NewsJuly 1, 2022
JAFCO Group Co., Ltd.

Two New Partners in Charge of Venture Investment Appointed
Accelerate realization of JAFCO’s mission“Commit to new business creation and jointly shape the future”

JAFCO Group Co., Ltd. (Headquarters: Minato-ku, Tokyo, President & CEO: Keisuke Miyoshi,hereinafter “JAFCO”) is pleased to announce the appointment of two new partners, Yutaro Sakaand Mizuki Takahara, responsible for venture investment.
JAFCO has introduced the partnership model since 2018, whereby the partners take the responsibility
for fund operations to better demonstrate individual commitment to realizing JAFCO’s mission of“Commit to new business creation and jointly shape the future.” During the past four years, JAFCO has
continued to pursue highly selective, intensive investment under the partnership model, while taking
various measures to reproduce success by leveraging its organizational strength.
Yutaro Saka has been a member of the business development division since 2018. He has built
mechanisms for providing sales and administrative support for startups, expanding JAFCO’s networkof large companies and leveraging such network, based on his experience working closely withentrepreneurs at the investment division. Mizuki Takahara has consistently focused on investment
activities in regions other than Tokyo and actively participates in the development of local ecosystems
in an effort to create world-class startups from regional areas.

New Partner Yutaro Saka

＜Career＞
Joined JAFCO in 2012. Main investments include
Money Forward, Chartwork, and WACUL. Ranked
No.2 in 2017 and No.9 in 2021 on the Forbes
Japan's Midas List of most influential venture
capital investors in Japan.
Other than investment operations, he hasexperience serving as CFO of a portfolio company
and, as a member of the business development
team, he has built the respective foundation of thecurrent sales/marketing, HR, and back-officesupport operations.

＜Comment＞
I don't want to find the right answers for today, but to create the right answers for the future withentrepreneurs. Creating common sense for a future that no one has yet imagined is a difficult andlonely battle. That is why I want to be the one to turn to, to carve out the future with entrepreneurs
as their first supporter.

New Partner Mizuki Takahara＜Career＞
Joined JAFCO in 2010 after graduating fromDoshisha University, Faculty of Law. After
working at the Chubu Branch (currently WestJapan Branch), he was appointed Manager of theKansai Branch in March 2018. Main investments
include Uniform Next and Wonder Planet. He has
consistently focused on start-up investment andgrowth support for companies in regions otherthan Tokyo. In addition to IPO/M&A exits, he has
experience in fundraising operations and plays anactive role in extensive activities supporting
entrepreneurs in various regions, including theJapan Startup Support Association and Osaka
Innovation Hub Seed Acceleration Program.

＜Comment＞
I am convinced that entrepreneurs who take on the challenge of solving major social issues comefrom all over the country, regardless of region. As the closest partner sharing common aspirations
with entrepreneurs unique to each region, I am committed to making a significant contribution.

New Partner Structure
The environment surrounding startups is changing rapidly at an unprecedented speed. JAFCO willcontinue to evolve to open up a new era together with entrepreneurs. We look forward to yourcontinued support for powered-up JAFCO with the new partners.

(From left: Kitazawa, Isaka, Miyoshi, Saka, Takahara, Fujii)

For more information, please contact
pr@jafco.co.jp, JAFCO Group Co., Ltd.