SmartHR Acquires SUNITED Inc., a Specialist in IT Department BPO, to Form a Group Company

SmartHR, Inc. (Headquarters: Minato-ku, Tokyo; CEO: Masato Serizawa) announced on March 27, 2026, that it has acquired all shares of SUNITED Inc. (Headquarters: Chiyoda-ku, Tokyo; Representative Director: Hiroyuki Fukutomi), a wholly-owned subsidiary of Kowa Company, Ltd., and made it a group company. SUNITED's core business is IT department BPO (Business Process Outsourcing).

SUNITED has an extensive track record in the operation of general back-office tasks, with a primary focus on IT department BPO. The company's strength lies in its delivery capabilities, enabling it to provide high-quality practical support to companies of all sizes, from small and medium-sized enterprises to large organizations. In recent years, while many companies are investing in DX, the shortage of IT personnel to support these initiatives has become a serious bottleneck. Particularly in the IT department domain, which is crucial for IT operations, securing specialized personnel is difficult, leading to a "DX gap" between companies that can fully leverage technology and those that cannot. To realize a society where everyone has fair access to technology, practical support that fully sustains on-site operations is essential, alongside the provision of software. Through this group company integration, SmartHR aims to combine its strengths in SaaS and AI technology with SUNITED's expertise and operational capabilities in the IT department domain. This will enable the establishment of "AI BPaaS," a next-generation business outsourcing model that goes beyond simple task delegation by utilizing AI. ■ Future Developments As a scale-up company pursuing non-continuous growth, SmartHR plans to further enhance its service value as a group by considering business expansion through M&A. With a multifaceted approach that extends beyond existing business frameworks, the company aims for further growth in realizing a society where everyone can work as their true selves, eliminating social issues related to work. ■ Comments on this Matter Hiroyuki Fukutomi, Representative Director, SUNITED Inc. I am extremely pleased to be able to grow further together as a member of the SmartHR group. Our mission is to "brighten corporate departments." We have maximized the passion of those working in back-office roles through "operational improvements" tailored to the on-site needs. By combining SmartHR's extensive products and knowledge, which address social issues related to work, with our execution capabilities for improvements, we will update Japan's working environments to be more positive and faster. We will continue to carefully refine the passion and expertise we have cultivated for the on-site operations, maintaining SUNITED's unique identity, and in the future, we will take on the challenge of creating further social value by leveraging group synergies.

Masato Serizawa, SmartHR, Inc. I am delighted to welcome SUNITED Inc. to the SmartHR group. Amidst the IT talent shortage challenge in promoting DX, it is essential to build a system that not only introduces technology but also embeds it in practical operations and continues to utilize it. By integrating SUNITED's high expertise and execution capabilities, particularly in the IT department domain, with SmartHR's SaaS and AI technology, we will pursue comprehensive DX support that goes beyond software provision and broaden our value proposition. The SmartHR group will continue to aim for the realization of a society where everyone can work as their true selves, "well-working...