Tokyo, September 19, 2017-Rakuten, Inc. today announced that it will underwrite a capital increase by third party allotment of about 1.2 billion yen with mattress and bedding manufacturer airweave Inc. The move will see Hiroshi Takasawa, who oversees Rakuten’s investment business at Rakuten Capital and serves as Managing Executive Officer and investment company president, appointed as an outside director of airweave Inc.
Airweave has used revolutionary materials to bring innovation to the bedding industry and create new markets for mattress pads and other products. In addition to selling artificial down duvets and bed mattresses, it has in recent years been involved in various new initiatives in the global bedding market, such as offering a smartphone sleep app that measures the quality of sleep.
Commenting on the investment, Motokuni Takaoka, CEO and founder of airweave, said, “As interest in sleep grows and the term ‘sleep debt’ is drawing attention, airweave has been approached by a variety of companies from a wide range of industries looking to collaborate with us, and we believe these are opportunities to expand our business. In order to realize these collaborations, we will need advanced IT technology. Through this investment, we believe that with the strong support of Rakuten, we will be able to achieve our goal of becoming a ‘total sleep solution company’ based on our unique ‘Sleep Technology.’”
Hiroshi Takasawa, Managing Executive officer of Rakuten, Inc. and President of the Investment Company, commented, “Airweave’s business concept, with its ‘Sleep Technology’ at its core, is in the spotlight and is very attractive and promising. We believe this investment will further improve their technology and help expand their business both domestically in Japan and globally.”
Rakuten will continue to invest in innovative companies through Rakuten Capital.