Innovation Kyoto 2021 Investment Limited Partnership ("KYOTO-ICAP No.2 Fund"), with Kyoto University Innovation Capital Corporation ("Kyoto iCAP") (Head Office: Sakyo-ku, Kyoto; President and CEO: Ko Kusumi) as unlimited liability partner, has made an investment in Holo Bio Co., Ltd. (Head office: Nishikyo-ku, Kyoto; CEO: Masato Umeda)

Overview of this investment
Holo Bio is a Kyoto University startup that develops technology to improve the growth and health of farmed fish by feeding them food containing functional intestinal bacteria established from fish, which grow in their intestines.

While the Japanese seafood market continues to decline slightly, the global market continues to grow and expand. However, overfishing of fish, including small fish for food as well as bait, has become an issue, and many efforts are being made to maintain and improve fishery resources and the fishing grounds environment. In addition, many aquaculture companies have closed their businesses due to the rising cost of natural feed such as fishmeal and fuel, making the establishment of sustainable fisheries an urgent issue. Although technological development of land-based aquaculture and artificial aquaculture has been promoted, problems such as poor growth and sudden death have yet to be solved. Holo Bio aims to solve the problems of fisheries, such as growth promotion and infection prevention, by improving the intestinal microflora of cultured fish through the administration of functional intestinal bacteria.

Kyoto iCAP has made an additional investment of 80 million yen through a third-party allotment of new shares, based on the results of demonstration tests conducted at aquaculture sites of Holo Bio's technologies for establishing functional intestinal bacteria and improving bacterial flora, which have been developed in a laboratory environment, and the potential for collaboration with business companies. In addition to Kyoto iCAP, other investors include Chushin Venture Capital, Genesia Ventures, Ikeda Senshu Capital, and Will Capital Management.

Outline of Holo Bio Co., Ltd.
Establishment : April 2020
Business : Intestinal microbiome, Analysis of farmed fish, Fish feed development
Head office: Kyoto, Japan
CEO: Masato Umeda
HP: https://www.holo-bio.com/

About Kyoto University Innovation Capital Co., Ltd. (Kyoto-iCAP)
　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. The Kyoto-iCAP 2 Fund has a maximum maturity of 17 years. 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