2024年8月27日
SBI控股股票型公司
Preferred Networks股份有限公司

SBI Holdings, Inc. (Headquarters: Minato-ku, Tokyo, Representative Director, Chairman and President: Yoshitaka Kitao, hereinafter referred to as 'SBI Holdings') and Preferred Networks, Inc. (Headquarters: Chiyoda-ku, Tokyo, Chief Executive Officer: Toru Nishikawa, hereinafter referred to as 'PFN'), which develops solutions and products utilizing AI technology and AI semiconductors, have concluded a basic agreement on a capital business alliance for the development and commercialization of next-generation AI semiconductors.

PFN was founded in 2014 as a startup that vertically integrates the development and provision of hardware and software necessary for the practical application of AI technology. It develops AI semiconductors, peripheral software development, and supercomputer development using its self-developed AI semiconductors, and builds a foundation for generating AI models and develops applications utilizing them. It has been providing a computing platform using its own AI semiconductors to external users since 2023.
Since its establishment, PFN has been promoting the implementation of cutting-edge AI technology for various industries and has a track record of providing SaaS for autonomous driving of large-scale plants and atomic-level simulations for material development in domestic and overseas markets.
In recent years, in addition to software development such as AI algorithms, PFN has been developing its self-designed AI semiconductor MN-Core series. In the Green500 supercomputer power efficiency ranking, supercomputers equipped with MN-Core (1st generation) took first place three times in 2020 and 2021.

In recent years, with the advancement of generative AI technology, the demand for AI semiconductors has rapidly increased worldwide, causing supply shortages. Furthermore, it is expected that power consumption due to AI development and utilization will continue to increase, leading to the need for the development of high-performance and low power consumption AI semiconductors. In Japan, the government is promoting support for AI semiconductors based on the 5G Promotion Act, and in 2023, it will formulate a 'Semiconductor and Digital Industry Strategy' and propose a policy for medium- to long-term domestic digital infrastructure development as an important national strategy. Next-generation AI semiconductors play a central role in the development of the 'Cloud Program' based on the 'Economic Security Promotion Law' and are recognized as being of great importance.

在這樣的環境下，SBI集團和PFN簽訂了關於資本業務合作的基本協議，並積極推進PFN開發的下一代AI半導體的社會實施。

基於此次基本協議，我們將在以下主要領域探討業務合作。
1. PFN的下一代AI半導體的共同研究和開發以實現產品化。
2. PFN在下一代AI半導體的製造過程中，對後期工藝的協作。
3. PFN的資金籌集等金融合作。

業務合作內容不僅限於以上項目，也有可能根據SBI集團和PFN雙方的協議而擴大。
SBI集團此前已設立了從事半導體業務的JSMC Holdings株式會社，推動了國內半導體產業的復興和地方創生。目前，SBI集團正在與半導體巨頭商社株式會社Reed's Inc.進行業務合作，以及在宮城縣大橋村確保項目用地等，推動半導體業務的擴展。SBI集團通過與PFN的合作，將強力支持下一代AI半導體在日本的推廣，促進PFN的業務擴大，爲日本的半導體產業發展做出貢獻。
此外，SBI集團通過進行PFN的下一代人形機器人硬件的製造，可以提高SBI集團在製造業中的知名度，並建立半導體生態系統，以促進宮城縣的半導體生產，從而帶來高經濟效益。因此，我們認爲通過此舉可以大幅提升SBI集團的附加值，併成爲地方產業創造的典範。爲了實現這些目標，SBI集團計劃通過SBI控股等方式投資最多100億元。

【投資概要】

SBI控股和PFN將繼續致力於推動日本產業發展，積極推動半導體產業的活躍。

以上。