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JIJ Raises US$5.2 Million in Funding Led by Global Brain

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2 months ago

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Funding to scale enterprise optimization deployments, advance JIJ’s AI-enabled optimization platform and quantum middleware, and accelerate global expansion

TOKYO, Aug. 4, 2026 /PRNewswire/ — JIJ Inc. (“JIJ”), developer of a quantum- and AI-enabled optimization platform, today announced that it has raised JPY 840 million, approximately US$5.2 million, in equity financing, with Global Brain Corporation (“Global Brain”) serving as the lead investor. The financing was provided through multiple funds managed by Global Brain[1] and a fund managed by Fujitsu Ventures Limited[2].

JIJ will use the proceeds to advance its AI-enabled optimization platform, expand enterprise deployments of mathematical optimization, develop technologies for gate-based quantum computing, and accelerate its global growth.

[1] GB-VII & GB-VIII Follow-on Growth Fund Investment Limited Partnership, KDDI Open Innovation Fund III, ME Innovation Fund L.P., ANA Future Frontier Fund L.P., and KURONEKO Innovation Fund II L.P.

[2] Fujitsu Ventures Fund LLC.

*The US-dollar amount is provided for reference only and is based on an exchange rate of JPY 161 per US$.

Why JIJ Is Positioned to Scale

JIJ has developed more than 60 use cases across energy, manufacturing, transportation, telecommunications, logistics, and other sectors. Its core strength lies in understanding real-world operational constraints, translating them into computable mathematical models, and implementing solutions for ongoing use in business operations.

Through its JijZept software suite, JIJ supports the optimization lifecycle from problem formulation and development to execution and continuous improvement. Its development tools, solvers, and execution environments help organizations expand the use of optimization across more business functions.

JIJ is building a technology foundation to support optimization across classical and emerging quantum computing environments.

The company also develops open-source technologies, including OpenJij for combinatorial optimization and Qamomile, an open-source quantum programming language. Alongside these efforts, JIJ is developing middleware through a Japanese government-backed research and development program administered by the New Energy and Industrial Technology Development Organization (NEDO). JIJ also participates in quantum industry ecosystems including Q-STAR, the European Quantum Industry Consortium (QuIC), and UKQuantum.

Use of Proceeds

JIJ will use the proceeds to advance research, engineering, and product development across AI, mathematical optimization, and quantum computing. The funding will also support the expansion of its technical and business development teams as the company scales the adoption of its technologies across industries and global markets.

Advancing JijZept AI

Launched in beta in early 2026, JijZept AI is evolving into a cloud-based AI agent service for mathematical optimization. Its AI-assisted modeling capabilities and dedicated sandbox environment enable AI agents to carry out an iterative process of defining requirements, building mathematical models, and running numerical experiments based on user requests.

JIJ also provides an SDK that gives access to the solvers and file system within JijZept AI, enabling integration with AI agents running in users’ local environments. The service will also support quantum programming. Ahead of its official release, JIJ will continue expanding its capabilities to address current mathematical optimization problems while supporting research and development for future applications of quantum technologies.

Scaling Enterprise Deployment of Mathematical Optimization

Across a wide range of industries, companies need to make high-quality planning, allocation, and control decisions under increasingly complex constraints.

JIJ will strengthen its ability to deploy mathematical optimization solutions across more business functions and organizations. By expanding its support beyond research and development projects, the company aims to accelerate the practical adoption of optimization technologies.

Developing Middleware for Gate-Based Quantum Computing

Building on Qamomile and its broader work in quantum software, JIJ is developing infrastructure for gate-based quantum computing.

Putting quantum computing into practical use will require more than advances in algorithms and hardware. It will also require a software layer that connects quantum computers with high-performance computing environments and classical optimization technologies.

JIJ will continue combining cutting-edge research with implementation expertise, strengthening its work on gate-based quantum computing and advancing practical applications of hybrid quantum-classical computing in industry.

Expanding Globally

JIJ established its UK subsidiary, JIJ Europe Ltd., in 2025 and its German subsidiary, JIJ GmbH, in 2026. The company also began scaling its business activities in the United States in 2026.

In Europe, JIJ is working with local partners and research institutions on both practical applications of optimization technologies and research and development projects in quantum technology. Building on a team with diverse nationalities and areas of expertise, JIJ will accelerate its growth across Europe, the United States, and other international markets.

