UNI-SQUARE
UNIVA Group's sole financial services business
What UNIVA Securities aims for with “Financial Democratization”
"I want to grow my money, but I don't really understand investing."
"I'm afraid of losing money."
Many of you probably have such perceptions about finance and investment. That's why we've invited Mr. Kenji Inagawa, President of UNIVA Securities—the only financial services business within the UNIVA Group—to appear in the August issue of UNI-SQUARE. We asked Mr. Inagawa two things. First, to explain UNIVA Securities in a way that even those unfamiliar with finance can understand. Second, to make finance something exciting for everyone. NAKAMA members! Let's open the door to "financial democratization" together.
The man behind “Try group's Home Tutoring” becomes a salaried employee for the first time in his life?
Mr. Inagawa, the president of UNIVA Securities, is none other than the founder of “Try group's Home Tutoring”! While attending Toyama University, he started a business with his friends and has supported the growth of "Try Group Co., Ltd." for 30 years as vice president.
"Even after the founding of Try Group, I led the diversification of the group into staffing agencies, credit card companies, and individual tutoring schools. In the 2000s, I was involved in business expansion through M&A strategies and the establishment of a solid revenue base. I handled numerous projects, including the acquisition of an apparel manufacturer with approximately 13 billion yen in debt, corporate rebranding, and overseas expansion."
It was around 2015 that Mr. Inagawa joined the UNIVA Group.
"It all started with an offer to help revive a company that Oak Capital (now UNIVA Oak Holdings) had invested in. It was my first experience as a salaried employee, but I was given complete autonomy and worked in an incredibly supportive environment. After handling various corporate turnarounds, I became the Investment Banking Division Manager at Sterling Securities in 2022 and was appointed President and CEO of UNIVA Securities in April of this year."
In April 2025, the company changed its name from Sterling Securities to UNIVA Securities. Are there any other significant changes besides the name change?
"Yes, Sterling Securities and UNIVA Securities have completely different business models. Sterling Securities invested its own capital in publicly listed companies facing funding difficulties to enhance their value. UNIVA Securities also targets publicly listed companies, but the key difference is that we now provide support not only through financial means but also through other flexible methods to facilitate the growth of these companies."
The meaning behind the slogan "Stropla!"
"The term 'finance' implies the act of providing funds. There are various means of doing so, such as banks, securities firms, or lending companies. For a company, the most effective way to secure funds is to raise capital efficiently without issuing too many shares at low cost. We believe this ultimately benefits the company."
I see, so that's how it connects to UNIVA Securities' slogan, "Be a Strategist!"
"Exactly. 'Stropla' is an abbreviation for Strategic Planner. Our mission is to maximize corporate value and meet investors' expectations. In today's environment, where many companies are aiming for an IPO or seeking further growth strategies, simply securing funds is insufficient to achieve true growth.
We provide the necessary talent to such companies, and if marketing strategies are needed, we introduce them to Japan's top companies through . For M&A strategies, we introduce M&A companies with the necessary knowledge and expertise, and their staff follow up to guide the company toward the best M&A option. By providing comprehensive support, we can enhance the company's value with greater accuracy. As a result, investors can also share in the benefits, and connecting investors with target companies is the core mission of UNIVA Securities.”
UNIVA Securities has two departments: the Management Department, which focuses on governance and compliance, and the Investment Banking Department, which handles a wide range of tasks. The company employs six highly specialized professionals with expertise in finance and investment. Additionally, we have a team of "super" specialists registered as securities brokers with UNIVA Securities, forming an unbeatable team.
UNIVA Securities' strength lies in its rarity, with less than 1% of the market share.
What is UNIVA Securities' strength?
"This gets a bit technical, but among the 1,936 financial instrument firms in Japan, those classified as 'Type 1 Financial Instrument Firms' are essentially securities companies. Type 1 firms are only recognized if they meet extremely stringent criteria, including a stable financial foundation and robust compliance systems. Next, there are "Type-II Financial Instruments Business," which manage funds, and "Investment Advisory and Agency Firms," which provide investment advice or act as agents for fund management. Companies that hold any of these three licenses are classified as financial instruments firms. Among these, only 54 companies, accounting for 2.7% of the total, hold all three licenses, and UNIVA Securities is one of them. Furthermore, within the UNIVA Group, there is a company called UNIVA CAPITAL Finance that operates a lending business. Such a company likely does not exist elsewhere. This unique position within the UNIVA Group is our greatest strength, representing less than 1% of the market.”
How will this rare value of less than 1% give rise to new business opportunities?
"Now, let me tell you about the UNIVA Fund. The UNIVA Fund is a growth-support hybrid fund specializing in companies preparing for an IPO or seeking to accelerate their growth strategy after listing.
By allowing multiple investors to contribute anonymously to financial products, investors can enjoy stable dividends with low risk through a structure that ensures. As a unique scheme offered by a securities company, it optimizes the balance between debt financing and equity, enabling companies to secure growth capital while keeping capital costs low—a groundbreaking new approach. Currently in the final review stage, many companies are awaiting approval, and we expect significant progress by next month!"
UNIVA Securities has strong connections with regional banks and receives numerous referrals from professionals. The vision they aim to achieve through UNIVA Securities' strengths in ‘finance, consulting, and networking’ is the "democratization of finance."
UNIVA Securities' vision for “financial democratization”
"Many people are currently participating in NISA. Due to the tax-free benefits, many people have jumped on board. However, even if you invest in companies like S&P or Orkan in the U.S., if the stock prices plummet suddenly, like they did this spring, it's ultimately the individual investors who lose out. In other words, the traditional structure of the financial market has been one where only the wealthy profit. The concept behind the UNIVA Fund is to enable individuals to earn money steadily and reliably."
By obtaining the aforementioned license and having UNIVA CAPITAL Finance act as an intermediary, we have created a unique system that allows for safe and reliable asset growth.
"With inflation causing prices to rise steadily, even if you have 1 million yen in the bank, its real value has decreased by 2%, meaning it's effectively worth 980,000 yen. However, if you invest that 1 million yen in the UNIVA Fund, we can confidently offer an annual interest rate of 4% to 5%."
Large securities firms with the same license as UNIVA Securities primarily handle transactions worth hundreds of billions of yen and do not offer any products targeting individual investors. The UNIVA Fund represents a significant step toward "financial democratization," but is it truly possible to create a world where anyone can invest starting with just one yen?
"Unfortunately, it's not possible right now. If we allowed investments starting at one yen, the management department would be overwhelmed. To achieve 'financial democratization,' we need social lending, where all investors can register online. Currently, the management department handles everything individually, but once this system is in place, a service allowing investments starting at one yen could become a reality."
Members who founded Japan's first social lending company are currently developing the system at UNIVA Securities, so the realization of “financial democratization” may not be too far off. UNIVA Securities’ first-year target revenue is 187 million yen, with a minimum operating profit target of 2%. We sincerely look forward to achieving these goals and the realization of “financial democratization”!
Mr. Inagawa, thank you very much for your time today.