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Sumitomo Life Insurance and the National Center for Child Health and Development (NCCHD) launch a demonstration experiment of the "Childcare Support Service" to be undertaken in collaboration with Tomoiku, using BOCCO emo and a childcare support application.

- The following is content from the press release -

With the start of the demonstration experiment, the Sumitomo Life Group's CVC fund invested in the company to further strengthen collaboration TOMOIKU Co.

Sumitomo Life Insurance Company (President and Representative Executive Officer: Yukinori Takada) has been working on a project to develop a "childcare support service" in partnership with several companies, with the aim of making the hard days of housework and childcare brighter and more lively. A demonstration experiment for the implementation of this initiative will be launched in collaboration with the National Center for Child Health and Development (President: Takashi Igarashi).

(Head office: Chuo-ku, Tokyo; Representative: Yukako Takemura), which is participating in this project, has received an investment from SUMISEI INNOVATION FUND, a corporate venture capital (CVC) fund of the Sumitomo Life Group, in conjunction with the start of this demonstration experiment to further The company will further strengthen collaboration with the fund.
Details of SUMISEI INNOVATION FUNDhttps://www.sumitomolife.co.jp/about/cvc/

What is the "Childcare Support Service"?

This service started with Sumitomo Life Insurance's participation in the Initiative for Co-Creation of the Future (ICF) run by Mitsubishi Research Institute, Inc. The project has been promoted by Yucai Kogaku and Tomoiku.
(CEO: Keiko Nishioka), an online counseling service provider, and Healthcare Technologies Corporation (President and CEO: Reishi Oishi), an online healthcare service provider, have since joined the "Childcare Support Service" verification experiment as content partners. (President and CEO: Reishi Oishi), which operates an online healthcare business, have joined the "Childcare Support Service" demonstration experiment as content partners.

Outline of the "Child Rearing Support Service" Demonstration Experiment

Purpose of the Experiment
We will observe changes in QOL (quality of life = quality of life) and the effects of improving postpartum depression through continuous use of the "Childcare Support Service" during pregnancy and after delivery, and study the possibility of implementation.

Subjects
We are inviting applicants who are planning to give birth to their first child at the National Center for Child Health and Development (mid-term pregnancy and adult) to participate in the experiment.

Period
From the last trimester of pregnancy to the baby's first 3 months of life.

Experimental Methods
(Representative Director: Shunsuke Aoki) will actually use the communication robot "BOCCO emo" and "Parenting Support Application" from Yucai Engineering Corporation (Representative Director: Shunsuke Aoki) to experience this service. During the trial period, participants will be asked to answer questionnaires that measure mental health conditions such as WHO-5 and EPDS, and the effects on prevention of mental health decline and postpartum depression will be verified.

Background of Tomoiku's investment from SUMISEI INNOVATION FUND
Tomoiku's "tomoiku" AI chatbot, which utilizes the childcare expertise of childcare professionals and midwives, has been evaluated as useful for the purpose of this service, and we have decided to receive investment in order to further strengthen our collaborative relationship. We will actively consider collaboration regarding other services in the future.

Outline of each company

Sumitomo Life Insurance
Company name: Sumitomo Life Insurance Company
Business activities: Life insurance business
Establishment: May 1907
Representative: Yukinori Takada, Director, President and Chief Executive Officer
Head office: 1-4-35 Shiromi, Chuo-ku, Osaka, 540-8512, Japan

National Center for Child Health and Development
Name: National Center for Child Health and Development
Business description: Hospital and research institute work in unison to promote child health care (pediatric and perinatal) and research to nurture a healthy next generation.
Established: March 2002
Representative: Takashi Igarashi, President
Head office: 2-10-1, Okura, Setagaya-ku, Tokyo

Yucai Engineering
Company Name: Yucai Engineering Co.
Business activities: Development, manufacturing and sales of robots/hardware
Established: December 2007
Representative: Shunsuke Aoki, Representative Director
Head Office: 101 Musashiya Sky Building, 16-11 Tomikucho, Shinjuku-ku, Tokyo

cotree
Company name: cotree, Inc.
Business: Online counseling and coaching business
Established: May 14, 2014
Representative: Keiko Nishioka, Representative Director
Head office: 5F Kant. co-office 507, 4-8-5 Roppongi, Minato-ku, Tokyo

About Tomoik Co.

Tomoiku's business goal is to relieve parents' concerns about childcare. We will begin operating the "Tomoiku Consultation Service" in January 2023, where childcare professionals and midwives will provide consultation services for mothers via online chat and video calls. We will work to realize a childcare consultation service that provides a "Tomoiku experience," a sense of security as if you are raising your child with a childcare specialist.

Company Profile
Company name Tomoiku Co.
Established April 5, 2022
Location RINGO Building, 7-2-13 Tsukiji, Chuo-ku, Tokyo
Representative Yukako Takemura, Representative Director
Business Description Consultation service business by childcare workers and midwives, development of childcare support platform
uniform resouce locatorhttps://tomoiku.co/

Management Services
Childcare worker/midwife Tomoiku Childcare Consultation Service
uniform resouce locator https://tomoiku.online/

Contact information for inquiries
For inquiries regarding this matter, please contact the following
Phone number 03-6264-1028
counter https://tomoiku.co/contact