Strengthening Technical and Business Development Teams

JIJ will expand its research and engineering teams across quantum computing, mathematical optimization, and software engineering. It will also strengthen its business development capabilities to connect advanced technologies with industrial challenges and create new business opportunities.

The company will continue recruiting people who can contribute to both advanced research and practical implementation, strengthening the organization needed to bring quantum and mathematical optimization technologies into wider use.

Comment from Yu Yamashiro, Founder and CEO of JIJ

“Since JIJ was founded, we have worked at the intersection of quantum computing and mathematical optimization to address complex challenges across industries. Technologies developed through our research are now being deployed in day-to-day enterprise operations, and we believe this financing reflects confidence in both our technology and our ability to bring it into practice.

JIJ began with my desire to ‘see the future through computation.’ I believe that making complex challenges computable creates better choices and helps society move forward.

With this financing, we will advance our AI-enabled optimization platform and prepare for integration with gate-based quantum computers. By drawing on both mathematical optimization and hybrid quantum-classical computing, we aim to make a greater contribution to solving complex industrial challenges. By combining cutting-edge research with implementation expertise and bridging academia and industry, we will continue to advance our mission: “Making society computable to unlock humanity’s potential.”

Participating Investors

The following investors participated in the financing:

GB-VII & GB-VIII Follow-on Growth Fund Investment Limited Partnership (Follow-on investment)KDDI Open Innovation Fund III (Follow-on investment)ME Innovation Fund L.P. (First-time investment)ANA Future Frontier Fund L.P. (First-time investment)KURONEKO Innovation Fund II L.P. (First-time investment)Fujitsu Ventures Fund LLC (Follow-on investment)

KDDI Open Innovation Fund III, ME Innovation Fund L.P., ANA Future Frontier Fund L.P., and KURONEKO Innovation Fund II L.P. are corporate venture capital funds managed by Global Brain. GB-VII & GB-VIII Follow-on Growth Fund Investment Limited Partnership is Global Brain’s flagship fund. Fujitsu Ventures Fund LLC is a corporate venture capital fund managed by Fujitsu Ventures Limited.

Investor Comments

Yasuhiko Yurimoto, President & CEO, Global Brain Corporation

“We are deeply honored to lead this round once again, following our previous investment. Since our initial investment in 2023, JIJ has established a strong track record of adoption across a wide range of industries, addressing real-world business challenges. JIJ’s technology has also earned high acclaim globally, and we are truly excited to see them leverage this capital to accelerate their expansion both domestically and internationally. Global Brain remains fully committed to supporting JIJ as they rapidly grow as a leading player in the quantum optimization field.”

Shunpei Tatebayashi, General Manager, KDDI Corporation

Investment through KDDI Open Innovation Fund III

“As international competition in quantum technologies continues to intensify, accelerating commercialization and industrial adoption has become a key policy priority in Japan.

Against this backdrop, JIJ Inc. has steadily expanded its business in the field of mathematical optimization since our initial investment. In 2025, KDDI further strengthened its collaboration with JIJ by entering into a strategic partnership focused on the development and commercialization of quantum computing technologies. Quantum technologies are expected to create value across a wide range of industries in the years ahead. By combining JIJ’s quantum optimization technology with KDDI’s AI and quantum computing platform, we aim to accelerate the industrial application of quantum computing and unlock new value across diverse industries.”

Komi Matsubara, Executive Officer (Vice President, Business Innovation), Mitsubishi Electric Corporation

Investment through ME Innovation Fund L.P.

“JIJ has many talented people with advanced expertise in using quantum technologies for optimization purposes. It is also providing a development environment that enables diverse users to solve complex, real-world business challenges through mathematical optimization. By combining Mitsubishi Electric’s quantum computing technologies with JIJ’s quantum and mathematical optimization platform, we expect to accelerate the development of even more robust solutions for customers.”

Yoshiaki Tsuda, Executive Vice President, Director of Future Creation, ANA HOLDINGS INC.

Investment through ANA Future Frontier Fund L.P.

“ANA operates approximately 1,000 flights a day, dealing with vast amounts of data across various scenarios in our pursuit of optimal operations. When I was previously in charge of flight scheduling, the optimization model we used took an entire night just to process a single scenario, which made daily operations quite challenging.

We decided to make this investment with high expectations that JIJ’s quantum technology-enabled mathematical optimization platform will be widely implemented in society as solutions for such complex planning tasks. While our collaboration has already begun—including the selection of our joint proposal under the Space Strategic Fund—we aim to mutually enhance the corporate value of both companies through the optimization of airline operations.”

