FLYWHEEL, Inc. and KDDI Group forge capital business partnership towards the realization of a secure and safe data-connected society

―Promoting corporate digital transformation (DX) and inter-corporate collaboration through data utilization platforms and au big data―

• KDDI Corporation
• KDDI Digital Divergence Holdings Corporation
• FLYWHEEL, Inc.

March 27,2023

TOKYO - On March 10, 2023, FLYWHEEL, Inc. (Head Office: Chiyoda-ku, Tokyo; CEO: Naoto Yokoyama), KDDI Corporation (Head Office: Chiyoda-ku, Tokyo; CEO: Makoto Takahashi) and KDDI Digital Divergence Holdings Corporation (Head Office: Minato-ku, Tokyo; CEO: Akihito Fujii) signed a capital business partnership (hereinafter referred to as "this partnership"). KDDI and KDDI Digital Divergence will hold 15.3% and 34.8% of FLYWHEEL's shares, respectively, with FLYWHEEL becoming a consolidated subsidiary of KDDI by April 3, 2023.

Through this partnership, the three companies will promote corporate DX by utilizing data, promote inter-corporate data collaboration by safely and securely connecting corporate data, and aim to support solving social issues and improving customer experience value, while striving for industrial transformation.

In this partnership, FLYWHEEL's platform "Conata (TM)," which balances privacy protection and data utilization, and KDDI's au big data, as well as the digital technologies of KDDI Digital Divergence Group's cloud and agile development, will cooperate. Using customer data and au's big data, Conata enables reproducing a company's business as a digital twin, simulating business activities against it, and then reflecting the results of this simulation onto real-world business activities.

■Background and objectives of this partnership

As digitalization advances across society, companies are required to create new value and transform their businesses using data and digital technology in response to changes in the business environment. On the other hand, many companies face challenges with data utilization, such as data shortages, not knowing how to utilize data, and difficulty in continuously utilizing data for business success. Furthermore, due to the protection of personal information, there is a situation where the collaboration between internal and external data has not progressed, resulting in lack of efficiency and activation in industries and society as a whole.

■KDDI Group

KDDI is promoting the improvement of customer experience value through utilizing big data solutions, such as providing the "KDDI Location Analyzer" tool for analyzing location information and establishing a company that specializes in conducting pedestrian flow analysis. Also, under the "Satellite Growth Strategy," KDDI has established KDDI Digital Divergence to strengthen digital technology and software development through collaboration with various group companies that have the necessary capabilities for promoting DX and partnerships with external companies. Through this partnership, the KDDI Group will further promote the use of corporate data, connect society not only through communication but also through data, and promote the solution of social issues and DX for companies.

■FLYWHEEL

FLYWHEEL is a startup specializing in data engineering. The management team and engineers, who have experience in global-level data utilization at major U.S. tech companies, use their experience and technical capabilities to realize data linkage and system implementation according to customer needs in a short period of time. By smoothly and quickly implementing the PDCA cycle of data utilization, they accompany customers in utilizing their data.
FLYWHEEL's data utilization platform, Conata (TM), provides a one-stop environment for companies to utilize data and is an excellent platform that protects personal information and privacy to the fullest extent. Through this partnership, FLYWHEEL will create a world where companies can use data with peace of mind by creating a synergistic effect with the KDDI Group's big data and digital technology.

■Overview of FLYWHEEL, Inc.

Trade Name: FLYWHEEL, Inc.
Business: Development and provision of AI and Data service solutions
Established: February 9, 2018
Registered Place of Business: 2-5-1 Kojimachi, Chiyoda-ku, Tokyo
Representative: Naoto Yokoyama, CEO
Website: https://www.flywheel.jp (in Japanese only)

■Overview of KDDI

Trade Name: KDDI CORPORATION
Business: Telecommunications business
Established: June 1, 1984
Registered Place of Business: 2-3-2 Nishishinjuku Shinjuku-Ku Tokyo
Representative: Makoto Takahashi, President and CEO
Website: https://www.kddi.com/english/

■Overview of KDDI Digital Divergence

Trade Name: KDDI Digital Divergence Holdings Corporation
Business: Functions for the planning, formulation, and advancement of the business strategies of group companies in DX business, and management business of group companies
Date of Establishment: May 12, 2022
Registered Place of Business: 2-10-1 Toranomon, Minato-ku, Tokyo
Representative: Akihito Fujii, CEO
Website: https://www.kddi-digital.com (in Japanese only)

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