Kyoto-based Startup Announces Sustainability Analysis Results in Vienna, Attracting European Business Attention; Independently Analyzes All 20 Companies in Austria's ATX Index.

## Kyoto-based Startup Announces in Vienna

Valuufy (Headquarters: Kyoto City, Co-founder & COO: Marco Coda), a Kyoto-based startup known for evaluating all companies in the Nikkei 225 index, independently analyzed all 20 companies listed on the Austrian Traded Index (ATX) to examine the gap between what companies promise their stakeholders and what they can prove. This effort was initiated following their selection as one of the Japanese representatives for 'GIN GO AUSTRIA Spring 2026,' an official program operated by the Austrian Research Promotion Agency (FFG) and the Global Incubator Network Austria (GIN). The analysis results were presented in May at an event in Vienna, drawing significant attention from the European business community. Starting with this announcement, Valuufy will move forward with its expansion into the European market, using Austria as a starting point.

## About ValuuCompass

ValuuCompass evaluates companies across four layers: what is promised as policy (Policy), what is disclosed as data (Disclosure), what can be proven as measurable outcomes (Value), and what has been independently verified by a third party (Assurance). Valuufy refers to the distance between a company's promises and its proof as the 'Say-Do gap.'

Analysis revealed a negative 'Say-Do gap' for all 20 ATX companies. These results are preliminary and are currently undergoing verification in consultation with experts in the Austrian financial and academic sectors. A detailed analysis report will be published in the future.

## Presentation at ViennaUP 2026

On May 18, Valuufy presented the ValuuCompass methodology and initial analysis results at the 'Cherry Blossom Business & Culture Event' (hosted by Vienna AirportCity), a Japan-Austria economic and cultural exchange event. Subsequently, they participated in 'ViennaUP 2026,' Austria's largest startup festival held from May 16 to 24, where they engaged in business meetings with European financial institutions, corporations, investors, and potential partners.

## Response from Europe

The response exceeded expectations. During ViennaUP, Valuufy conducted over 10 business meetings. Experts in wealth management and investment advisory, in particular, showed high interest in the four-layer evaluation method and the ATX analysis results. Follow-up negotiations with multiple European financial institutions and corporate partners are currently underway.

Co-founder & COO Marco Coda commented: 'The gap between what a company promises and what it can prove is not just an issue in Japan or Austria; it is a structural problem that transcends markets. What surprised me in Vienna was how quickly European professionals understood the value of separating these four layers. Conventional ratings only provide a single score, but when you look at the layers separately, risks and opportunities that were previously invisible become immediately apparent.'

## From Reporting Fatigue to Strategic Value Creation

Through discussions in Vienna, it became clear that there is growing fatigue regarding sustainability reporting in the European market. Companies are investing increasing resources into compliance without finding strategic value. ValuuCompass addresses this challenge head-on. Rather than adding another layer of reporting, it visualizes exactly where a company stands across seven stakeholder dimensions, how it compares to competitors, and where its under-communicated strengths lie. The goal is to transform stakeholder management from a passive compliance task into a strategic tool that generates better investor relations, stronger employer branding, and new business opportunities.