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Aakel completes Pre-Series A Funding Round secures ¥225M, forming Capital & Business Alliance

2024/3/6

News Release

Press Release
March 6, 2024

　Aakel Technologies Inc. (HQ: Fukuoka, Japan; CEO: Ryoji Miyawaki), which aims to realize a decarbonized society through digital innovation, has conducted a fundraising totaling 225 million yen through a third-party allocation of shares as part of its pre-Series A round (involving a total of five companies) and entered into capital business partnership agreements with business company partners/CVC.

　The underwriters for the pre-Series A round include Chubu Electric Power Co., Inc. (HQ:Nagoya, Japan), Fusou Holdings Co., Ltd. (HQ: Tokyo, Japan), K4 Ventures, a joint venture of the Kansai Electric Power Group (Location: Osaka, Japan), Mitsubishi HC Capital Co., Ltd. (HQ: Tokyo, Japan), and Tokio Marine Holdings, Inc. (HQ: Tokyo, Japan).

Purpose of Fundraising and Future Developments

　As society moves into a stage where carbon neutrality is increasingly implemented on a full scale, Aakel sees it as a significant opportunity for its two self-developed services: the smart charging and discharging management service "AAKEL eFleet" and the GHG emission visualization and reduction strategy simulation service "AAKEL eCarbon" to make significant leaps. Through this capital business partnership, Aakel aims to create an ecosystem with its business company partners to implement these two services into society and accelerate the pace of service deployment. With this fundraising, Aakel will expand the functionality of the systems to improve the services, strengthen the foundation of the systems with an eye toward global expansion, and carry out marketing activities.

Summary

Amount raised: Total of 225 million yen
Method of fundraising: Third-party allocation of new shares
Investors: Chubu Electric Power Co., Ltd., Fusou Holdings Co., Ltd. (FUSO-SBI Innovation Fund), Kansai Electric Power Group (K4 Ventures LLC), Mitsubishi HC Capital Co., Ltd., and Tokio Marine Holdings, Inc., totaling five companies (in alphabetical order).

Comments from accepting companies (in alphabetical order):

Chubu Electric Power Co., Inc. / Executive Officer, Business Creation Division / Kazuaki Ishikawa
　In the field of digital service provision towards carbon neutrality, various companies are competing based on their unique ideas. In this context, the solutions provided by Aakel Technologies, which prioritize the optimization of electricity charges associated with renewable energy introduction and EV charging as core concepts, covering everything from EMS coordination to fleet management, are outstanding and unique in Japan. We look forward to further evolution and development in this field. Let's work together with a sense of urgency to tackle the societal challenges expected with the spread of EVs and contribute to the realization of a decarbonized society.

FUSO Holdings Co., Ltd. (FUSO-SBI Innovation Fund) / President and CEO / Naonobu Kado
　Since the declaration of Carbon Neutrality by 2050, efforts towards decarbonization tailored to the characteristics of regions, such as "Zero Carbon Cities," are required not only in corporate activities but also in local governments. Aakel Technologies has been providing excellent solutions through unparalleled consulting capabilities and various demonstration experiments. We are confident that through proposals for solutions to the initiatives of each local government based on the synergy of both companies' businesses, new value can be provided for solving regional societal issues.

Kansai Electric Power Group (K4 Ventures Co., Ltd.) / Executive Officer / Yasuhiro Kanda
　As the trend towards carbon neutrality accelerates, Aakel Technologies has been developing solution services utilizing digital technology to support decarbonization through various demonstrations. We believe that they can contribute to solving the significant societal problem of climate change. Let's work together to realize a carbon-neutral society and hope that smart charging will be synonymous with Aakel!

Mitsubishi HC Capital Co., Ltd. / Executive Officer, Mobility Business Division / Hisashi Ishimaki　
　The Mitsubishi HC Capital Group has positioned "EV-related" and "decarbonization solutions" as important themes to be addressed across the organization in the "Medium-term Management Plan for 2023-2025," launched in April 2023. Through the capital and business alliance this time, we will integrate the strengths of both companies to build a new integrated service, including energy management functions that are essential for corporate decarbonization and electrification, and aim to create social value through provision to customers.

Comment from our President and CEO, Ryoji Miyawaki
　We are developing digital services for functions essential to achieving carbon neutrality, believing strongly that implementing these services in society will contribute to solving the significant societal problem of climate change. We are honored to have been able to enter into a business capital alliance with companies that share our aspirations and are committed to working together to solve challenges. We express our gratitude to everyone involved in this contract and remain committed to challenging ourselves as a team in the future.

Our Awards and Recognitions:

•Selected for the 2022 APAC Cleantech 25 list by the US Cleantech Group
•Obtained international certification as a "B Corp (B Corporation)”
•Received the "Chairman's Award" at the 5th New Energy Awards in Reiwa 5
•Received the Encouragement Award in the research category of the　NIKKEIDecarbonization Awards 2021
•Selected for Forbes JAPAN 200 SUPERSTAR ENTREPRENEURS
•Received the Engineer-Friendly City Fukuoka Award 2021

Our Solution Services

AAKEL eFleet
Smart Charging & Discharging Management System
This is a software service that manages and automates the optimal charging and operation of EVs all at once. It utilizes AI and IoT to control the charging of required power during the cheapest time periods.
https://aakel.co.jp/eFleet/top

AAKEL eCarbon
GHG Emissions Visualization and Reduction Strategy Simulation Service
This software service supports the reduction of GHG emissions. It not only calculates and visualizes emissions but also proposes optimal strategies for achieving emission reduction goals. Additionally, it can simulate emission reduction amounts.
https://aakel.co.jp/ecarbon

Company Overview

　Aakel Technologies Inc. aims to achieve a decarbonized society through digital innovation. We provide digital services towards carbon neutrality and consulting services for companies aiming for carbon neutrality, covering measurement, strategy formulation, execution, and operation of GHG emissions. We offer "AAKEL eFleet" for EV smart charging and operation management and "AAKEL eCarbon" for GHG emissions measurement and reduction strategy simulation, with a focus on EV grid integration. We also support sustainable practices such as beach clean-ups, tree planting, effective use of thinned wood, and regularly hold an SDGs essay contest for local elementary school students. In 2022, we were listed on the APAC Cleantech 25 as one of the top 25 companies in the Asia-Pacific region and were selected as the only Japanese company in the Energy & Power sector. In 2023, we obtained international certification as a B Corporation.