Planetway is launching two new businesses. 1. A business that combines our own original solutions with the data exchange technology utilized in the e-government system at one of the leading digitized countries in the world, the Republic of Estonia. 2. A cyber security education program to train high level cyber security specialists and personnel

Planetway Corporation (Headquarters: San Jose, California, USA, CEO & Founder: Noriaki Hirao) is pleased to announce two new businesses. “PlanetEco” is a business that uses a high security data exchange and personal authentication platforms. The purpose of “PlanetEco” is data utilization that goes beyond the common data exchange between corporate groups and industries, and creates new value for the next generation. Our other new project is "PlanetGuardians". In addition to responding to the national shortage of security talent, the purpose of this program is to educate cyber security personnel who will become the protectors of the society where data utilization plays an essential role.

Background

In recent years, moves to promote open innovation among large enterprises, venture companies, educational institutions such as universities, medical institutions, etc. has been actively promoted. Efforts are underway to develop new businesses (services) by collaborating with companies and organizations beyond the domain of the company's specialty.

However, the data owned by companies and organizations, that use IT services, is not optimally utilized. One of the reasons for this is that there is no common platform for innovative data utilization, that would help companies to collaborate with each other. That’s why they are limited to service development in a closed environment. Although organizations that have many individual users are aware of the benefits of utilization of personal attribute information, action history and other confidential information (data), there are high barriers to data utilization because of the on going information leakage cases and restrictions on the Personal Information Protection Law. On the other hand, it is now common for the Internet to spread information and it is easy to acquire all kinds of information such as individual's search history, purchase history, etc. A lot of this personal data is taken advantage of in advertisements and services of other companies without people realizing it. In order to achieve a society in which personal data is disclosed or utilized with peace of mind, high security technology alone is not enough. We also need cyber security personnel with advanced knowledge and experience that can judge the situation and act properly.

Planetway believes that data sovereignty should belong to individuals, and not corporations or groups. We are aiming to realize a society, where individuals can safely and freely release their data and benefit from it, by receiving optimal services in return. We are not only providing a common platform, but also methods, to make society richer and more convenient for various companies and organizations in this new era of human-centered data sovereignty. We have announced two new businesses: the "attack" business to promote data utilization based on permission and the “defense” business to train personnel to protect personal data.

PlanetEco (Open Innovation Platform Project)

PlanetEco is an open innovation platform for cooperating with companies and organizations in a specific field. We utilize our data exchange platform (PlanetCross) and our personal authentication application (PlanetID) to develop new services. The four core fields targeted are as follows. 1. healthcare and medical services 2. real estate and smart city services 3. finance and fintech services 4. automotive and vehicle sharing industry. In addition to this, we will extensively consider other areas (services) where the utilization of data can be effective.

Based on the selected fields, we will launch an open innovation program aimed at companies developing new services. Here, we also invite our eco-partners, which include consulting companies and system integrators to participate. Using our eco-partners as mediators, we try to invite different companies to join and promote social innovation through data utilization. Planetway will introduce PlanetCross and PlanetID and provide technical support to every company and organization participating in the program.

How the Open Innovation Program works

• Selecting the one of the fields mentioned above
• Starting the program
• Selecting the companies who will participate (service providers, data providers, organizations, institutions etc)
• Running the workshops (reviewing and deciding service concepts and business models and testing and evaluating the data utilization tools, data access platform "PlanetCross" and personal authentication platform, "PlanetID")
• Publishing the results, and preparing for the next phase (launching the service)

Planetway is looking for a wide range of partner companies to create innovation by forming an ecosystem, that utilizes common infrastructure based on the inter-company cooperation and certification.

PlanetGuardians (Cyber Security Human Resources Development Project)

We will provide a training program for white-hat hackers and security talent, brought to you by our employees, who have experience as security advisors to information and intelligence agencies worldwide. The program includes not only educational content in online form but also a global scale cyber range to practice onsite training against cyber attacks. In doing so, we will not only protect the technology, but also nurture a team of guardians who will guarantee safe and secure data utilization in the up-coming new society of human centered data sovereignty.

The partner and cooperating companies, who concur with us (in no particular order)

• Tokio Marine & Nichido Fire Insurance Co., Ltd.
• Accenture Corporation
• Mitsui Fudosan Co., Ltd.
• Toppan Printing Co., Ltd.
• Dai Nippon Printing Co., Ltd.
• Mitsubishi UFJ Bank
• Sumitomo Mitsui Banking Corporation
• Mizuho Bank, Ltd.
• Nihon Unisys Corporation

About Planetway

Planetway is a startup that develops a cross-industry data exchange platform, PlanetCross, which is based on technology supporting the Estonian e-government. In 2017 we conducted a demonstration experiment on "medical information cooperation" combined with "PlanetCross" and blockchain technology in the Fukuoka area. We showed that we can simplify and speedup the insurance payment process while guaranteeing the security of medical information.We believe that “the rights over data and it’s privacy should belong to individuals, not enterprises and organizations.” Our mission is for a “Human-centric and Secure Planet.” We promote the publication and utilization of personal data, on the condition that it’s based on the “permission of the individual.”

About PlanetCross and PlanetID

PlanetCross is a secure industry independent data access platform. It is based on the world recognized technology, used in the Estonia’s state infrastructure. We are the first company in the world to customize this platform for the private sector. Since it enables data exchange among companies without making major changes to the existing systems and databases of each company, it is possible to gradually expand the application area while taking advantage of existing systems and databases. Although, it enables the cooperation between various relational databases, it is especially effective in utilizing highly confidential data such as personal and privacy information. PlanetID is a universal ID issued to individual end users (regardless of residency) and IoT equipment, by utilizing Estonian state-of-the-art technology. The security is guaranteed by multifactor authentication and split encryption of the secret key, which makes it almost impossible to hack. By downloading an app on your smartphone you can easily control your personal data by granting or revoking permission for data disclosure and access history.

Through these two fundamental technologies, proven in Estonia, we can do the following three things:

1. Easily allow individuals to grant to permission to disclose their "what" data to "who"
2. Ensure identity verification and data integrity by electronic authentication / signature (CA) and time stamp (TSA)
3. Realizes more efficient contract execution by Smart Contract

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• The content described in this news release is current as of the publication date. Thereafter, it may be changed without prior notice.

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