Saikinso, Provider of Gut Flora Test "Mykinso," Completes Series D Funding Round with 2nd Close of Series D Extension Round

Saikinso Co., Ltd. (Headquarters: Shibuya-ku, Tokyo; Representative Director: Yosuke Hara; hereinafter "Saikinso"), which develops and provides the gut flora test "Mykinso," has completed its Series D funding round through a third-party allotment of shares as the 2nd close of its Series D extension round. As a result, Inno Associates Co., Ltd. has become the lead shareholder, and we are pleased to announce that in addition to their fund, the following companies have participated as underwriters. ・Brand New Retail Initiative Fund Investment Limited Partnership (Managed by: Inno Associates Co., Ltd.) *1 ・Green Next Create Co., Ltd. *2 ・Yamanashi Sustena Investment Limited Partnership (Managed by: Yamanashi Chugin Management Consulting Co., Ltd.) ・Akigin NEXT Investment Limited Partnership (Managed by: Akigin Capital Partners Co., Ltd.) *3 ・NOBUNAGA Raise Fund Investment Limited Partnership (Managed by: NOBUNAGA Capital Village Co., Ltd.) *4 *1: CVC fund established by EDION Corporation in 2024 *2: Group company responsible for startup investments by Green House Co., Ltd. *3: Investment specialized subsidiary of Akita Bank Group *4: Investment specialized subsidiary of Juroku Financial Group Background and Purpose of Funding Through this funding, under our corporate philosophy of "making people healthy with the microbiome," we will further accelerate our efforts towards realizing "primary prevention," where everyone can naturally become healthy. While strengthening collaboration with the investing companies and funds, we will expand the development and provision of personalized solutions that combine "internal data" such as the gut microbiome (gut flora) with "lifestyle data" such as daily meals, optimized for each individual. Furthermore, by collaborating with partners who have real contact points such as meal provision (logistics functions) and cafeterias, we will design a seamless循环 mechanism that integrates "visualization (testing)," "provision (meals)," and "meal recording/advice (data accumulation)." This aims to promote healthy behaviors in all aspects of life and enable users to naturally continue making choices suitable for themselves. Moreover, by accumulating and utilizing the data obtained through this series of initiatives and promoting the establishment of a foundation as a "health infrastructure," we aim to advance community-based healthcare development in collaboration with the investing companies and funds, while considering different dietary habits and living cultures in each region, thereby contributing to regional revitalization and the realization of a sustainable healthy society. Comments from Underwriters ■ Mr. Kotaro Ike, Representative Director, Inno Associates Co., Ltd. Our CVC fund, for which we serve as GP, participated as the second-largest external shareholder in August 2024 through a share transfer from the Regional Economy Revitalization Corporation of Japan (REVIC). This time, we highly evaluated the growth-oriented business plan formulated under the new system led by Mr. Yosuke Hara and became the lead external shareholder through a new share subscription. With an overwhelming number of 200,000 samples as our strength, we expect to open up new business areas in the healthcare market. Therefore, we will actively support the new Hara system in both business and financial aspects, in cooperation with EDION Corporation, our largest LP, and our related parties. ■ Mr. Eiichi Muragishi, Director, Green House Co., Ltd. (Representative Director and President, Green Next Create Co., Ltd.) The Green House Group believes that Saikinso's initiatives, which possess advanced knowledge and unique technology regarding gut bacteria, will play an important role in the fields of "health" and "pre-symptomatic disease," and thus decided to invest. Our group provides meals in various business formats and aims to realize "health through food." The collaboration between the two companies, linking food and the gut environment, has great synergy, and we believe the potential for business development in the future is very high. ■ Mr. Fuminori Irino, Representative Director, Yamanashi Chugin Management Consulting Co., Ltd. Saikinso is a rare company that can bring about a paradigm shift in preventive medicine in Japan by fusing biotechnology and digital. Our company will fully back the process by which a highly specialized team, led by Representative Hara, transforms accumulated vast data into "valuable health assets." We have high expectations for their further leap forward. ■ Mr. Keisei Ito, Manager, Business Division, Akigin Capital Partners Co., Ltd. We are very pleased to join Saikinso's challenge as a shareholder. The Akita Bank Group aims to create new value by refining regional resources and drawing out their potential, thereby contributing to regional growth.