Solving Social Issues and Creating a Sustainable Society! Seven major endorsing members joined Impact Startup Association!

What is Impact Startup Association?

Impact startups are corporate entities that aim to both "solve social issues" and achieve sustainable growth.
ISA was established in October 2022 and became a general incorporated association in January 2023, with the purpose of "building an impact startup ecosystem and realizing a sustainable society".
Currently, a total of 38 startups are members.

Endorsing members have joined the ISA in support of the ISA's objectives of extending the Purpose and Impact Economy as set forth by the ISA.

ISA intends to continue to vigorously develop its activities with the support and cooperation of its endorsing members to "solve social issues" and realize a "sustainable society.

We continue to accept new applications for expert and regular memberships.

List of Supporting Members

＜Platinum Members (in alphabetical order)
Nomura Holdings, Inc.
Mizuho Financial Group, Inc.
Sumitomo Mitsui Financial Group, Inc.

＜Gold Members (in alphabetical order)
Foundation for the Advancement of Social Change
Hakuhodo Inc.
Marui Group Inc.

＜Silver Members (in alphabetical order)
Nippon Telegraph and Telephone East Corporation

Comments from Supporting Members

<Comments from Chie Toriumi, Executive Officer, General Manager of Content Company, Sustainability Promotion and Financial & Economic Education, Nomura Holdings, Inc.
The Nomura Group's mission is to contribute to the creation of a prosperous society through the financial and capital markets, and we are working to resolve various sustainability issues.
In the aftermath of the Corona disaster, when social sustainability and fairness are more important than ever, I believe that your association, which promotes the organic connection and development of impact startups, will respond to a critical need in society.
We look forward to supporting the efforts of your association and impact startup companies from a financial perspective.

＜Comments from Kotaro Sueyoshi, Deputy General Manager, Sustainable Business Department, Mizuho Financial Group, Inc.
Mizuho has been actively supporting both negative impact reduction and positive impact creation to help customers solve environmental and social issues. In recent years, financial institutions are being called upon more than ever to help maximize positive impact.
In response to the demands of the times, Mizuho agrees with the purpose and social significance of this association and has decided to join. Together with the association, we will actively work to expand the impact startup ecosystem to help solve social issues and realize a sustainable society.

＜Fumihiko Ito, Managing Executive Officer, Group CSuO, Sumitomo Mitsui Financial Group, Inc.
Impact startups are the driving force behind sustainable economic growth, and at the same time, they contribute to solving social issues and play a role in creating social value. By joining this association, the SMBC Group will promote co-creation with impact startups, foster an environment where more social issues can be solved, and contribute to the development of the Japanese economy.

＜Comments from Mr. Mitsumasa Aoyagi, Executive Director of the Foundation for the Advancement of Social Change
The enthusiasm and creativity of impact startups are absolutely necessary to solve social issues and realize a sustainable society. We look forward to collaborating and working with the members of the association to create a social ecosystem centered on impact.

＜Hakuhodo Inc. Mirai Business Office Manager Itaru Yoshizawa commented on the project.
Co-creation with a variety of people across fields is essential to solving increasingly complex social issues. Hakuhodo's new business development organization, Mirai no Kigyoshitsu, is a "big team" that works with social entrepreneurs, investors, companies, governments, educational institutions, and others across fields under the motto, "Designing new society and industry with the power of connections. We will continue to work for the realization of a sustainable society.

<Comments from Mr. Hirotsugu Kato, Director, Managing Executive Officer and CFO of Marui Group Inc.
We are very pleased to join the Impact Startup Association. In our mid-term business plan, we have set an impact goal, and we believe that we can achieve this goal not only by ourselves but also by co-creating with various people. We have been working with startup companies to solve social issues, and we hope to expand our circle of co-creation and achieve even greater impact through our participation in this association.

＜Kenji Iwasa, General Manager, Value Partner Department, Business Innovation Division, Nippon Telegraph and Telephone East Corporation
We are very grateful for the opportunity to join your association as an endorsing member for the growth of impact startups in Japan. One of our major themes is "solving social issues," and we believe that new capabilities such as advanced technologies and ideas possessed by impact startups are indispensable for this purpose. We will work as one with you in your efforts to create an ecosystem that fosters impact startups. Let us work hand in hand and push forward together for the further development of Japan.

Outline of the Association

<Directors 6 companies (in no particular order)
READYFOR Corporation, Unifa Corporation, Life-Is-Tech Corporation, Herald Bonnie Corporation, Gosei & Company, Astroscale Holdings Inc.

<17 companies (in no particular order) that are regular members of the first term
SAKANO TOCHU Corporation, SOZOW Corporation, AGRIST Corporation, Blanket Corporation, aba Corporation, TeaRoom Corporation, Inoka Corporation, WOTA Corporation, TBM Corporation, CureApp Corporation, Natural Power Company, Yale Corporation, Fast Doctor Inc, Pilika Corporation, Firmen Station Corporation, COTEN Corporation, Vivid Garden Co.

<15 companies (in no particular order) that are regular members of the 2nd term
Essence Corporation, KAPOK JAPAN Corporation, Linklusion Corporation, Dots for Corporation, SHE Corporation, Ashirase Corporation, FoundingBase Corporation, Oly Laboratory Corporation, Waris Corporation, NearMe Corporation, Trend Inc. Express, HQ Corporation, Hakali Corporation, Mama Square Corporation, Posi-will Inc.

<Auditors
Tsuyoshi Igarashi

Admission

We are now accepting membership applications from the following. Please note that the full membership is being reviewed sequentially for more than 100 membership requests and inquiries.

Application Form:https://bit.ly/3TyXxvE
More information for active members:https://note.com/impact_startup/n/na75b93f36467

About Impact Startup Association

ISA's Purpose is "to realize a sustainable society by recognizing 'solving social issues' as an engine for growth" and will carry out activities based on the following four pillars.

(1) Sharing: As essential knowledge for impact startups to grow, information exchange and study sessions will be held among members to share knowledge about fundraising, visualization of impact, etc.

(2) Formation: Aiming to create an ecosystem of impact startups, we will promote the expansion of those involved through the implementation of impact investment workshops for investors.

(3) Proposal: Aiming to build a growth environment for impact startups, we will create a forum for collaborative creation with government and administrative organizations. We are considering making policy recommendations, holding briefings for interested legislators, and co-hosting seminars with government organizations.

(4) Dissemination: We will disseminate the existence of impact startups and expand the number of players.