Sumitomo Mitsui Financial : Cooperation with Gojo & Company in financial inclusion

【NEWS RELEASE】

November 13,2023

Sumitomo Mitsui Financial Group, Inc

Sumitomo Mitsui Banking Corporation

Cooperation with Gojo & Company in financial inclusion

TOKYO, November13,2023---Sumitomo Mitsui Banking Corporation （"SMBC", Presidentand CEO: Akihiro Fukutome）,a subsidiary of Sumitomo Mitsui Financial Group, Inc. （ "SMBC Group", President and Group CEO: Jun Ohta）signed a Memorandum of Understanding with Gojo & Company, Inc.（"Gojo", Representative Executive Officer: Taejun Shin） to collaborate on financial inclusion in emerging countries. Moving forward, the two companies will work together on sharing insights and co-developing solutions.

As the start of the collaboration, SMBC has decided to invest JPY 1.35 billion in the UNLEASH 1st Investment Partnership（the "Fund"）,a venture capital fund working on financialinclusion issues in India. The Fund is operated by UNLEASH Capital Partners, Inc. established by Gojo and Mr. Natsuki Sugai, one of Gojo's founding stage members.

The Fund will primarily support fintech startups working on financial inclusion agenda in India.The Fund also measures social impacts created through its investments.

In April 2023, SMBC Group identified "Poverty & Inequality" as one of our priority issues (materiality) to be addressed urgently, along with Environment, DE&I/ Human Rights, Declining Birthrate and Aging Population, and Japan's Regrowth. India is growing rapidly with a very large financial demand, where fintech is expected to play a role in promoting financial inclusion. Through the collaboration, SMBC Group aims to create an environment where local people can easily access financial services, contributing to financial inclusion in emerging countries.

＜Overview of the Fund＞

in emerging countries. It was established by Gojo and Natsuki Sugai, who is one of founding stage members of Gojo.

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