AI Storm Announces Business Partnership with Maaap Inc.

AI Storm Inc. (formerly Jexeed Inc., headquarters: Chiyoda-ku, Tokyo; President and CEO: Toshio Imai; Securities Code: 3719) announces that, effective June 1, 2026, it has entered into a business partnership agreement with Maaap Inc. (headquarters: Shinjuku-ku, Tokyo; Representative Director: Jin-Xing Xue; hereinafter "Maaap").

◆ Background of the Partnership

Japan's M&A market continues to expand, with the number of M&A transactions in FY2025 reaching a record high. One key factor behind this trend is the "2025 Business Succession Problem" highlighted by the Small and Medium Enterprise Agency. According to its estimates, approximately 2.45 million small and medium-sized enterprise owners will be over 70 years old by 2025, with about half lacking successors, increasing expectations for third-party succession through M&A (source: Small and Medium Enterprise Agency).

Additionally, the Tokyo Stock Exchange's September 2025 revision of its listing system significantly raises the maintenance standards for the Growth Market. Starting March 2030, the requirement will change from the current "market capitalization of at least 4 billion yen 10 years after listing" to "market capitalization of at least 10 billion yen 5 years after listing." As a result, for emerging companies, growth acceleration and restructuring through M&A have become increasingly viable alternatives to IPOs alone.

AI Storm, while focusing on business transformation support through AI and DX, also positions M&A as a key strategy for portfolio expansion and discontinuous growth. This partnership aims to establish a robust framework for promoting M&A in the AI and IT sectors by combining AI Storm's AI and DX capabilities with Maaap's practical expertise and insights as a registered M&A support agency under Japan's M&A Support Agency Registration System.

◆ Scope of the Partnership

The partnership will focus on the following three initiatives, leveraging each company's strengths and expertise to enhance corporate value, create new customer value, and generate M&A opportunities in the AI and IT sectors:

Strengthening AI Storm's M&A Promotion Framework AI Storm will establish a new "M&A Promotion Office" within the company to formulate and execute M&A strategies. Maaap will provide advisory services and information support for AI Storm's M&A activities.

Advancing AI Storm's M&A Advisory Business AI Storm will launch an M&A advisory service focused primarily on AI and IT-related businesses, along with the operation of an M&A matchmaking platform, "AI Storm M&A" (https://ai-storm-ma.com/). Maaap will provide advice and information to support the development of this business.

Cross-Selling and Up-Selling to Mutual Customers

- Maaap will offer M&A consulting and advisory services to AI Storm's clients (including existing customers and partner companies).

- AI Storm will provide consulting and solutions for AI and DX advancement to Maaap's clients (including M&A buyers and sellers, accounting firms, law firms, and other M&A support agencies).

◆ Comments from President Imai, Representative Director of AI Storm Inc.

AI Storm Inc. President and CEO, Toshio Imai

"We are positioning M&A as a core component of our future growth strategy. The AI market is entering a phase of rapid consolidation and restructuring driven by technological advancements. By acquiring AI and IT companies with superior technology and talent through M&A, we believe we can achieve discontinuous business expansion by integrating their capabilities with our own expertise in implementing AI to create real-world value.

To this end, we are establishing the M&A Promotion Office concurrently with this partnership, creating a permanent internal function to oversee the entire M&A process—from strategy formulation to PMI (post-merger integration). By incorporating Maaap's insights from over 50 M&A support cases, we will now be able to pursue deals that were previously out of reach.

We will steadily accumulate M&A transactions one by one and are committed to achieving a market capitalization of 50 billion yen."

◆ About Maaap Inc.

Company Name: Maaap Inc.

Representative: Representative Director Jin-Xing Xue

Headquarters: 6-16-12 Nishi-Shinjuku, Shinjuku-ku, Tokyo

Business Activities: M&A intermediation and financial advisory (FA) services, operation of an M&A matchmaking platform, etc.

URL: https://maaap.info/

Maaap Inc. is a registered support agency under Japan's government-established M&A Support Agency Registration System and a declared adherent to the "SME M&A Guidelines (3rd Edition)" issued by the Small and Medium Enterprise Agency.

◆ Company Overview

Company Name: AI Storm Inc. (formerly Jexeed Inc.)

Representative Director: Toshio Imai

Headquarters: 3-17-11 Kanda-Nishikicho, Chiyoda-ku, Tokyo, Eiyo Building 9F

Business Activities: AI services, AI education, AI product development, ERP/HR consulting, LED vision systems, truck sales and leasing, ad-truck advertising, IT equipment sales, etc.

Corporate Website: https://www.ai-storm.co.jp

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Media Contact

AI Storm Inc., Public Relations

Email: [email protected]