256-0467 *When inquiring, please mention "Regarding the J-Startup HOKKAIDO Startup Individual Hands-on Support Project."

[Company Overview] Company Name: Circulation Co., Ltd. Official Website: https://circu.co.jp/ Representative: Yu Fukuda, President and Representative Director Established: January 6, 2014 Address: ForPro Circulation Building, 3-21-5 Jingumae, Shibuya-ku, Tokyo

[Inquiries Regarding Press Release] Circulation Co., Ltd. Public Relations TEL: 03-6256-0467 FAX: 03-6256-0476 Email: public_relations@circu.co.jp