Sakai NeXt Drive Kickoff Event to be Held
Sakai City will hold a kickoff event for its "Sakai NeXt Drive" program on May 28, 2026, which supports local SMEs in promoting DX. The event aims to deepen understanding of DX and encourage participation through case studies from last year's participating companies and program explanations.
📋 Article Processing Timeline
- 📰 Published: May 1, 2026 at 19:00
- 🔍 Collected: May 1, 2026 at 10:31
- 🤖 AI Analyzed: May 1, 2026 at 22:13 (11h 42m after Collected)
Sakai City has been implementing the "Sakai NeXt Drive (Sakai City DX New Business Creation Project)" program since fiscal year 2025, which supports local small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) in leveraging digital technology (D) to take on the challenge of transformation (X), such as creating new businesses and business reforms.
Similar to last year, this program will select approximately five target companies for support, providing lectures and workshops on new business creation, mentoring support, and promotion opportunities through outcome reporting sessions, thereby supporting the practical implementation of DX (Digital Transformation).
Prior to the start of the program, a kickoff event will be held as follows to promote understanding of DX and increase motivation to participate in the program, through introductions of practical case studies from companies that participated in last year's "Sakai NeXt Drive" and challenged DX.
▼Click here for the flyer
d100533-305-e004a54b227a45d19b399d68f7034bd5.pdf
1. Overview of the Kickoff Event
Date and Time
Thursday, May 28, 2026, 3:00 PM - 5:00 PM
Target Participants
SMEs within Sakai City wishing to receive support from this program
SMEs, support organizations, media, etc., both within and outside Sakai City, interested in DX practice and support
Application Method
Applications open on Tuesday, April 28, 2026, at 2:00 PM (applications close once the capacity is reached)
Please apply from the Sakai City website below.
https://www.city.sakai.lg.jp/sangyo/shienyuushi/dx_shien/sakai_next_drive.html
Venue
Osaka Metropolitan University Innovation Academy Smart Energy Building (1-1 Gakuen-cho, Naka-ku, Sakai City)
*Online streaming will also be provided
Organizer
Sakai City
Operating Contractor
Deloitte Touche Tohmatsu LLC
2. Program Content
Introduction to "Sakai NeXt Drive (Sakai City DX New Business Creation Project)"
Keynote speeches by DX challenge companies from fiscal year 2025
《Speakers》
・Akibo Co., Ltd. (https://www.akibo.co.jp/)
Yuta Iwahashi, Group Leader, OL Sales Group, Marketing Department
・Wada Seiko Co., Ltd. (https://www.wtw.co.jp/)
Kazuhiro Wada, President and CEO
Talk session by DX challenge companies from fiscal year 2025
Introduction to Sakai City and Sakai DX Promotion Lab's digitalization and DX support content
Networking session *Excluding online participants
3. Sakai DX Promotion Lab
The Sakai DX Promotion Lab is a system where 17 industry, academia, government, and financial institutions within the city, including the Sakai City secretariat, collaborate to support the digitalization and DX promotion of local companies throughout the community. In October 2023, it was certified as a "Regional DX Promotion Lab" by the Ministry of Economy, Trade and Industry and IPA (Information-technology Promotion Agency, Japan). For details, please check the Sakai City website below.
https://www.city.sakai.lg.jp/sangyo/shienyuushi/dx_shien/sakaidxsuishinlabo.html
Similar to last year, this program will select approximately five target companies for support, providing lectures and workshops on new business creation, mentoring support, and promotion opportunities through outcome reporting sessions, thereby supporting the practical implementation of DX (Digital Transformation).
Prior to the start of the program, a kickoff event will be held as follows to promote understanding of DX and increase motivation to participate in the program, through introductions of practical case studies from companies that participated in last year's "Sakai NeXt Drive" and challenged DX.
▼Click here for the flyer
d100533-305-e004a54b227a45d19b399d68f7034bd5.pdf
1. Overview of the Kickoff Event
Date and Time
Thursday, May 28, 2026, 3:00 PM - 5:00 PM
Target Participants
SMEs within Sakai City wishing to receive support from this program
SMEs, support organizations, media, etc., both within and outside Sakai City, interested in DX practice and support
Application Method
Applications open on Tuesday, April 28, 2026, at 2:00 PM (applications close once the capacity is reached)
Please apply from the Sakai City website below.
https://www.city.sakai.lg.jp/sangyo/shienyuushi/dx_shien/sakai_next_drive.html
Venue
Osaka Metropolitan University Innovation Academy Smart Energy Building (1-1 Gakuen-cho, Naka-ku, Sakai City)
*Online streaming will also be provided
Organizer
Sakai City
Operating Contractor
Deloitte Touche Tohmatsu LLC
2. Program Content
Introduction to "Sakai NeXt Drive (Sakai City DX New Business Creation Project)"
Keynote speeches by DX challenge companies from fiscal year 2025
《Speakers》
・Akibo Co., Ltd. (https://www.akibo.co.jp/)
Yuta Iwahashi, Group Leader, OL Sales Group, Marketing Department
・Wada Seiko Co., Ltd. (https://www.wtw.co.jp/)
Kazuhiro Wada, President and CEO
Talk session by DX challenge companies from fiscal year 2025
Introduction to Sakai City and Sakai DX Promotion Lab's digitalization and DX support content
Networking session *Excluding online participants
3. Sakai DX Promotion Lab
The Sakai DX Promotion Lab is a system where 17 industry, academia, government, and financial institutions within the city, including the Sakai City secretariat, collaborate to support the digitalization and DX promotion of local companies throughout the community. In October 2023, it was certified as a "Regional DX Promotion Lab" by the Ministry of Economy, Trade and Industry and IPA (Information-technology Promotion Agency, Japan). For details, please check the Sakai City website below.
https://www.city.sakai.lg.jp/sangyo/shienyuushi/dx_shien/sakaidxsuishinlabo.html