OUGI raised funds from MUIC Kansai by using a startup support scheme of “SAFE (Simple Agreement for Future Equity)” as the first case in Japan

Today, 24th April 2025, OUGI announced that General Incorporated Association Kansai Innovation Center (MUIC Kansai) released the news titled “MUIC executed the startup support scheme ‘SAFE (Simple Agreement for Future Equity)’ as the first case in Japan.”

OUGI Inc. (CEO, Takaaki Ota), a travel company for the high-end inbound tourists, raised funds from General Incorporated Association Kansai Innovation Center (Chairman, Minoru Soutome) by using a “SAFE” agreement, as the first case in Japan. To execute this scheme, the legal aspect was fully supported by Nishimura & Asahi, a Foreign Law Joint Enterprise (lawyer, Bonso Morimoto and lawyer, Hajime Akamatsu).

* About “SAFE” agreements
A SAFE (Simple Agreement for Future Equity) is a legal contract between a startup and investor. This funding scheme is a simple and quick financing method for startups, and popular among startup investments outside of Japan, such as in America, Europe, and Southeast Asia.

OUGI Inc. was established 3 years ago. While OUGI has involved local business operators in several areas in Japan, it has developed their rich travel contents targeting the high-end inbound tourists. As an investor, MUIC Kansai decided to fund OUGI after judging its strength in digital technologies and entertainment as well as its development angles, initiative and business speed. OUGI plans to expand its business in more than 10 areas in Japan and accelerate its business development, based on the support from General Incorporated Association Kansai Innovation Center.

Considering the situation where innovation hubs in Japan rarely execute direct investments, to expand support schemes, General Incorporated Association Kansai Innovation Center and the supporting members of the association, Nishimura & Asahi, a Foreign Law Joint Enterprise, have discussed the new method of funding.
They aimed to realise the association’s vision of creating the business to solve the problems by creating new connections among companies and people in the travel industry. They focused more on the benefit of “SAFE”, which can support startups simply and quickly, rather than pursuing economic return. After organising the new scheme, which was slightly modified from the original “SAFE” executed in foreign investment market, the association executed it for OUGI this time. The details of the modifications are those: firstly, there is no condition of exercise of rights in the period, and secondly, at the time of “SAFE” redemption, startups pay back according to their appraised value when IPO or M&A is executed.

OUGI aims to be a pioneer and the first successful example of “SAFE”.

About Kansai Innovation Center

Kansai Innovation Center is a general incorporated association established by Mitsubishi UFJ Financial Group, Inc. (President & Group CEO, Hironori Kamezawa) and MUFG Bank, Ltd. (President and CEO, Junichi Hanzawa). The goal of the association is revitalizing the Kansai economy and contributing to the success of the Expo 2025 Osaka, Kansai, Japan.

Company Overview

Location: 3-6-3 Fushimimachi, Chuo-ku, Osaka-shi, Osaka, Japan
Representative: Chairman, Minoru Soutome
Opening: February 2021
URL: https://www.muic-kansai.jp/