Panasonic Decides to Invest in Neautech, an Online Diagnostic Platform Provider, through the Panasonic Kurashi Visionary Fund

Osaka, Japan – Panasonic Corporation (Head office: Minato-ku, Tokyo; President & CEO: Masahiro Shinada; hereinafter referred to as Panasonic) today announced that it has decided to invest in Neautech Inc. (Head office: Shinjuku-ku, Tokyo; CEO: Akihiro Mizumoto; hereinafter referred to as Neautech), the provider of ANS., an online skin treatment service, through a corporate venture capital fund, commonly known as the Panasonic Kurashi Visionary Fund, jointly managed by Panasonic and SBI Investment Co., Ltd.

Neautech launched ANS., an online skin treatment service based on the concept of sustainable, door-to-door cosmetic medicine in 2022, providing an online diagnostic platform that delivers prescription drugs and basic skincare products to users' homes tailored to their skin problems, including acne, spots, dullness, chloasma, and pores, or the skin condition they want to achieve, through online diagnosis by doctors using smartphones and other devices. The company offers not only pharmaceutical products, but also skincare advice and education from counselors, using digital technology to enhance user support and achieve higher user retention rates and business expansion.

Panasonic has responded to the beauty and health concerns of many people by developing consumer electronics in this area. Through this investment in Neautech, Panasonic will endeavor to gain a deeper understanding of the needs for online medical services in this field. The goal is to provide the best solutions to free people from the time and psychological burden associated with a consultation with or regular visits to the doctor, and to address the concerns of each individual, creating further innovation in the beauty and health care area.

Panasonic will continue to strengthen its open innovation initiatives based on strong partnerships created by investing in promising startups both in Japan and overseas, which are competitive in areas closely related to people's lives, such as energy, food infrastructure, spatial infrastructure, and lifestyle.

In our future beauty and healthcare business, we will actively participate in the platform business that connects doctors and other professionals with consumers. In addition, we believe that online skin treatment, cosmetic dermatology drug prescription, and specialist consultation services are well aligned with the image analysis, sensing, and data analysis technologies we have long developed, thus creating even greater synergies than other digital healthcare businesses.

Through our ANS. online platform, we aim to realize a society where people can easily consult with doctors about their skin problems, receive appropriate treatment, and continue their care. We are pleased to receive investment from Panasonic, which not only has the technology to advance such a society, but also understands our ideas. With this investment, we will be even more committed to providing answers (ANS.) to a broader range of people's skin problems.