Joint investment in trade platform operator “TradeWaltz”

August 26, 2021

University of Tokyo Collaborative Creation Platform Development Co., Ltd.

Mitsui-Soko Holdings Co., Ltd.

Nissin Corporation

TW Link Co., Ltd.

TradeWaltz Inc.

The University of Tokyo Collaborative Creation Platform Development Co., Ltd. (hereinafter referred to as the University of Tokyo IPC), Mitsui-Soko Holdings Co., Ltd. (hereinafter referred to as Mitsui-Soko HD), Nissin Corporation (hereinafter referred to as Nissin), TW Link Co., Ltd. (details will be described later). TW Link) and TradeWaltz Inc. (Headquarters: Chiyoda-ku, Tokyo, President: Hirohisa Kojima, hereinafter referred to as "TradeWaltz"), which operates the trade information collaboration platform "TradeWaltz ^®", have agreed to jointly invest in TradeWaltz, and the above four companies will make an additional investment of 900 million yen in total. This brings the total funding of TradeWaltz to 3 billion yen.

TradeWaltz, which aims to fully digitize analog communication included in Japan and global trade procedures, started its business in November 2020 as a joint venture between seven companies, including NTT DATA Corporation. We are working with the government to promote the domestic dissemination of the trade information collaboration platform "TradeWaltz," which has demonstrated a more than 50% improvement in the efficiency of trade practices through the activities of the Trade Consortium. However, in order to promote the domestic spread of TradeWaltz, it is necessary to obtain the cooperation of logistics companies aiming for trade DX. In addition, in order to truly realize trade DX at ALL JAPAN, it is necessary to incorporate the knowledge of academia in addition to the public and private sectors, and to consider various value-added services based on industry, government, and academia based on the future vision of trade and data.

For this reason, TradeWaltz has welcomed logistics companies such as Mitsui-Soko HD, Nissin, and TW Link as new shareholders and has started to consider the dissemination of logistics DX services to domestic logistics companies, and the University of Tokyo IPC as a new shareholder, utilizing the data accumulated and licensed by TradeWaltz. We will discuss with the University of Tokyo what kind of value-added services we can create.

■Efforts with the University of Tokyo IPC​

The University of Tokyo IPC operates the AOI No. 1 Fund, which has the concept of "nurturing and investing in ventures through collaboration between companies and academia," and is promoting new venture establishment methods such as carve-outs from leading companies in each industry and the establishment of JVs. We are an investment company that is taking on the challenge of investing. We have decided to invest in this company in order to realize the DX of international logistics that supports Japan, which is a trading nation, through TradeWaltz which has high technical capabilities and business ideation capabilities and is backed by large companies from all over Japan. After the investment, as the company's only financial investor, we will support the public offering by leveraging the know-how cultivated through numerous venture investments and IPOs. Additionally, prior to this investment, Professor Takehito Kojima, who returned from Stanford and took up the position of Director of the Market Design Center at the University of Tokyo, has been appointed to TradeWaltz Advisory Board. The University of Tokyo IPC will continue to support the company's industry-academia collaboration activities.

*Professor Takehito Kojima: One of the world's top economists. Specializes in "market design" and has strengths in conceptualizing new markets and implementing them in society through data matching. Based on the data that will be accumulated in TradeWaltz in the future and that users have given permission to use, we will provide advice in various functions and fields such as marketplace (commercial flow matching), cargo matching and logistics optimization (logistics matching), and provide necessary information. We plan to provide a network of researchers around the world.

■ Initiatives with Mitsui-Soko HD

Mitsui-Soko HD is a comprehensive logistics company that supports the important social infrastructure called "logistics." Logistics digital transformation (hereinafter referred to as DX) is an indispensable foundation for the realization of DX for each company including customers, and Mitsui-Soko HD has created a platform that contributes to the optimization and efficiency of SCM through logistics DX. We aim to create and provide new value to an increasingly diverse world. As part of this effort, through this collaboration, we will combine TradeWaltz 's advanced technological capabilities and Mitsui-Soko HD's logistics knowledge to achieve digitization of documents and automation of operations in international trade. Masu.

