March 8, 2021
Press Release
Ball Wave Inc.
Ball Wave Inc.—headquartered in the city of Sendai in Miyagi, Japan and led by CEO
Shingo Akao, with the mission of revolutionizing gas metrology—has raised 181.44 million
yen in a Series-C funding round to support business expansion. In conjunction with thislatest capital infusion, Ball Wave has also launched R&D collaborations or enterprisepartnerships with three investors participating in this funding round: Toyoda Gosei Co., Ltd.,JA Mitsui Leasing, Ltd., and Taiwan’s Industrial Technology Investment Corporation (ITIC).
The ball SAW sensors that constitute Ball Wave's core technology are high-speed, highsensitivity gas sensors based on a phenomenon that seems to defy the laws of physics: longdistance propagation of surface acoustic waves on a spherical body. Trace moisture
analyzers employing these sensors are capable of detecting moisture content at dew points*1
below -100 ℃, and their miniature footprint (sensor diameter just 3.3 mm) and high-speed
operation makes them ideal candidates for applications at cutting-edge semiconductor
production facilities—and as embedded components in manufacturing support systems.*2
Ball Wave is also exploring new applications of ball SAW sensors for sensing applicationsin natural-gas pipelines and monitoring of trace moisture content in hydrogen gas generation
via renewable energy sources.*3 The new collaborations inspired by the latest funding roundhave also accelerated the commercialization of hydrogen gas sensors and airborne virus
sensors, helping to ensure the purity of the air we breathe today and enabling the hydrogenpowered societies of tomorrow. Finally, a palm-sized portable gas chromatographdeveloped in collaboration with the Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency (JAXA) has not
only proved useful for air travel and space exploration, but is now a focus of active
commercialization efforts targeting applications in everyday life on Earth.*4
About Ball Wave Inc.
President & CEO: Shingo Akao, Ph. D.
Head Office: Tohoku University Business Incubator T-Biz 501, 6-6-40, Aza Aoba,Aramaki, Aoba, Sendai, Miyagi 980-8579, JAPAN
Phone: +81-22-302-6659 FAX: +81-22-302-6709
Tokyo Office: 45th floor, Sunshine 60 Building, 3-1-1 Ikebukuro, Toshima-Ku, Tokyo
170-6045, JAPAN
Phone: +81-3-5979-2357
Website: http://www.ballwave.jp
For questions concerning this press release, contact:

Yusuke Tsukahara, Ph.D.
Corporate Strategy, Ball Wave Inc.
Phone: +81-3-5979-2357

Toyoda Gosei Co., Ltd.
Since its establishment in 1949, Toyoda Gosei has provided society with products using
rubber and plastic polymer technology, centering on its automotive parts, under thecompany's management philosophy of "Boundless Creativity and Social Contribution."
Presently with 64 group companies operating in 17 countries and regions worldwide,
Toyoda Gosei aims to become a global company, assembling the combined energy of its
40,000 employees to deliver peace of mind, safety, and comfort to customers around theworld.
Website: https://www.toyoda-gosei.com/

JA Mitsui Leasing, Ltd.
Under its Real Change 2025 medium-term management plan, JA Mitsui Leasing has set oneof its key policies as expanding business in specialized fields by changing business models.
The company has produced synergies through collaborative structures that transcend thefinancial framework, such as investments in leading edge start-ups and sales collaborations.
JA Mitsui Leasing has decided to invest in Ball Wave, focusing on the company’s advanced
technological capabilities and future business prospects, as well as its high affinity with JA
Mitsui Leasing's business platform.
President & CEO: Shuzo Furuya
Head Office: Ginza Mitsui Building, 8-13-1 Ginza, Chuo-ku, Tokyo 104-0061, JAPANWebsite: https://www.jamitsuilease.co.jp/en/
For questions concerning this press release, contact:
Corporate Planning Division, Public and Investor Relations Office,Phone: +81-3-6775-3002

Industrial Technology Investment Corporation (ITIC)
Established in 1979, ITIC has invested 12 billion TWD in ventures worldwide. Its
companies under investment span the globe and represent ventures and companies at allstages. ITIC has assembled the many possibilities of different industries to open up new
positions that are difficult for technology-based venture investment to achieve. In allcases, ITIC possesses a unique dominance in its technological depth accumulated over thedecades and the breadth of its resources to be deployed around the world.

Website: https://itic.com.tw/?lang=en―――――――――――――――――――――――――――――――――――*1) The dew point is the temperature at which a gas containing water vapor, cooled underatmospheric pressure, first exhibits condensation. A dew point of –100°C at a pressure of 1
atmosphere corresponds to a moisture content of 14 ppb.
*2) In 2020, Ball Wave was selected for NEDO’s Technology-Based Startup Support
Program / Product Commercialization Alliance (PCA) to explore applications for ballSAW trace moisture analyzers in the semiconductor industry.
(http://ballwave.jp/images/pre_6.pdf).
*3) Metrology for Advanced Hydrogen Storage Solutions(https://www.euramet.org/research-innovation/search-researchprojects/details/project/metrology-for-advanced-hydrogen-storagesolutions/?L=0&tx_eurametctcp_project%5Baction%5D=show&tx_eurametctcp_project%5Bcontroller%5D=Project&cHash=44fb6812cfaa610d1772e23e4ade526e)*4) See the presentation delivered at the 68th Japan Society of Applied Physics Spring
Meeting 2021:
https://confit.atlas.jp/guide/event/jsap2021s/subject/17p-Z13-8/advanced