OTERA Co., Ltd. Creates a Regional Hub to Eliminate "Not Knowing Where to Turn"

This press release supports "April Dream," which announces dreams on April 1st, and shares the future that OTERA Co., Ltd. aims to realize.

OTERA Co., Ltd. (Headquarters: Zushi City, Kanagawa Prefecture; Representative Director: Kei Takeda; hereinafter "the Company"), which develops lifestyle support services for the elderly, dreams of creating a society where problems that cannot be fully supported by systems or families alone can be embraced by community connections. Not knowing where to consult. Not knowing who to rely on. As this situation continues, people gradually fall into loneliness and isolation. We aim to create communities where such "initial problems" are not left unaddressed. To achieve this, we are striving to become a regional hub where people can feel, "If I ask Mamoruba, something will work out." OTERA will rebuild the role of a "consultation point" that temples once played in local communities, using the power of the community and technology in a modern context.

■ Why is a "regional hub" needed now?

As the birthrate declines and the population ages, and nuclear families become more common, problems that were once naturally absorbed within families and neighborhood relationships are now easily left unresolved. On the other hand, while public systems and existing services are extremely important, they cannot address all the small problems that arise in daily life. Cleaning, shopping, how to use a smartphone, a little accompaniment, or simply wanting someone to listen to anxieties. We believe that local communities need more contact points that can respond to such problems that exist "just before" they fall under formal systems.

■ Two Mechanisms We Are Nurturing to Fulfill Our Dream

### 1. Life Support "Mamoruba"

Life Support "Mamoruba" is a system that connects the "problems" of residents with those who "want to help" in the community. Registered local supporters utilize their spare time to assist with requests such as cleaning and shopping on behalf of the elderly, which fall outside of long-term care insurance. Our goal is not just to mediate requests. It is to use these problems as an opportunity for people to reconnect and to increase the feeling that "there is someone reliable in the community." https://otera.co.jp/mamoruba/life

### 2. Monitoring App "Mamoruba"

The "Mamoruba" monitoring app is a free application designed to make checking on the well-being of family members living separately more natural and less burdensome. It supports subtle daily monitoring based on the last time a smartphone was used. Its features include not requiring complex operations from the elderly and minimizing the burden on those being monitored. We aim to establish monitoring not as "surveillance" but as a "point of reassurance" within communities and families. https://otera.co.jp/mamoruba/apps

■ The Future We Truly Want to Realize

What we want to create is not just an app, nor just a matching service. It is a first point of contact and an entry point for mutual support that comes to mind when someone in the community encounters a problem. "If I ask Mamoruba, something will work out." — If this perception takes root in the community, problems will surface at an early stage, leading to support, information, and connections with people. We believe that this accumulation will form the foundation for preventing loneliness and isolation. This idea is not limited to elderly support. It has the potential to be expanded to various other community issues such as childcare, disaster prevention, and neighborhood association management. OTERA's dream is to nurture Mamoruba into a hub that connects people with people, people with information, and people with local resources. To increase communities one by one where people can feel, "With Mamoruba, I can live with peace of mind in this town." That is the dream that OTERA Co., Ltd. is announcing with April Dream, a dream we will surely fulfill.

■ Company Overview

Trade Name: OTERA Co., Ltd. Representative: Kei Takeda, Representative Director Location: 3-2-40 Shinjuku, Zushi City, Kanagawa 249-0007, Japan Established: July 2024 Business Activities: Development and operation of the life support service "Mamoruba," and system development. URL: https://otera.co.jp