STANDAGE Co., Ltd. (Headquarters: Minato-ku, Tokyo; Representative Director: Akinori Adachi; hereinafter "STANDAGE") and Funai Soken Holdings Co., Ltd. (Headquarters: Chuo-ku, Tokyo; Representative Director and Group CEO: Takayuki Nakatani) are pleased to announce that they will enter into a capital alliance in February 2026. Together with Funai Research Institute Co., Ltd. (Headquarters: Chuo-ku, Tokyo; Representative Director and President: Daisuke Shinkai; hereinafter "Funai Research Institute"), they will combine Funai Research Institute's management consulting expertise with the knowledge gained from STANDAGE's digital trade platform "Omakase Trade" to accelerate support for exports and overseas expansion of small and medium-sized enterprises.

As the first step in this partnership, we will jointly operate the "Global Growth Management Study Group," a practical community that combines the strengths of both companies, starting in June 2026. This will create a comprehensive support system to help Japanese companies expand their overseas sales.

■Background of this partnership

For small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) facing a shrinking domestic market, developing overseas sales channels is an urgent issue. STANDAGE, a leading provider of trade support for SMEs (over 450 contracted companies as of December 2025), and Funai Research Institute, one of Japan's largest management consulting firms for SMEs (6,236 domestic client companies as of FY2025), have combined their expertise. This partnership aims to provide comprehensive support, from strategy planning to practical implementation, to strongly assist companies with limited resources in their overseas expansion and contribute to their global growth.

■ Background and Objectives of the Research Group

As the Japanese market matures, many small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) are seeking opportunities in overseas markets, but they face three major obstacles: a shortage of skilled personnel, information asymmetry, and a lack of reliable partners. This study group was established as a platform for business owners aiming to overcome these barriers and expand their overseas sales ratio.

■ About STANDAGE Co., Ltd.

Established in March 2017, the company's vision is "to create a world where all countries have equal access to all goods." It develops a new trade settlement system utilizing blockchain and stablecoins that enables the safe, secure, and inexpensive simultaneous exchange of "goods" and "payments" regardless of region or country. Seeing emerging markets, particularly Africa, as its main market, the company established a base in Nigeria shortly after its founding and began developing trade operations with Africa. Beyond trade settlement, it develops and provides systems that realize digital transformation across the entire trade sector, including sales channel development, order placement and processing, and international logistics. Furthermore, it supports the overseas expansion of small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) to increase the number of new domestic trade players.

■ About Funai Research Institute Co., Ltd.

This management consulting firm, boasting one of Japan's largest networks of expert consultants, targets medium-sized and small businesses. It employs a unique support style that combines monthly support and management study groups tailored to specific industries and themes. Its mission is to create numerous "sustainable growth companies" with high social value through support for growth implementation, recruitment and human capital management, corporate value enhancement, and DX (digital transformation) support. Its hands-on, practical consulting activities, closely aligned with the needs of business owners, have earned it high praise from executives across various industries and sectors.