Eight Knot Inc. (Headquarters: Sakai City, Osaka Prefecture; CEO: Yujin Kimura; hereinafter referred to as "our company") is pleased to announce that on January 31, 2024, it secured funding from the Kansai Innovation Network No. 2 Investment Limited Partnership (commonly known as Innovation Fund 25Next), which is operated by Senshu Ikeda Capital Co., Ltd. and funded by The Senshu Ikeda Bank, Ltd., among others. With this funding, the total amount raised in our Pre-Series A round has reached 160 million yen.
Innovation Fund 25Next aims to contribute to industrial promotion by creating new businesses in the local community, thereby promoting the development of the regional economy and securing employment in Osaka and the Kansai area. The fund targets companies with technologies and business models that are expected to contribute to the goals of the 2025 Osaka-Kansai Expo, such as achieving a society that meets the SDGs and realizing Society 5.0.
As a group of experts in robotics and AI, our company promotes "DX of the sea" and "robotization of ships." By implementing our autonomous navigation platform for small vessels, "AI CAPTAIN," we can support crew members, enhance safety, and optimize operational costs.
Through support for our company, we can contribute to the realization of SDG 11: "Sustainable Cities and Communities," which has led to the current support from the Senshu Ikeda Bank Group through Innovation Fund 25Next.
Fund Overview