JBS Invests in COTOBADESIGN, Inc.

Japan Business Systems, Inc. (Head Office: Minato-ku, Tokyo; Representative: Yukihiro Makita, President; hereinafter “JBS”) executed an investment of 77 million yen in COTOBADESIGN, Inc. (Head Office: Shibuya-ku, Tokyo; Executive Officer and President : Minoru Eto; hereinafter “Cotobadesign”) effective November 1, 2018.

This is a joint investment with OUVC Fund 1 Limited Partnership for Investment, for which Osaka University Venture Capital Co., Ltd. (Head Office: Suita, Osaka; President & CEO: Toshiaki Jimbo; hereinafter “OUVC”) is a general partner. Cotobadesign’s total fund-raising was approximately 200 million yen.

Through this investment Cotobadesign will hire personnel with higher levels of expertise, making the development of more sophisticated dialogue technology and conversational AI content possible. Additionally, aiming to provide a content platform and build a development community, Cotobadesign will further accelerate the research and development of its own products.

Through collaboration with Cotobadesign, JBS will engage in expansion that includes improved operational processes originating in dialogue through natural languages.