Kenji Mori, Manager, Innovation Promotion, Yamato Holdings Co., Ltd.

Investment through KURONEKO Innovation Fund II L.P.

“We made this investment in recognition of JIJ Inc.’s exceptional technological capabilities as a leader in Japan’s quantum annealing research, as well as their end-to-end support—from strategy to implementation—for complex challenges. We expect their technology to play a major role in optimizing the Yamato Group’s business resources. Going forward, we plan to support their growth by sharing our logistics expertise. At the same time, we look forward to exploring various collaborative opportunities—ranging from enhancing frontline operations to optimizing the entire supply chain—as we jointly unlock the potential of quantum technology in logistics.”

Hideaki Yajima, President & CEO, Fujitsu Ventures Limited

Investment through Fujitsu Ventures Fund LLC

“JIJ combines deep expertise in mathematical optimization and quantum technology with the ability to take advanced computing technologies from foundational research and middleware development through to deployment in industrial settings. This breadth of capability sets JIJ apart, even among companies operating globally in the field.

JIJ also holds a distinctive position at the intersection of academia, industry, and technology ecosystems around the world. We believe the company will play an increasingly important role in turning advanced technologies into practical value for industry.

Mathematical optimization and quantum technology are also closely aligned with the Fujitsu Group’s strategic areas of focus. Since our initial investment, collaboration between JIJ and the Fujitsu Group has continued to expand. Through this follow-on investment, we look forward to deepening that relationship and working together to create new value.”

About JIJ

JIJ Inc. develops a quantum- and AI-enabled optimization platform that helps organizations turn complex planning, allocation, scheduling, and control challenges into computable mathematical models and solutions for real-world operations.

Combining mathematical optimization, AI-assisted modeling, and quantum computing technologies, JIJ supports the full optimization lifecycle, from problem formulation and model development through solution execution, deployment, and continuous improvement.

The company has developed more than 60 use cases across manufacturing, transportation, telecommunications, energy, logistics, materials development, and the public sector.

Founded in 2018 and headquartered in Tokyo, JIJ has teams and entities in Japan, the United Kingdom, and Germany and is expanding its presence in the United States. The company is also active in global quantum industry ecosystems, including Q-STAR, the European Quantum Industry Consortium (QuIC), and UKQuantum.

Website: https://www.j-ij.com/en/

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SOURCE JIJ Inc.

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SparkLabs and Mirae Asset Launch a Venture Capital Fund for Central Asian Startups

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3 hours ago

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September 20, 2026

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SEOUL, South Korea, Sept. 20, 2026 /PRNewswire/ — Qazaqstan Investment Corporation (QIC), IT Park Ventures (Uzbekistan), Mirae Asset Venture Investment and SparkLabs Group have signed a term sheet to establish SparkLabs Mirae Silk Road Fund I LP, a new venture capital fund. The fund will be managed by Mirae Asset Venture Investment and SparkLabs Group.

The signing took place in Seoul during the state visits of the Presidents of Kazakhstan and Uzbekistan to Korea and the first Central Asia–Republic of Korea Summit.

During this past week, South Korea and Kazakhstan signed commercial agreements worth US$18.95 billion. Kazakhstan is a country of 20 million people with its core industries being oil and gas, and among the highest producers of iron and silver in the world. Uzbekistan is a country of 39 million people, and they are the largest electricity producer in Central Asia.

Qazaqstan Investment Corporation (QIC) is Kazakhstan’s national fund of funds and are anchor investors along with IT Park Ventures, the venture capital arm of the country’s state technology park. The new venture capital fund will back Central Asian startups at the Series A and later, which are businesses with a proven model that are ready to scale beyond the region. The fund is sector-agnostic but focuses on AI-native companies, where artificial intelligence is core to the product and business model.

“Higgsfield becoming Kazakhstan’s first unicorn was a turning point. It showed that a world-class AI company can be built in Central Asia. And it won’t be the last with more than half of the region’s population is under 30, growing up digital and our governments actively investing in AI. Yet the region is still largely overlooked by international investors, and that’s the opportunity this fund is built for,” explained Aslan Sultanov, Co-founder and General Partner at SparkLabs Mirae Silk Road.

