Mitsubishi Corporation ("MC") and Nippon Telegraph and Telephone Corporation ("NTT") announced today that they have completed the acquisition of a 30% stake in HERE Technologies ("HERE") as of May 29, 2020, through a holding company which MC and NTT newly established in the Netherlands in December 2019.

 

HERE is the world's leading company in the location-based services field. Building on its strong position in the automotive industry, the company has in recent years expanded its location platform to serve several other sectors, such as transportation and logistics, media and telecoms. HERE data and technology are also at the heart of a growing array of use cases that employ artificial intelligence to enable better real-world outcomes for enterprises and their customers.

 

In December 2019, MC and NTT agreed to form a business alliance with the aim of transforming industrial value chains and creating new value through digital transformation (DX), and are continuing to study the specifics. As one of the core technologies of DX, which both companies are promoting, MC and NTT will utilize the technological foundation of HERE to promote the development of location services in logistics, urban transportation, retail, finance and other areas.

 

MC and NTT are jointly working to develop services that provide optimal routes in logistics by utilizing HERE's world's largest and most accurate location information database to visualize vehicle locations and operation conditions. Both companies are studying alliances with logistics partners involved in home delivery (last-mile delivery) and trunk line transportation (mid-mile delivery), where demand is expected to increase in the future, and aim to start several PoCs by the end of the year.  In addition, in smart city projects in regional cities, new mobility services (such as on-demand buses) are attracting attention, and MC and NTT will partner with local transportation operators to integrate HERE's location information to develop the most appropriate means of transportation for operators and users.

 

Going forward, MC and NTT will continue to accelerate their collaboration with HERE, leveraging their strengths in industrial knowledge and ICT technology, and will strive to enhance HERE's corporate value and expand the services it provides.

 

“We welcome Mitsubishi Corporation and NTT as new strategic investors, supporting our long-term growth ambitions. Both companies recognize the enormous potential for location data and technology to fuel innovation, boost efficiency and sustainability, and ultimately make the world a better place,” said Edzard Overbeek, CEO, HERE Technologies.

 

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1. Mitsubishi Corporation company overview

Location               ： 2-3-1, Marunouchi, Chiyoda-ku, Tokyo

Established          ： 1954

Main business     ： Conducts various business managed under 10 business groups   :  Natural Gas, Industrial Materials, Petroleum & Chemicals, Mineral Resources, Industrial Infrastructure, Automotive & Mobility, Food Industry, Consumer Industry, Power Solution, and Urban Development

Representative    ： Takehiko Kakiuchi (President and Chief Executive Officer)

 

2. Nippon Telegraph and Telephone Corporation company overview

Location               ： 1-5-1, Otemachi, Chiyoda-ku, Tokyo

Established          ： 1985

Main business     ： Conducts businesses in mobile communication, regional communication, long-distance and international communication, data communication, real estate, construction and power, etc.

 (919 subsidiaries and 123 affiliates)

Representative    ： Jun Sawada (President and Chief Executive Officer, Member of the Board)

 

3. HERE Technologies (HERE International B.V.) overview

Location               ： Amsterdam, Netherlands

Established          ： 1985

Main business     ： Provides digital mapping, location data, and location services for automotive navigation systems, enterprises, and cities

Representative    ： Edzard Overbeek (Chief Executive Officer)

 

＜Contact＞

Mitsubishi Corporation

Corporate Communications Dept., Press Relations Team　 

Tel: +81-3-3210-2171

 

Nippon Telegraph and Telephone Corporation

Public Relations Office

Tel: +81-3-5205-5550