SCREEN : Acquires Shares in Sigma-i, Provider of an R&D Solution for Quantum Annealing Technology

Kyoto, Japan - December 1, 2023 - SCREEN Holdings Co., Ltd. has acquired shares in Sigma-i Co., Ltd. (headquarters: Tokyo, Japan; representative director: Masayuki Ohzeki; hereinafter referred to as "Sigma-i") through partial transfer from SPARX Group Co., Ltd. (hereinafter referred to as "SPARX"). This investment takes SCREEN's equity ratio in Sigma-i beyond 20%, making the company an equity method affiliate.

Quantum annealing, which is transitioning from the exploration phase to the development phase, has been attracting a great deal of attention in recent years as a fundamental technology needed to instantly process high-dimensional data on a large scale. Across a wide range of industries that includes manufacturing, logistics, agriculture, and disaster prevention, more companies are applying quantum annealing to machine learning-based predictions, materials search, and production scheduling using combinatorial optimization solutions.

Sigma-i, a startup originated from Tohoku University, has a proprietary core technology in quantum annealing. It is promoting joint development with various research institutions and companies to share with society the research findings of Tohoku University in quantum annealing applications.

Going forward, SCREEN will work with SPARX to support the efforts of Sigma-i for the early commercialization of quantum annealing technology. Moreover, we will collaborate with Sigma-i in diverse areas, including SPE and other core businesses as well as new business fields, leveraging a profound synergy of technologies and insights between the two companies to optimize production scheduling and materials search.

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