(Head Office: Chiyoda-ku, Tokyo; CEO: Osamu Hata; hereinafter "WAP") has received the "Microsoft Top Partner Engineer Award 2025" from Microsoft Japan Co. Award 2025 in the Azure Data & AI category. This is the second consecutive year that Kikuchi has received this award, following 2024.

　This award recognizes outstanding engineers from Microsoft Japan partner companies in five categories: Azure Apps & Infra, Azure Data & AI, Modern Work & Copilot, Business Applications, and Security. The awards are presented in five categories: Azure Apps & Infra, Azure Data & AI, Modern Work Copilot, Business Applications, and Security.

　This year, Kikuchi led the development of an AI function*1 for WAP's ERP "HUE" that utilizes declarative agents and Azure OpenAI, which works with Microsoft 365 Copilot. This was provided as a standard function and was highly evaluated for its efforts toward corporate deployment. Spreading the word by speaking at Microsoft-sponsored events and promoting the acquisition of certifications within the company also contributed to the award.

　WAP will continue to collaborate with Microsoft Japan to promote the use of field-driven generative AI. WAP will continue to contribute to business innovation and productivity improvement of Japanese companies.

<Comments from Mr. Minoru Naito, General Manager, Partner Technology Division, Partner Business Headquarters, Microsoft Japan Co.
We would like to express our sincere appreciation for your continued cooperation with Microsoft Japan. We are pleased to present the Microsoft Top Partner Engineer Award 2025 to Mr. Hiroshi Kikuchi in recognition of his achievements.
The Microsoft Top Partner Engineer Award is a very important initiative for us, as it recognizes individuals who have contributed to a wide range of business activities and are working hard to promote Microsoft technologies. We hope that this award will support Hiroshi Kikuchi's wealth of knowledge and experience, and give even a small boost to our business.
Microsoft Japan will continue to work with Works Applications, Inc. and Hiroshi Kikuchi to help our customers achieve their digital transformation.

*1: Please refer to the press release dated July 8, 2025 for details on the AI functionality of "HUE".

About Works Applications

Works Applications was founded in 1996 as an ERP package vendor in Japan. With innovative solutions such as no-customization and free version upgrades, we have supported the growth of our customers, mainly major Japanese companies. Believing in the potential of each individual, we aim to be a "growth engine" that maximizes the value of companies and individuals, and we will continue our pursuit of turning "work" into "creation" and making "work" fun.

*Microsoft, Azure, and Microsoft 365 are either registered trademarks or trademarks of Microsoft Corporation in the United States and/or other countries.
*Microsoft 365 is the name of a service provided by Microsoft Corporation.
*Company names, product names and service names are trademarks or registered trademarks of their respective companies.
*The information in this release is current as of the date of publication, and is subject to change or withdrawal without notice. Please be aware that the forecasts and other forward-looking information contained in this release are uncertain and may differ from actual results.