Innovation Kyoto 2021 Investment Limited Partnership ("Kyoto-iCAP No.2 Fund"), with Kyoto University Innovation Capital Corporation ("Kyoto-iCAP") (Head Office: Sakyo-ku, Kyoto; Representative Director: Kimi Kusumi) as unlimited liability partner, has made an additional investment in Kagawa University venture company Melody International Co. (Head office: Takamatsu City, Kagawa Prefecture; Representative Director: Yuko Ogata), a venture company originating from Kagawa University.

Outline of this investment Melody is a Kagawa University venture that develops mobile delivery monitoring devices for use in fetal monitoring in perinatal care.

Delivery monitoring devices measure fetal heartbeats using ultrasonic Doppler technology and are widely used in antenatal checkups and delivery monitoring. However, existing products are stationary and require a large space for installation due to their size. Therefore, Melody developed a compact, IoT-enabled, mobile device that enables monitoring of fetuses and pregnant women regardless of time and location, and launched it as a medical device in 2019. In addition, as a social background, the number of obstetric facilities in Japan is decreasing and the recent new type of coronavirus infection is placing a heavy burden on pregnant women to visit hospitals. On the other hand, emerging and developing countries continue to face high maternal and infant mortality rates due to inadequate obstetric facilities and a lack of medical specialists. Melody has conducted a series of demonstration tests of remote monitoring in Southeast Asian countries, and has verified that this product can help realize safe and secure childbirth. Kyoto-iCAP has invested an additional 50 million yen through a third-party allocation of new shares in anticipation of the contribution that Melody's iCTG delivery monitoring device and the Melody i perinatal telemedicine platform will make to regional perinatal care. In addition to Kyoto-iCAP, other investors in the fundraising include Iyogin Capital Corporation, Tokai Tokyo Investment Corporation, and an investment limited partnership managed by QR Investment Co.

Outline of Melody International, Inc.
Established July 2015
Business Description Manufacturing, development, and sales of telemedicine service platforms and medical devices
Head Office Takamatsu City, Kagawa Prefecture
Yuko Ogata, Representative Director
HP:https://melody.international/

Kyoto University Innovation Capital Co., Ltd.(Kyoto-iCAP)About As a wholly-owned subsidiary of Kyoto University, KYOTO-iCAP provides investment and other business support to companies that utilize research results generated by Kyoto University and other national universities. We currently operate the Innovation Kyoto 2016 Investment Limited Partnership ("KYOTO-iCAP 1 Fund") (established in January 2016) with a total value of 16 billion yen and the KYOTO-iCAP 2 Fund (established in January 2021) with a total value of 18.1 billion yen. The KYOTO-iCAP No. 1 Fund has a maturity of up to 20 years, and the KYOTO-iCAP No. 2 Fund has a maturity of up to 17 years, making it possible to provide long-term support for the practical application of research results from Kyoto University, which has strengths in basic research. In addition, KYOTO-iCAP No. 2 Fund will invest a portion of the funds in ventures originating from national universities other than Kyoto University.

Contact information for inquiries
Kyoto University Innovation Capital Co., Ltd.
36-1 Yoshida Honmachi, Sakyo-ku, Kyoto 606-8317, Japan
Osami Kono, Senior Officer, Business Development Department
TEL: 075-753-7588 FAX: 075-753-7592
E-mail: info@kyoto-unicap.co.jp