ugo Raises Funds from Social Infrastructure Companies, Led by NTT West

ugo Co., Ltd. (CEO: Ken Matsui, hereinafter "ugo") has completed its Series B3 funding round through a third-party allocation of shares, with NTT West Corporation (President and CEO: Ryota Kitamura) as the lead investor, and various companies supporting social infrastructure such as telecommunications, railways, energy, real estate, retail, and logistics as subscribers. This brings the cumulative total of funds raised to approximately 4 billion yen. ■ Past Achievements and Business Growth ugo promotes the social implementation of robots in fields such as security, inspection, and facility management through the development and provision of its business DX robot "ugo series" and the robot integrated management platform "ugo Platform". In recent years, ugo has accelerated the expansion of its platform-based deployments by concluding OEM agreements for "ugo Platform". Furthermore, ugo has been selected for the Ministry of Economy, Trade and Industry's national project for building a software development infrastructure in the robotics field, and for NEDO's Deep Tech Startup Support Program, solidifying its business foundation through both strengthening its mass production system and research and development. In addition, the government's "AI Robotics Strategy," compiled in March 2026, emphasizes the importance of on-site implementation in areas such as inspection, security, and transportation, as well as data utilization starting from deployment, further boosting the momentum for social implementation of AI robotics. Due to the recent worsening labor shortage and increasing demand for labor-saving solutions, the company's sales have achieved approximately double year-on-year growth for three consecutive years. Furthermore, the compact inspection robot "ugo mini," launched in 2025, has surpassed 100 cumulative units shipped in approximately one year since its release, indicating a rapid increase in demand from the field. (Press Release: AI-equipped compact inspection robot "ugo mini" surpasses 100 cumulative units shipped) ■ Use of Funds and Future Developments The funds raised will be strategically invested in the following areas to further accelerate social implementation: Accelerating research and development in the physical AI domain Expanding robotics solution deployment Strengthening robot mass production systems Intensifying recruitment, especially for engineers ■ Initiatives in Physical AI Imitation Learning Kit for AI Robots A developer package consisting of the humanoid arm "ugo Pro R&D model," a dedicated bilateral controller for intuitive manipulation and force feedback, and software compatible with the open-source robot learning framework "LeRobot." This package allows for easy construction of an environment to quickly collect high-quality training data and enable robots to learn human movements through imitation, dramatically accelerating foundational model research and development in physical AI. Website: https://ugo.plus/products/ugo-pro-rd/ Domestically Produced Multi-legged Inspection Robot Development has begun on a new robot to meet the needs for "traversability over large steps and uneven terrain" and "adaptability to outdoor environments," which have been expressed during the operation of numerous compact inspection robots "ugo mini" in the field. This development has been selected for the STS phase of NEDO's "Deep Tech Startup Support Program (DTSU Program)". Press Release: ugo Selected for STS Phase of NEDO's "Deep Tech Startup Support Program (DTSU Program)" Domestically Produced General-Purpose Humanoid Robot ugo has been selected to participate in the "Domestically Produced General-Purpose Robot Development Competition" organized by the AI Robot Association (AIRoA) and is involved in the development of a new general-purpose robot. The goal is to meet the evaluation criteria of the competition and be selected as the final "data collection robot." In the future, ugo aims to contribute to the development of the next-generation robotics industry by further improving and establishing a mass production system. Press Release: ugo Selected for "Domestically Produced General-Purpose Robot Development Competition" ■ Recruitment Information With business expansion, ugo is actively recruiting for all positions, primarily focusing on machine learning engineers, application engineers, and embedded engineers. Machine Learning Engineer Application Engineer Embedded Engineer Other job listings here: https://herp.careers/v1/ugo0220/ ugo will continue to aim for a society where robots are a natural choice, driven by both expanding on-site implementation and deepening physical AI technology. ■ Overview of Funding Funding Method: Third-party allocation of shares Subscribers (excluding lead investor, in Japanese alphabetical order): NTT West Corporation (Lead Investor) EXEO Innovation Fund Kokochiyoi Mirai e no Tobira Investment Limited Partnership* JR East Startup Co., Ltd. Daiwa House Group Co-creation and Coexistence No. 1 Investment Limited Partnership Tokyo Gas Co., Ltd. Hankyu Hanshin Innovation Partners Investment Limited Partnership Brand New Retail Initiative Fund Investment Limited Partnership* *"Kokochiyoi Mirai e no Tobira Investment Limited Partnership" is a CVC fund of Denkyo Group Holdings Co., Ltd. *"Brand New Retail Initiative Fund Investment Limited Partnership" is a joint fund of Inno Associates Co., Ltd. and Edion Corporation. ■ Representative Greetings ● Ken Matsui, Representative Director and CEO, ugo Co., Ltd. I would like to express my sincere gratitude to NTT West, our lead investor, and to all the companies supporting social infrastructure in telecommunications, railways, energy, real estate, retail, and logistics for their investment. What is particularly significant about this round is that all subscribers are businesses that daily face the common challenge of "labor shortage" and have numerous sites where robots can play an active role. I am confident that by combining the on-site knowledge of each company with our technology, we can further accelerate the social implementation of robots, beyond just financial support. "Building a new social system and creating new values through the fusion of people and robotics" – towards the realization of this mission, we will work with our partners to pioneer a society where robots are a natural choice. ● Ryota