Snowflake Announces 'Data Drivers Awards' for Asia Pacific and Japan Region

June 3, 2026 - Snowflake G.K. (Headquarters: Chuo-ku, Tokyo; President and CEO: Tatsuji Ukita; hereinafter 'Snowflake'), a provider of the AI Data Cloud, announced the results of the 'Data Drivers Awards' for the Asia Pacific and Japan (APJ) region and revealed the winning companies selected from Japan.

This year, CyberAgent, Inc. was selected for the top domestic award, 'Japan Data Driver of the Year'. Furthermore, Sumitomo Mitsui Trust Asset Management Co., Ltd. in the AI Innovator category and DENSO Corporation in the Innovation in Data Analytics category achieved a 'double win', receiving excellence awards not only in Japan but also across the entire APJ region.

The Data Drivers Awards is a recognition program that honors individuals and organizations that are maximizing the use of Snowflake's AI Data Cloud to create innovative results that break conventional business and industry norms. The program aims to broadly share with the world the next-generation innovation stories crafted by customers, including secure data sharing through data clean rooms, data monetization via native app deployment on Snowflake Marketplace, and dramatic productivity improvements and automation through AI adoption.

The program selects leaders who have achieved outstanding results across the following seven categories:
- Data Driver of the Year
- AI Innovator
- Innovation in Data Analytics
- Data Collaboration
- Data for Good
- Data Executive of the Year
- Data Hero of the Year

The winners of the 2026 Data Drivers Awards are as follows:

**CyberAgent, Inc. (Location: Shibuya-ku, Tokyo)**
Award Category: Data Driver of the Year (Japan)
The top award, 'Data Driver of the Year', recognizes companies that fully embody the meaning of being data-driven. It targets organizations that understand the need for an enterprise-grade modern data and AI platform and have achieved outstanding results with the AI Data Cloud. It serves as a shining example of how meticulously planned data and AI strategies drive innovation, enhance business productivity, and improve customer experience.

Reason for Award: CyberAgent deployed the Snowflake MCP infrastructure company-wide, completing the connection between AI and internal data and evolving its business operations. By utilizing Snowflake Native Apps and Streamlit in Snowflake, it significantly reduced operational workloads. It also achieved cost reductions through Slack×Cortex integration and MCP utilization. As a top-tier example of data-driven management leveraging the Snowflake ecosystem, it leads the industry.

Award Comment: Mr. Ken Takawo, Director of Corporate Data Technology, Group IT Promotion Headquarters, CyberAgent, Inc.
'We are deeply honored to receive this prestigious 'Data Drivers of the Year' award. Within the CyberAgent Group, multiple departments and entities, including the Advertising Business Division, AI Business Headquarters, Group IT Promotion Headquarters, and our subsidiaries, utilize Snowflake to promote data-driven decision-making. We have also focused on fostering a data utilization community by holding a group-exclusive event, 'SnowCamp for CyberAgent', at the Snowflake office. On the technical front, we have been quick to deploy Snowflake's latest features in production environments, such as providing secure data products via the Native Apps Framework, democratizing AI analysis, and optimizing costs with Gen2 Warehouse, linking them to concrete business results. From an AI utilization perspective, we built a company-wide Snowflake MCP, creating a system where anyone can access Snowflake data. At Sirok, we are also working towards the practical operation of Postgres and maximizing the use of Intelligence. Our mission is to continue creating new value through the fusion of data and AI. We will use this award as motivation to continue taking on further challenges.'

**Sumitomo Mitsui Trust Asset Management Co., Ltd. (Location: Minato-ku, Tokyo)**
Award Category: AI Innovator (APJ & Japan)
The 'AI Innovator' category honors organizations that have responded quickly and agilely to rapid AI innovation. It targets companies that have leveraged AI to transform core operations, enhance decision-making, and drive organizational productivity improvements. Winning companies must have implemented AI use cases in production environments, delivering a clear, quantifiable impact on their business.

Reason for Award: The company quickly adopted AI technology and strongly leads the overall data and AI strategy of Sumitomo Mitsui Trust Asset Management. By pioneering the use of Snowflake Cortex Code, it advanced practical AI applications such as AI agent-based fund performance analysis and automated generation of monthly investment reports, dramatically improving operational efficiency. It has established a 'single source of truth' by integrating data from all departments, driving data-driven transformation.

Award Comment: Mr. Munetoshi Matsumoto, Executive Officer, Sumitomo Mitsui Trust Asset Management Co., Ltd.
'We are truly honored to receive this award. For several years, our company has been promoting the integration of internal data centered on Snowflake and working to enhance our data-driven operational base. We deeply appreciate that Snowflake's continuous provision of AI-driven feature development has allowed us to create an environment where we can always access the latest technology. Particularly given the nature of a financial institution, where flexible responses to system and tool introductions can be challenging, being able to utilize advanced technology in a timely manner through Snowflake is extremely significant and a rare situation. We will continue to further promote the use of data and AI, contributing to the enhancement of customer value and business development.'

**DENSO Corporation (Location: Kariya City, Aichi Prefecture)**
Award Category: Innovation in Data Analytics (APJ & Japan)
The 'Innovation in Data Analytics' category honors companies that are maximizing the value of their data assets. It targets organizations that have applied advanced tools such as AI and machine learning to transform raw data into actionable, predictive insights that drive competitive advantage and growth.