■ Initiatives with Nissin

Nissin established the Logistics DX Promotion Office in April of this year, and is working to develop new logistics services with the aim of evolving international logistics. By utilizing TradeWaltz 's trade platform infrastructure, we aim to advance the digitalization of forwarding services and provide a speedier international logistics portal service that is easier to understand for shippers. We are also working on visualizing international logistics using IoT technology, and by combining it with TradeWaltz 's blockchain technology, we will take on the challenge of realizing a smooth and efficient global Supply Chain.

■Efforts with TW Link

TW Link is a joint venture established in July of this year by Kanematsu Co., Ltd., a general trading company that is an existing shareholder of TradeWaltz, together with four logistics companies (*) with which it has a close relationship, with the aim of jointly promoting logistics DX triggered by the introduction of TradeWaltz and increasing the corporate value of TradeWaltz. The current Kanematsu stake will be transferred to TW Link, and TW Link will make an additional investment in TradeWaltz. In addition to providing logistics-related knowledge and promoting the use of the service to shippers and logistics companies, we will cooperate by linking with logistics platforms.　Kawanishi Warehouse Co., Ltd., Suzue Corporation Co., Ltd., Daito Koun Co., Ltd., Fuji Warehouse Co., Ltd.

[Comments from those involved]

University of Tokyo Collaborative Creation Platform Development Co., Ltd.Representative Director and President Katsuhiko Oizumi
“While there is a strong social need for the digitization of trade practices, it is an area that is extremely difficult to TradeWaltz is comprised of a team with high technical capabilities and business concept skills, and is a coalition of large companies. We believe that there is a high possibility that this will become a reality, as Professor Takehito Kojima of the University of Tokyo Graduate School of Economics has been appointed to the advisory board, and we can expect that new services will be created from the trade data obtained. University of Tokyo I.P.C. However, I would like to support this project as it will have a high ripple effect on the entire industry, and I am very happy to be able to work with you as a shareholder. ”

Mitsui-Soko Holdings Co., Ltd. President and Representative Director Hirofumi Koga

“Our group places emphasis on creating new value through logistics services and contributing to the realization of a sustainable society in the value creation process.We believe that it will be difficult for each company to achieve DX without logistics DX. Based on this recognition, with the cooperation of TradeWaltz, our shareholders, and everyone in academia, we will contribute to the digital transformation of the world and fulfill our responsibility as a company that supports social infrastructure."

Masahiro Tsutsui President and Representative DirectorNissin Corporation

“We have decided to invest in and participate in TradeWaltz, which aims to become a trade platform that not only digitizes trade practices but also transforms trade TradeWaltz. Through this, we would like to contribute to international logistics DX.”

TW Link Co., Ltd. President and Representative Director Kazuyasu Shigeta

``We believe that the reason why the digitization of trade practices has not progressed so far is due to the lack of understanding and cooperation at the logistics field level.In order to eliminate this bottleneck, shippers and logistics companies are working together. We have established TW Link.We intend to contribute from a wide range of logistics perspectives in order to grow TradeWaltz into a safe, secure, and smooth trading platform."

Hirohisa Kojima, President and Representative Director of TradeWaltz Inc.

“We would like to express our sincere gratitude to the University of Tokyo IPC from academia, and Mitsui-Soko HD, Nissin, and TW Link from the logistics industry for their investment participation. Together with the new shareholders we have welcomed, we will continue to work hard to popularize our services in Japan. I would like to work together with everyone in academia and industry, academia, and government ALL JAPAN to deepen our understanding of the future of trade and service concepts."

■About TradeWaltz

(Note) Abbreviation for Software as a Service, a system in which users use the necessary software functions via the Internet.

*"TradeWaltz" is a registered trademark of TradeWaltz Inc. in Japan Japan.

*Other product names, company names, and organization names are trademarks or registered trademarks of each company.

[Contact information regarding this matter]

University of Tokyo Collaborative Creation Platform Development Co., Ltd. Person in charge: Furukawa Email: k.furukawa@utokyo-ipc.co.jp
Mitsui-Soko Holdings Co., Ltd. Corporate Planning Department Public Relations Office Email: kouhou@mitsui-soko.co.jp

Nissin Corporation Tel: 03-3238-6583 (Business Strategy Department, Logistics DX Promotion Office)

TW Link Co., Ltd. Tel: 03-5440-9094 (Kanematsu Co., Ltd. Transportation Insurance Department)

TradeWaltz Inc. Public Relations Department Email: info@tradewaltz.com