Kitamura, President and CEO, NTT West Corporation NTT Group's CVC has been collaborating with ugo for some time, but we determined that an investment from NTT West was necessary to fully formalize the collaboration between ugo and NTT West, leading to this announcement. Currently, the labor shortage in all industries is a serious social issue, and robots are expected to be one of the solutions. In this context, by combining ugo's outstanding development capabilities and social implementation capabilities with NTT West's long-cultivated maintenance and monitoring network and the technological capabilities of NTT laboratories, we aim to realize a world where people and robots can work together safely and securely. ● Kotaro Ike, Representative Director, Inno Associates Co., Ltd., General Partner, Brand New Retail Initiative Fund Investment Limited Partnership We are deeply honored to have participated in this funding round. Considering the solid teamwork centered around the three directors, the presence of NTT Group as the lead investor, and their technological development and strategic execution capabilities, our operating CVC fund decided on the maximum investment amount in the shortest possible time. Also taking into account that a former NTT president (who passed away earlier this year), who personally mentored me, had high expectations for this domestic industry, we will actively support ugo's journey to become a representative venture company of "Japan is back," together with Edion, our largest LP. ● Mr. Lim Swee Yong, CEO, EXEO Innovation Fund Management Pte Ltd We are delighted to deepen our partnership with ugo, less than a year after our initial investment last year. In this short period, the ugo team has demonstrated strong execution capabilities, and its platform has steadily gained market recognition. We believe ugo is well-positioned to play a crucial role in addressing structural labor shortages and improving operational efficiency, and we look forward to continuing to support the team as it expands its technology and global reach. ● Yutaka Shibata, Representative Director and President, JR East Startup Co., Ltd. We are truly delighted to have formed a strong partnership with ugo. We are currently facing a major challenge of labor shortage. However, by combining ugo's robotics technology with our railway infrastructure, this challenge can transform into a great opportunity. Starting with "ugo x railway," we will update all sites that support Japan. Let's create innovations that not only save labor but also maximize the passion and value of the workplace. ● Tetsuo Suzuki, Representative Director and President, Daiwa House Ventures Co., Ltd. As the "Value Co-creation Group for People, Cities, and Lifestyles," the Daiwa House Group is committed to creating new value and solving social issues through a wide range of businesses. As labor shortages become increasingly severe in various industries such as construction, logistics, and retail, we recognize the extremely high expectations placed on robots. We believe that the business DX robots developed by ugo can be an effective solution to support various workplaces, and through this investment, we will promote the social implementation of robots in diverse settings. ● Ichiro Takase, Representative Director and President, Denkyo Group Holdings Co., Ltd., LP, Kokochiyoi Mirai e no Tobira Investment Limited Partnership ugo Co., Ltd., with its mission to "build a new social system and create new values through the fusion of people and robotics," aims for a future where robots do not replace people but work alongside them, drawing out human creativity. This initiative is not merely about solving visible problems like labor shortages but also about building a new worldview that no one has ever experienced. Given the high affinity with our group's vision, "Beyond what is yet unnoticed," which we advocate for the realization of our purpose, "Making every day more comfortable," we intend to contribute, however modestly, to the creation of a new market through this investment. ● Tsuyoshi Kishizawa, Executive Officer, Head of DX Promotion Department, Tokyo Gas Co., Ltd. We are pleased to have participated in ugo's funding round. Amidst the declining birthrate, aging population, and labor shortages, labor-saving and advanced operations in inspection and security sites have become critical issues. By utilizing ugo's robots and "ugo Platform" in conjunction with our on-site knowledge of facility management, we aim to replace or supplement tasks such as night patrols and high-load inspections with robots, thereby improving safety, productivity, and optimizing costs. Our group is already conducting proof-of-concept at the Kiyohara Smart Energy Center, and with this investment, we will accelerate the consideration of deployment at Tokyo Gas Group facilities and the social implementation of labor-saving and advanced management solutions for on-site operations. ● Yasushi Ueda, Executive Officer and Director, Hankyu Hanshin Holdings Co., Ltd. ugo Co., Ltd. is developing solutions for the declining working population under its mission to "build a new social system and create new values through the fusion of people and robotics." Our group will also promote collaboration with ugo to address challenges such as labor shortages in each of our businesses. Furthermore, the advancement in the AI robotics domain suggests the arrival of a society where people and robots coexist. Through collaboration with ugo, we aim to enhance our knowledge and expertise in this area and develop and provide new value and solutions to our group's stakeholders. ■ What is the Business DX Robot "ugo"? "ugo" is a hybrid business DX robot that combines remote control with AI-driven autonomous control. It is designed to flexibly adapt to different equipment and operations at each site, such as security, inspection, and guidance, allowing for customized robot selection and operation. In business areas facing severe labor shortages, ugo supports business continuity, efficiency, and the realization of DX as a "partner that collaborates with people," rather than replacing them. ■ ugo Co., Ltd. Company Profile Location: 1-7-8 Higashi-Kanda, Chiyoda-ku, Tokyo Established: 2018 Representative: Ken Matsui URL: https://ugo.plus/ Business Activities: Provision and operation of ugo solutions, development, provision, and operation of RaaS frameworks