M&A Navi Inc. Relocates Nagoya Office to Open Innovation Hub 'STATION Ai'. Achieves 2 Deals in Tokai Area Within 5 Months of Move-in.

M&A Navi Inc. (President & CEO: Yusuke Takita, Headquarters: Shinagawa-ku, Tokyo), which operates a matching platform that supports M&A for small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) with technology, relocated its Nagoya office on November 1, 2025, to 'STATION Ai' (Showa-ku, Nagoya), an open innovation hub promoted by Aichi Prefecture. Furthermore, within five months of moving in, they have achieved 2 M&A deal closings in the Tokai area, steadily progressing business expansion through the strengthening of regional bases.

Background of Relocation

In Japan, the succession vacancy rate among SMEs reaches approximately 50%, leading to a continuous stream of companies being forced to close down while still profitable. The Chubu/Tokai region, where SMEs are concentrated, especially in the manufacturing and automotive industries, has a particularly high M&A demand, making the establishment of a locally rooted support system an urgent necessity. M&A Navi has had a base in Nagoya and has been providing business succession support in the Tokai area in collaboration with financial institutions, professionals (shigyo), and M&A support organizations nationwide. To further strengthen its local presence and deepen collaboration with the regional ecosystem, they decided to relocate to 'STATION Ai,' one of Japan's largest open innovation hubs jointly operated by Aichi Prefecture and private entities.

Post-Relocation Achievements: 2 M&A Deals Achieved in 5 Months Since Move-in

After relocating to STATION Ai, introductions and matching have accelerated through collaboration with regional financial institutions and professionals, leading to the achievement of 2 M&A deal closings in the Tokai area between November 2025 and March 2026, a period of 5 months. The construction of a transparent network through the STATION Ai ecosystem has led to trust-building for both sellers and buyers, and further expansion of deal closings is expected.

Business Expansion through Relocation to STATION Ai

STATION Ai hosts a large number of financial institutions, VCs, credit unions, professionals, and startups from the Tokai region, and M&A Navi will leverage this ecosystem to strengthen collaborations.

Through collaboration with these partners, they are establishing a system that can provide comprehensive support from M&A matching to post-deal integration (PMI) support for SME owners in the Tokai region.

Nagoya Office Team Members

The team members responsible for M&A support in the Tokai area are active based at STATION Ai. (Several others)

Naoya Iwata (31) | Director

32 deals closed, 6 years of experience. Joined M&A Navi after working in lending and consulting at a financial institution and business succession consulting at a listed M&A brokerage firm. Specializes in medical corporations and real estate. Graduated from the Faculty of Engineering, Nagoya University.

As a Director, he is involved in management focused on quality control, reproducibility, and efficiency by systematizing the M&A process, which can easily become a black box. He is pursuing a support model that utilizes technology and systems on both the operational and management fronts to achieve 'solving Japan's business succession problem through M&A x Technology.'

Yuji Yamada (37) | Manager

42 deals closed, 6 years of experience. After working in lending and consulting at a regional bank and in recruitment and training in the HR department, he gained extensive M&A support experience, focusing on successor-absenteeism cases, at a listed M&A brokerage firm. Specializes in automotive maintenance, transportation, and construction industries.

At M&A Navi, he has built a collaborative model for corporate support in close conjunction with regional experts such as financial institutions and tax accountant offices, and is leading SME support in the Chubu area through partner collaboration. He is committed to the sustainable growth of the regional economy by leveraging his knowledge based on extensive experience and his strength in understanding on-site operations.

Yuta Asano (37)

38 deals closed, 7 years of experience. After working in lending at a regional bank and at a listed M&A brokerage firm, he experienced diverse roles including brokerage, FA, business investment, and PMI at investment and business companies. Specializes in manufacturing and service industries.

At M&A Navi, he pursues a new M&A approach that bridges technology and M&A practice, is working on AI implementation accompanying the advancement of large language models, and has launched a development project for brain-computer interface devices. He also conducts research on mutation in genetic algorithms and analysis of decision-making processes based on behavioral cognition, applying academic knowledge to improve the efficiency and quality of M&A operations.

What is STATION Ai

'STATION Ai' is one of Japan's largest open innovation hubs. It provides diverse support to foster startups and promote open innovation. Approximately 1,000 domestic and international startups, partner companies, VCs, universities, and others participate, working to create new businesses. The facility offers a comfortable office environment with restaurants, a hotel, and a gym, along with abundant opportunities for study sessions, mentoring, and inter-company matching. Furthermore, meticulous support from specialized staff is also available.

◾️ Click here for the STATION Ai official website

https://stationai.co.jp/

Future Outlook

M&A Navi will further deepen its collaboration with regional financial institutions, professionals, and startups, using STATION Ai as a central hub for the Chubu/Tokai region.

Furthermore, by utilizing its proprietary products, including the AI financial analysis agent 'SmartDD,' they will provide faster and more accurate M&A support for SMEs in the Tokai area through the power of technology.

Comment from Representative Director

— Yusuke Takita, President & CEO, M&A Navi Inc.

Company Profile

"Leveraging technology to provide free M&A to all business owners."

Company Name: M&A Navi Inc.

Location: 5F, 1-8-12 Kita-Shinagawa, Shinagawa-ku, Tokyo

President & CEO: Yusuke Takita

Company HP: https://corp.ma-navigator.com/

M&A Navi: https://ma-navigator.com/

M&A・Business Succession Column: https://ma-navigator.com/columns/