Supporting a New Beginning for wena: Investment-based Crowdfunding 'Sony Bank GATE' Launches New Fund (Starts April 14)

Sony Bank Inc. (President: Keiji Minami; Headquarters: Chiyoda-ku, Tokyo; hereinafter 'Sony Bank') announces that starting Tuesday, April 14, 2026, it will begin accepting investments on its crowdfunding platform 'Sony Bank GATE' with augment AI Inc. as the business operator.

augment AI Inc. (hereinafter 'the Company') is a startup planning and developing the next generation of the 'wena' smartwatch series. The Company is currently developing the new product, 'wena X.' To accelerate the Company's business growth and product commercialization, a new fund will be launched on Sony Bank GATE.

[wena Team Becomes Independent, Inheriting Trademarks and Patents]
'wena' is a product that extends the convenience of a smartwatch without compromising the beauty of your favorite watch, based on the unique concept of a 'smartwatch that attaches to a wristwatch.' It has been developed over three generations and has gained support from many users.

Inheriting the passion and expectations of these users, the team that led the wena business, including Representative Tsushima, has inherited trademarks and patents (*1) from Sony Group Corporation and established themselves as an independent company, augment AI Inc. They are working on the development of the new generation 'wena X,' which refines the concept while maintaining the aesthetics and philosophy of wena.

[Japan-born, World's Smallest (*2) Smartwatch 'wena X']
'wena X' adopts a new structure that allows the buckle to be attached and detached with one touch. This makes it easy to change bands, allowing for flexible use depending on the lifestyle scene—as a wristwatch style for daily use, or as a smart band for exercise and sleep.

While inheriting the philosophy of the traditional 'wena' series, it achieves the world's smallest size (*2) by utilizing a patent-pending new buckle structure and the ultra-low-power wena OS. It significantly enhances sleep and exercise functions, providing an experience that blends subtly into daily life while respecting the original design and worldview of the wristwatch.

[About Investment on Sony Bank GATE]
Sony Bank GATE is Sony Bank's investment-based crowdfunding platform that connects challenging companies with empathetic supporters. It was launched utilizing knowledge cultivated through Sony's 'First Flight' (service now terminated). The 'wena' project was also born using 'First Flight.' The respect for watch culture and user-oriented manufacturing align with the philosophy of Sony Bank GATE.

Through Sony Bank GATE, we are seeking investments for wena's new challenge. We are seeking investments of 50,000 yen per unit for business operations, including this project, with a target fundraising amount of 20,000,000 yen.

[Investment Benefits]
Five people will be selected by lottery from those who invest 4 units (200,000 yen) to receive one 'wena X loop rubber Black.'

(*1) Patents of other companies are not included.
(*2) Based on a comparison of major manufacturers' smartwatches equipped with a full-color display of 1.0 inch or larger, based on publicly available specifications and actual measurements using the Archimedes method (as of March 17, 2026, researched by the business operator).