Former Coinbase CTO and Partner at Andreessen Horowitz, Balaji Srinivasan, reopened his Network School in Kazakhstan last month. Telegram launched an AI lab and opened their first regional office in Kazakhstan this past year.

Beyond capital, portfolio companies will gain access to the SparkLabs and Mirae Asset’s global networks, along with hands-on support in expanding into South Korea, the United States and the MENA region.

About the Partners

SparkLabs Group is a network of startup accelerators and venture capital funds that has invested in over 600 startups across 6 continents since December 2013. These companies include OpenAI, SpaceX, Vectara, Kneron, Anthropic, Nex Team, Kraken, GenG, Lyft, MetAI, and others.

Mirae Asset Venture Investment is the venture capital arm of Mirae Asset Financial Group, one of Asia’s largest independent financial groups with over US$845 billion in assets under management. The company operates worldwide across 18 markets, and manages a fully diversified global investment platform encompassing ETFs, alternative investments, and traditional strategies.

Qazaqstan Investment Corporation (QIC) is Kazakhstan’s national fund of funds and part of Baiterek National Managing Holding. QIC invests in private equity and venture capital funds alongside international and private partners, with the goal of attracting long-term capital into Kazakhstan and developing the country’s investment ecosystem. QIC participates in 19 funds with a combined capitalization of $2.8 billion.

IT Park Ventures is the venture capital arm of IT Park Uzbekistan, the country’s state technology park and the main platform supporting Uzbekistan’s IT industry and tech exports. IT Park Ventures invests in startups from Uzbekistan and Central Asia and co-invests with international funds, connecting regional founders with global capital and markets.

View original content to download multimedia:https://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/sparklabs-and-mirae-asset-launch-a-venture-capital-fund-for-central-asian-startups-302883810.html

SOURCE SparkLabs Group

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AECOM Data Breach Investigation: Edelson Lechtzin LLP Probes Class Action Claims After Hackers Allege Theft of More Than 1 TB of Data

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4 hours ago

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September 20, 2026

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National class action law firm offers free, confidential case evaluations to AECOM employees, clients, and others whose personal information may have been exposed in the reported AECOM data breach.

DALLAS, Sept. 20, 2026 /PRNewswire/ — Edelson Lechtzin LLP, a national class action law firm, is investigating data privacy claims arising from a reported data breach at AECOM, the U.S.-based multinational infrastructure and engineering firm. Anyone who has received a data breach notice from AECOM, or who believes their personal information may have been exposed, can request a free case evaluation.

AECOM data breach — at a glance:

Company: AECOM, a Texas-based, multibillion-dollar multinational infrastructure consulting, engineering, design, and construction management firm.Reported: A cyberattack said to have occurred on or about September 17, 2026, first surfaced on dark web monitoring sites.Hackers’ claims: The group Metaencryptor claimed responsibility for an attack said to involve approximately 1.22 terabytes (TB) of data. Separately, dark web monitoring service Breachsense listed a related AECOM leak of roughly 670GB attributed to a group identified as BrainCipher.Status: The breach and the hackers’ claims remain unconfirmed. AECOM has not publicly detailed the scope or impact.Who may be affected: Current and former AECOM employees, clients, and others whose data AECOM held.Cost to you: Nothing. Case evaluations are free and confidential.

What Happened

According to a September 17, 2026 post on the dark web monitoring site Ransomware.live, the hacker group Metaencryptor claimed responsibility for a cyberattack on AECOM that allegedly affected about 1.22 TB of data. The cybersecurity blog HookPhish similarly reported that Metaencryptor was behind a suspected attack on the engineering firm.

Separately, the dark web monitoring service Breachsense reported an AECOM data leak listed at approximately 670GB, attributed to a group it identified as BrainCipher. Breachsense also indexed thousands of AECOM-linked credentials circulating online, including 27,434 @aecom.com accounts drawn from external breaches and 6,077 credentials tied to aecom.com itself — among them thousands of logins found in “combo lists” and in infostealer malware logs, many with plaintext passwords. Breachsense cautioned that those credentials may belong to either customers or staff and are not necessarily connected to the claimed attack.

The breach has not been confirmed, and important details (including its true scope, the specific data involved, and the number of people affected) are not yet publicly available.

What Personal Information May Be at Risk

The specific data involved in the reported AECOM data breach has not been confirmed. Data breaches like this can expose personal information, increasing the risk of identity theft and fraud. Affected individuals should treat any AECOM breach notification seriously.

