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Event

【Press Conference: Thursday, February 19, 3:00 PM】 AI Strategy for Maximizing Field Sales Results

UPWARD's Product Approach Starting with On-Site Data Digitization

UPWARD Inc. (Headquarters: Chiyoda-ku, Tokyo; CEO: Ryusuke Kaneki; hereinafter "UPWARD") will hold a press conference regarding its AI products at its headquarters office starting at 3:00 PM on Thursday, February 19, 2026.

In the field of outside sales, numerous customer interactions occur daily through face-to-face meetings and phone calls. While these interactions contain many genuine customer insights and challenges that influence sales outcomes, examples where this reality is shared and digitized within the organization, and fully leveraged for management decisions and oversight, are rare. UPWARD aims to utilize AI to connect sales activities to tangible results—specifically, revenue—by starting with the data derived from the close communication unique to outside sales.

At this presentation, we will introduce our future AI development strategy alongside specific product examples. Hands-on experiences with AI features are also planned, so we kindly invite you to consider this an opportunity for coverage.

※This presentation requires advance registration. Please apply using the form below.
https://dx.upward.jp/4pNxQqN

Event Overview

Date and Time: Thursday, February 19, 2026, 3:00 PM - 5:00 PM ※Participants may arrive late or leave early
Location: UPWARD Headquarters Office ( Marunouchi Eiraku Building, 26th Floor, 1-4-1 Marunouchi, Chiyoda-ku, Tokyo)
Agenda:
1. Social Context and the Current State of Sales in Japan
2. Results and Expectations from Implementing UPWARD
3. Product Vision
4. Technical Advantages of UPWARD
5. AI Product Feature Introduction & Hands-on Demo Experience
*Content is subject to change.
Registration Form: https://dx.upward.jp/4pNxQqN

Speaker

Representative Director & CEO: Ryosuke Kaneki

Born in Tokyo in 1973. An expert in GIS (Geographic Information Systems) and LBS (Location-Based Services), he founded UPWARD in 2016—a mobile SaaS solution for field sales that highly integrates Salesforce with LBS. Adopted by approximately 450 companies globally, primarily large enterprises, it currently holds the top market share in Japan as an "AI Agent Service" specialized for field sales.

Executive Officer, CPO: Takuya Kenmochi

After graduating from Chuo University in 2011, he joined Nomura Research Institute. He was responsible for enhancing back-office systems for securities firms and overseeing large-scale system renovation projects. In 2019, he joined UPWARD.

Executive Officer, CTO: Akihiro Kadobata

Graduated from the Faculty of Science, Tokyo University of Science; Master of Science from the Graduate School of Science, University of Tokyo. During his student years, he researched Earth and planetary science at the Institute of Space and Astronautical Science (ISAS), JAXA. Joined NTT Laboratories in 2007, where he engaged in research and development of mathematical optimization for communication networks. Subsequently worked at Accenture and Amazon Web Services Japan before joining UPWARD in 2023. Holds a Doctor of Engineering degree from Nagoya University.

Structural Challenges in Field Sales and an AI Approach to Maximizing Sales Performance

The number of companies implementing CRM/SFA systems to maximize sales results continues to grow, yet many still report "not utilizing them sufficiently." Field sales teams, in particular, face a structural challenge: their visit-based work style makes it difficult to accurately capture the reality of sales activities and ensure comprehensive data collection.

In field sales, customer interactions primarily involve face-to-face meetings and phone calls. Much of this communication tends to remain confined between the salesperson and the customer, making it difficult for the organization to grasp the full picture. While daily reports are commonly used as a means to visualize this content, they often rely on memory and subjective recollection because the primary information—such as "when, where, and what was done"—is entered retrospectively.As a result, the comprehensiveness and objectivity of the information can vary significantly. This often leads to insufficient data for strategic decisions, such as identifying key customers to focus on, personnel allocation, and activity distribution.

To address these challenges, UPWARD is building a foundation that goes beyond merely streamlining data entry. It transforms the "raw communication" unique to field sales into data, using this as a starting point to drive better decision-making and increased sales. To achieve this, it combines its core geocoding technology (address-to-coordinate conversion) and patented presence detection technology with the latest AI, providing the following capabilities:

  • AI Speech (Meeting Minutes)
    Automatically detects arrival at the destination and begins recording face-to-face meeting content. Conversation details are summarized by AI, transforming unstructured information generated on-site into actionable data for strategic decision-making.
  • AI Scan
    Instantly digitizes text information seen on-site, such as business cards, product labels, and signs. Accumulates information as organizational assets without relying on sales representatives' memory or manual input.
  • Geo AI Scheduler
    Based on visit frequency, transaction status, and past activity history, AI suggests the next action to take. It supports sales representatives and managers in their decision-making, optimizing sales activities.

These features are not intended to enhance operational efficiency individually, but rather to support the entire sequence of field sales activities holistically. It is by doing so that they truly demonstrate their value as an "AI agent" that maximizes sales results.

UPWARD: Transforming the Last Mile for Field Workers

UPWARD is an AI-based sales support service specialized for field sales and visiting sales. It provides automatic recording of customer interactions using proprietary "advanced geofencing technology" and various AI functions tailored for field sales.It has been adopted by approximately 450 companies, primarily major corporations like Kubota, Rinnai, and Shizuoka Bank, where face-to-face customer interactions form the core sales channel. It is utilized as a next-generation sales DX foundation.
"UPWARD" Introduction Materials: https://upward.jp/downloads/allservicematerials/

ABOUT UPWARD CORPORATION

UPWARD CO., LTD. PROVIDES DX SERVICES SPECIALIZED IN SOLVING ISSUES OF FIELD WORKERS WHO VISIT THE FIELD AND CREATE VALUE THROUGH OFFLINE CONTACT WITH CUSTOMERS, BASED ON ITS PURVIEW OF "DRAWING OUT THE CREATIVITY OF FIELD WORKERS AND ACCELERATING THE GROWTH OF COMPANIES AND SOCIETY". BY LEVERAGING TECHNOLOGY TO CREATE AN ENVIRONMENT IN WHICH WORKERS CAN PERFORM THEIR TASKS WITH A SINGLE MOBILE DEVICE, WE AIM TO CREATE A WORLD IN WHICH THEY CAN BE ACTIVE REGARDLESS OF WHERE AND HOW THEY WORK.

About Us

Company Name

UPWARD, Inc.

Location

Marunouchi 1-4-1, Chiyoda-ku, Tokyo 100-0005 Marunouchi Building 26th Floor

Representative

Representative Director & CEO: Ryosuke Kaneki

Founded

July 2016

Capital Stock

1 Billion Yen

Business Description

Development and provision of the sales engagement service "UPWARD"

Media Inquiries

UPWARD, Inc., Corporate Group Headquarters, PR Team

Tel

03-6897-3683

Mail

pr@upward.jp

*Company names mentioned in this text are the registered trademarks or trademarks of their respective companies.

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Please feel free to inquire about UPWARD's services and company information.We welcome your questions.