Bitkey Inc. (Headquarters: Chuo-ku, Tokyo; President & CEO: Masanori Hotsuki; hereinafter referred to as "Bitkey") is pleased to announce that it has secured an additional 4 billion yen in funding from the "JIC Venture Growth Fund No. 2 Investment Limited Partnership" operated by JIC Venture Growth Investments Co., Ltd. (Headquarters: Minato-ku, Tokyo; President & CEO: Hideki Yarimizu; hereinafter referred to as "JIC VGI"), a government-affiliated fund. This brings Bitkey's total cumulative funding to over 39 billion yen since its founding in 2018. *1: JIC VGI is a group company of the Innovation Network Corporation of Japan (an authorized corporation established under the Industrial Competitiveness Enhancement Act) and aims to promote innovation in Japan and contribute to enhancing international competitiveness through venture and growth investments. *2: Bitkey Raises Funds from Government-Affiliated Fund JIC VGI, Bringing Total Funding to Over 30 Billion Yen (https://bitkey.co.jp/newsroom/20241101/) *3: Total amount raised through private placement of new shares and loans from financial institutions (excluding refinanced loans). ■ Purpose With the mission and vision of "Connecting. People can be freer," Bitkey develops the connect platforms "homehub" and "workhub," leveraging its strengths in ID authentication and authorization technology. Through a unique approach that seamlessly integrates "hardware" such as smart locks with "software" such as systems and services, Bitkey has achieved numerous implementations in diverse spaces including condominiums, offices, airports, government buildings, and logistics facilities. These initiatives not only optimize space efficiency but also contribute to the realization of diverse and fulfilling lifestyles and work styles for individuals. The funds raised will be used for the development of new products and services to further expand the platform. Additionally, the funds will be utilized flexibly for M&A investments to accele