Execution of the Establishment Investment in aceRNA Technologies, Inc.
〜The Entrepreneur Candidate Club (ECC-iCAP) has launched its first entrepreneurial project.

Innovation Kyoto 2016 Investment Limited Partnership ("KYOTO-iCAP No.1 Fund"), with Kyoto University Innovation Capital Corporation ("Kyoto iCAP") (Head office: Sakyo-ku, Kyoto; Representative Director: Koji Murota) as unlimited liability partner, has made an investment in a venture business utilizing the research results of Kyoto University. (Head office: Sakyo-ku, Kyoto; Representative Director: Teruo Susumu), a venture company that utilizes research results from Kyoto University.

Execution of investment in 0aceRNA
aceRNA is a company engaged in the purification of regenerative cellular medicines and drug discovery business through its platform technology using artificial RNA molecules ("RNA Switch") developed by Hirohide Saito, Deputy Director of the Kyoto University iPS Cell Research Institute.

Pluripotent stem cells such as iPS cells and ES cells are used as regenerative cell medicine after undergoing a differentiation process. Since undifferentiated stem cells remaining in the differentiation process may cause cancer, technology to remove undifferentiated stem cells is essential for the practical use of iPS and ES cells. RNA switches can selectively kill or label undifferentiated cells and can be applied to mass production of differentiated cells. The technology is expected to contribute to the medical community.

aceRNA is the first case in which a management team was formed from members of the Entrepreneur Candidate Club (ECC-iCAP), an organization for entrepreneurs established and operated by Kyoto iCAP. Professor Saito and other researchers who are interested in the commercialization of RNA switches held repeated discussions on commercialization, leading to the joint establishment of the company.

The founding of aceRNA was supported by the "KYOTO Entrepreneur Development Program" of the City of Kyoto and the Advanced Scientific Technology Research Institute of Kyoto, and is expected to be one of the future models of entrepreneurship utilizing the research results of industry, government, and Kyoto University.

Kyoto iCAP signed an investment agreement with aceRNA for a total of 80.5 million yen to underwrite a third-party allocation of new shares and bonds on the condition that future milestones are achieved. The founders of aceRNA, together with other founders, participated in the establishment investment totaling 5 million yen and executed a 500,000 yen investment. At the same time as the investment, one outside director will be dispatched to the company to provide general management support.

aceRNA Technologies, Inc.

Establishment	April 2018
Business	Development of cell purification products and drug discovery using RNA switch technology
Head Office Location	Sakyo-ku, Kyoto
President & CEO	Teruo Shin