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Full-scale rollout of aiESG, the world's first product- and service-level ESG assessment platform
(Head office: Hakata-ku, Fukuoka; Representative Director: Shunsuke Managi; hereinafter "aiESG"), the world's first company to conduct human rights social evaluation at the product level, has raised approximately 150 million yen in a seed round through a third-party allocation of new shares to Miyavi Ventures, Inc. The Company raised approximately 150 million yen in a seed round through a capital increase through a third-party allotment to Miyabi Ventures, Inc. With the funds raised, we will focus mainly on product development, marketing investments, and strengthening our recruiting and organizational structure.
Funding Background
In recent years, ESG initiatives have become increasingly important for companies. The Japanese government announced the Carbon Neutral Declaration in October 2020, and in April 2023, it became a de facto requirement for public procurement to identify and improve human rights violations. However, in order to assess social impacts, including human rights, at the product level, it is necessary to make extensive estimates throughout the global supply chain. Therefore, the challenge for companies has been how to estimate social impacts in a variety of areas and understand ESG risks around the world.
Against this backdrop, we have developed aiESG, the world's first product and service level ESG evaluation platform, based on the results of many years of ESG research at Kyushu University. Through ESG analysis, we will contribute to the enhancement of corporate value. For more information on the ESG evaluation platform "aiESG," please click here (https://aiesg.co.jp/topics/news/0509_service_launch/) for more details.
Click here for a demo site where you can see an example of an actual analysis (https://dashboard.aiesg.co.jp/)
A PR event for interested companies and media will be held on Thursday, May 11, from 11:00 a.m. (click here for registration).https://us06web.zoom.us/webinar/register/WN_Qm0WJQFhRPyNtJUL0oIkog).)
Funding Summary
Amount raised: ¥155.1 million
Procurement method: Capital increase through third-party allotment
Underwriter (titles omitted): Jafco V7 Investment Limited Partnership,
Jafco SV7-S Investment Limited Partnership,
Miyabi Ventures, Inc.
Use of funds: Product development, marketing investment, strengthening of recruitment and organizational structure
Underwriter's Comment
Mizuki Takahara, Partner / West Japan Branch Manager, Jafco Group K.K.
Mr. Kosuke Taji, Principal, Jafco Group K.K.
How exactly should the "wealth" created by a company be measured? The era of measuring corporate value only by pure performance growth is coming to an end. The SDGs and other social issues such as human rights, resources, the environment, and poverty are irreversible trends in corporate activities that must be translated into monetary value and linked to growth in corporate value.
aiESG comes from the Manaki Laboratory at Kyushu University, a laboratory with the best track record in Japan for research on the visualization of social value created by activities aimed at achieving the SDGs. Professor Umanaki, who leads the laboratory, has chosen to develop the ESG evaluation platform "aiESG" not as a "laboratory" but as a "company," and we are pleased to have invested in the company.
One of the visions of the Managi Lab is to "look beyond the numbers to the wellbeing of people. When I first saw this vision, I was strongly impressed that it is a concept that we as venture capitalists should also cherish. As a member of the parties involved, I will do my utmost to help aiESG achieve its vision.
Mr. Tsuneichi Inoue, President, Miyabi Ventures, Inc.
We are pleased to have accompanied aiESG from the company's establishment and to have first of all succeeded in raising the first round of funding. We look forward to aiESG's significant growth as an entity that raises ESG in Japan to a global standard and accelerates the social implementation of Kyushu University's research results.
About aiESG, Inc.
We are a start-up company from Kyushu University that aims to realize a sustainable society through product and service level ESG analysis. Based on years of international and academic ESG research, including UN report representatives, we provide an ESG assessment platform, aiESG, that traces back the entire supply chain.
Click here to visit our corporate website (Japanese only)https://aiesg.co.jp/)
Comments from Shunsuke Managi, President of aiESG, Inc.
We are pleased to announce that Jafco Group, Inc. and Miyabi Ventures, Inc. have invested in our ESG assessment platform "aiESG". We believe that by conducting ESG assessments at the product and service level, we can contribute to companies in a variety of ways, including ESG risk verification of supply chains and inputs, use in IR and other external explanations, and branding. We will further accelerate the expansion of our business with a view to realizing a sustainable society beyond that point.
About Us
Company name: aiESG Co.
Head Office: NMF Hakata Ekimae Bldg. 2F, 1-15-20 Hakata Ekimae, Hakata-ku, Fukuoka City, Fukuoka
President and Representative Director : Shunsuke Managi
Business : ESG analysis business at product/service level
HP :https://aiesg.co.jp/
Establishment : July 2022
For inquiries regarding this matter, please contact
To: aiESG Corporation, Public Relations
Email address:pr@aiesg.co.jp