IIJ and Sony Establish "Sensiphia," a Joint Venture for Smart Agriculture

Internet Initiative Japan Inc. (IIJ) is pleased to announce that, together with Sony Semiconductor Solutions Corporation (Sony), it has established a joint venture named "Sensiphia, Inc. (Sensiphia)" to provide soil moisture sensors and irrigation navigation services for smart agriculture. Sensiphia will commence operations on April 1, 2026.

(Reference) Press release dated November 7, 2025: "IIJ and Sony Agree to Establish a Joint Venture to Promote Smart Agriculture"

https://www.iij.ad.jp/news/pressrelease/2025/1107.html

Sensiphia will integrate IIJ's telecommunications technology and expertise in smart agriculture with Sony's technological prowess in sensor development to create and provide products and services that support the improvement of work quality and operational efficiency in agricultural fields. Through this, the company aims to address challenges such as labor shortages and an aging population, while also realizing sustainable agriculture capable of adapting to climate change. As the first initiative following the start of business, the company is advancing the development of soil moisture sensors for facility and open-field farmers, with a goal to release a beta version this July. Unlike conventional technologies where soil voids (*) created by changes in soil conditions after installation have been considered a challenge, these sensors will realize stable, long-term moisture measurement. Combined with the separately planned irrigation navigation service, this will enable effective irrigation that does not rely solely on empirical rules or customs, thereby achieving increased yields and higher quality agricultural produce.

* Soil voids: Air gaps that occur due to the expansion and contraction of soil during the cultivation period.

■ Overview of the New Company

Company Name: Sensiphia, Inc.

Location: Front Place Iidabashi 5F, 6-22 Higashi-Gokencho, Shinjuku-ku, Tokyo

Investment Ratio (Planned): IIJ 85%, Sony 11%, Others 4%

Total Capital, etc. (Planned): 559 million yen

Date of Establishment: February 20, 2026

Date of Business Commencement: April 1, 2026

Representative: Toru Saito, Representative Director and CEO (IIJ)

Business Overview: Development, sales, and support of moisture sensors and agricultural support services using soil moisture sensing technology

Sensiphia website: https://www.sensiphia.com/ (Scheduled to launch April 1, 2026)

■ Comment from Toru Saito, Representative Director and CEO, Sensiphia, Inc.

As climate change and extreme weather conditions become commonplace, agriculture is facing unprecedented trials. We established this new company with the desire to alleviate the anxiety and distress of those who dedicate themselves to agriculture—those who touch the soil before sunrise, read the wind, and repeat trial and error relying on experience and intuition.

We will accelerate technological development toward the commercialization of a high-precision moisture sensor that integrates Sony's sensing technology and IIJ's telecommunications technology, capable of stably measuring underground water over long periods without being affected by soil voids.

By eliminating the excess or deficiency of irrigation that has been a challenge until now, we aim to increase yields and quality, and also contribute to reducing costs and environmental impact by minimizing the waste of liquid fertilizer and pesticides. We will engage in this business with the goal of fundamentally changing how people approach agriculture through the use of small sensors.