Who May Be Affected by the AECOM Data Breach

The investigation focuses on current and former AECOM employees, clients, and anyone else whose personal information AECOM maintained. Anyone who has received a data breach notification from AECOM may face an increased risk of identity theft and fraud and is encouraged to come forward.

Your Legal Options

Edelson Lechtzin LLP is investigating a potential class action to pursue legal remedies on behalf of individuals whose sensitive personal data may have been compromised in the reported AECOM breach. A successful case could recover compensation for losses such as lost time, out-of-pocket costs, and loss of privacy, and could push AECOM to strengthen how it protects personal information. The firm will evaluate your rights and potential claims at no cost.

Recommended Steps to Protect Yourself

Review your account statements and credit reports regularly and stay alert for suspicious activity.Confirm whether your information was involved in the AECOM incident.Preserve any letters or emails you received about the breach.Consider placing fraud alerts and enrolling in credit monitoring.

Contact Us for a Free Case Evaluation

Speak confidentially with a data privacy attorney today: Marc Edelson, Esq., Edelson Lechtzin LLP, 411 S. State Street, Suite N-300, Newtown, PA 18940; Phone: 844-696-7492; Email: medelson@edelson-law.com; Web: www.edelson-law.com. Or click HERE to request a free consultation.

About Edelson Lechtzin LLP

Edelson Lechtzin LLP is a national class action law firm with offices in Pennsylvania and California. In addition to data breach litigation, the firm handles class and collective actions involving securities and investment fraud, federal antitrust violations, ERISA employee benefit plans, wage theft, and consumer fraud.

Media and Partnership Inquiries: Use the contact information above to connect with our team regarding interviews, co-counsel opportunities, and referral partnerships.

Legal Notice: This press release may be considered Attorney Advertising in some jurisdictions. Prior results do not guarantee a similar outcome. The reported data breach and the hackers’ claims described above are unconfirmed.

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SOURCE Edelson Lechtzin LLP

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iScreen Reaches No. 1 in Graphics & Design Across 94 Markets Following iOS 27 Update

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7 hours ago

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September 20, 2026

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Extra-large widget experiences, iOS 27-inspired themes and new customization tools drive iScreen’s latest global growth

LOS ANGELES, Sept. 20, 2026 /PRNewswire/ — iScreen, a mobile customization app for iOS and Android, announced that it has reached No. 1 in the Graphics & Design category across 94 countries and regions following its latest iOS 27-focused update.

The update expands iScreen’s Home Screen customization experience with new extra-large widgets, iOS 27-inspired themes, layouts optimized for new screen proportions, and AI-assisted design tools.

Extra-Large Widgets

Built for the larger widget canvas available in iOS 27, iScreen’s new extra-large widgets go beyond simply scaling up existing formats. The collection includes Photo, Album, Music, Calendar, Interactive Refrigerator and Quick Launch widgets, among others. Users can also customize content, layouts and visual styles to create more functional and expressive Home Screen experiences.

iOS 27-Inspired Themes and iPhone Duo Theme Support

iScreen has introduced new iOS 27-inspired themes that combine coordinated wallpapers, transparent-style widgets, icons and other visual elements into complete Home Screen setups.

Selected themes have also been optimized for iPhone Duo’s screen proportions and display dimensions, with wallpapers, widgets and icons adjusted to better fit the new format while maintaining a cohesive visual experience.

AI-Assisted Home Screen Design

iScreen is also testing AI Home Screen Designer with a limited group of users. The feature generates coordinated design suggestions based on users’ preferences for style, color and visual elements, combining wallpapers, widgets and icons into a unified setup.

“The latest iOS update has opened up new possibilities for mobile personalization,” said the iScreen team. “We want to turn those capabilities into practical and creative experiences that make Home Screen design easier and more expressive.”

About iScreen

iScreen is a mobile customization app offering widgets, wallpapers, themes and Home Screen customization tools for iOS and Android devices. With more than 100 million users worldwide, iScreen has ranked No. 1 in Graphics & Design across 94 countries and regions and has been featured by Apple Editorial in 128 countries for five consecutive days.

Official Website: iScreen – Phone Style, iScreen it!
iOS Download: ‎‎iScreen – Widgets & Wallpaper App – App Store
Android Download: iScreen Google Play

View original content:https://www.prnewswire.co.uk/news-releases/iscreen-reaches-no-1-in-graphics–design-across-94-markets-following-ios-27-update-302883972.html

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