Pre-seed VC "THE SEED" Announces Special Collaboration with Nikkei's Open Innovation Project "NIKKEI THE PITCH" for "BANK SUMMIT 2026"

Pre-seed investor "THE SEED" (Headquarters: Shibuya-ku, Tokyo, Representative: Daiki Hirozawa, hereinafter "THE SEED") is pleased to announce that "NIKKEI THE PITCH," an open innovation promotion project by Nikkei Inc., will provide special collaboration for "BANK SUMMIT 2026 (3rd Edition)" to be held on November 9, 2026 (Mon.) in Otemachi, Tokyo. Through various media deployments and refinement of planned content, we will collaborate with "NIKKEI THE PITCH" in multiple aspects, leveraging their communication power and expertise to further foster the intersection of regional finance and startups. We also announce that registration for this event is now open.

Background of Special Collaboration: Towards a Venue for Enhanced Information Exchange and Dissemination

BANK SUMMIT, with the concept of a place for bank employees to gather as change agents beyond organizational boundaries, has been creating opportunities for regional financial institutions and startups to meet directly since its inaugural event in 2024. We are grateful that the number of participating banks and individuals has expanded with each iteration. However, we have also faced challenges regarding effective information dissemination and ensuring that the information shared with participating bank employees is well-organized and easy to communicate internally.

"NIKKEI THE PITCH" is a program by Nikkei Inc. that conveys the challenges of startups aiming for growth to society and creates opportunities for them to meet with corporations and investors. By borrowing the communication power and expertise that has expanded the startup ecosystem to society as a whole, we aim to further refine the value of "cross-border information" that BANK SUMMIT strives for.

What both initiatives share is a common aspiration: "to create new industries in Japan." By combining the networks and trust held by regional financial institutions, along with their valuable information dissemination, with the communication power and expertise of the media, we aim to transform a single-day event from a "point" into a continuous wave towards industry creation. With this conviction, the special collaboration has been realized, and we will cooperate in various aspects, including media deployment, content refinement, and provision of materials.

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Comment from Nobuyuki Kitamura, Head of NIKKEI THE PITCH Project

"We believe it is important to convey the challenges and insights emerging from the front lines of regional finance as 'insightful information' to be shared with society. Through our collaboration with BANK SUMMIT, we will visualize encounters, discussions, and practices, and cultivate a soil where co-creation between finance and startups can sustainably expand.

NIKKEI THE PITCH has been operated as a project to support not only startups nationwide but also successor ventures challenging the reform of existing businesses, and next-generation social entrepreneurs. Through this activity, we strongly feel the potential of companies and managers in various regions, and we have considered the presence of regional financial institutions to be extremely important as we have continued our efforts.

In this context, we are extremely pleased and encouraged that this collaboration with BANK SUMMIT, and the cooperation with THE SEED, which operates it, has been realized."

Comment from Daiki Hirozawa, Representative of THE SEED

"Since founding THE SEED in 2018, I have actively invested in the Kansai region due to my background growing up in Osaka and attending university in Hyogo. While Kansai has a GDP scale second only to Tokyo, the total amount of startup funding is less than 10% of the national total, making it a region where opportunities are less accessible.

Amidst this, I invested in Mr. Kato of FiT, who started his venture as a student in Kyoto. Witnessing firsthand how his business rapidly grew with the support of regional financial institutions through loans, networks, and customer introductions, I became convinced that the power of regional financial institutions is indispensable for creating larger industries from Japan.

Since then, we have held numerous study sessions and networking events with bank employees, and BANK SUMMIT was born as an extension of these efforts. By adding the communication power of "NIKKEI THE PITCH," which is filled with Nikkei's know-how, to a platform where national financial institutions and startups come closer and foster mutual growth, we believe it can evolve into a more meaningful and substantive information sharing and dissemination venue for all participants."

Event Overview

Event Name: BANK SUMMIT 2026

Edition: 3rd

Date & Time: November 9, 2026 (Mon.) (Program details to be announced sequentially)

Venue: Bellesalle Otemachi (Shimbashi, Minato-ku, Tokyo)

Organizer: THE SEED (The Seed Capital Co., Ltd.)

Target Audience: Regional banks, bank-affiliated CVCs, startup CEOs, and management executives

Event Details: Details will be announced later on the official website (participating banks, program, etc.)

Application: Please apply from the button below

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Inquiries regarding sponsorship and media coverage for this event

Inquiries regarding sponsorship and media coverage

Representative Profile

Daiki Hirozawa

Born in 1992, from Osaka Prefecture. Joined a seed VC in 2015, engaged in discovering new investment targets and supporting portfolio companies. In September 2018, became independent and established the seed fund "THE SEED." Announced the establishment of the second fund in March 2021. Announced the establishment of the third fund in March 2024. Currently manages approximately 4 billion yen.

Conducts investments at the pre-seed and seed stages. Has made startup investments in approximately 60 companies, including New Innovations Inc., which provides "smart coffee stand root C"; AGRI SMILE Inc., which approaches challenges in the agricultural sector through science and technology support; Trifah Inc., which offers an overseas eSIM app; and FiT Inc., which operates fitness gyms.

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/Daiki.Hirozawa

X (formerly Twitter): https://x.com/HirozawaDaiki

Overview of Seed Investor "THE SEED"

Fund Name: THE SEED

Representative: Daiki Hirozawa

Investment Target: Startups in the pre-seed and seed rounds, primarily in Japan

Corporate Website: https://theseed.vc/

Fund Blog: https://theseed.vc/magazine

Meeting for Investment Consultation: https://theseed.vc/theseedtalk