Sapphire Investment Fund I L.P. (hereinafter referred to as "Sapphire Fund I"), managed by Sapphire Capital Co., Ltd. (hereinafter referred to as "Sapphire"), has made an investment in GROUND Inc. (hereinafter referred to as "GROUND"), a leading LogiTech company in Japan. To accelerate its business expansion and drive innovation in the e-commerce and logistics industry, GROUND has raised 1.71 billion yen through a third-party allotment capital increase. Investors include INCJ, Sony Innovation Fund (Sony Corporation), Sapphire Fund I, JA Mitsui Leasing Ltd., IMM Investment Corp., and IMM Investment Group Japan.

GROUND is committed to realizing the vision of "Intelligent Logistics" by delivering cutting-edge technology-driven logistics solutions. Led by CEO Hirotomo Miyata, the GROUND team possesses deep expertise not only in logistics and supply chain management but also in data science and marketing, with a strong knowledge base and global network in the latest technologies. The company develops integrated hardware and software solutions to optimize increasingly complex logistics operations by balancing supply and demand. Recognizing GROUND’s logistics expertise and advanced AI- and robotics-powered next-generation logistics solutions, Sapphire Capital has invested in the company as the first project of the Sapphire Fund I. Sapphire will continue to support GROUND as a strategic partner, helping it expand globally and enhance its corporate value. * LogiTech® and Intelligent Logistics® are registered trademarks or trademarks of GROUND Inc.

For Inquiries：
Sapphire Capital Co., Ltd.
Nittetsu Nihonbashi Building 3F, 1-13-1 Nihonbashi, Chuo-ku, Tokyo 103-0027
Email: info@sapphirecapital.co.jp

GROUND Inc.
Established: April 2015
Representative: Hirotomo Miyata, President & CEO
Location: The SOHO 3F, 2-7-4 Aomi, Koto-ku, Tokyo
Capital: 100 million yen (as of March 2019)
Business:
development of technology-driven logistics solutions
Website https://groundinc.co.jp

Sapphire Capital Co., Ltd.
Established: April 2016
Representative: President & CEO Yasuo Yamada
Shareholders:
Polaris Advisors Inc.
Sugashita Partners Inc.
Yasuo Yamada
Location: Nittetsu Nihonbashi Building 3F, 1-13-1 Nihonbashi, Chuo-ku, Tokyo
Business：
Investing in securities
Managing Investment Limited Partnerships (LPS)
Management consulting services
Website https://www.sapphirecapital.co.jp/