Sakai City's Regional Industrial DX Initiative Named Finalist for Japan DX Award 2026
Key facts
- Sakai City's Regional Industrial DX Initiative Named Finalist for Japan DX Award 2026
- The Sakai DX Promotion Lab's initiative, 'Sakai NeXt Drive,' led by Sakai City, has been selected as a finalist in the Support category of the Japan DX Award 2026. Chosen from a record-breaking 186 applicants, Sakai City marked its second consecutive year as a finalist. The program focuses on driving authentic business transformation beyond mere digitization, fostering a collaborative ecosystem to enhance regional support capabilities.
- Source: PR Times
- Date: May 21, 2026
Direct answer
The Sakai DX Promotion Lab's initiative, 'Sakai NeXt Drive,' led by Sakai City, has been selected as a finalist in the Support category of the Japan DX Award 2026. Chosen from a record-breaking 186 applicants, Sakai City marked its second consecutive year as a finalist. The program focuses on driving authentic business transformation beyond mere digitization, fostering a collaborative ecosystem to enhance regional support capabilities.
- Citation
- Sakai City's Regional Industrial DX Initiative Named Finalist for Japan DX Award 2026 (May 21, 2026), PR Times
- Source
- PR Times
- Date
- May 21, 2026
The Sakai DX Promotion Lab's initiative, 'Sakai NeXt Drive,' led by Sakai City, has been selected as a finalist in the Support category of the Japan DX Award 2026. Chosen from a record-breaking 186 applicants, Sakai City marked its second consecutive year as a finalist. The program focuses on driving authentic business transformation beyond mere digitization, fostering a collaborative ecosystem to enhance regional support capabilities.
📋 Article Processing Timeline
- 📰 Published: May 21, 2026 at 19:00
- 🔍 Collected: May 21, 2026 at 10:31
- 🤖 AI Analyzed: May 28, 2026 at 15:32 (173h 0m after Collected)
The contest received a record 186 applications, from which 24 finalist companies/organizations were selected after a document screening. The Sakai DX Promotion Lab was also a finalist in last year's 'Japan DX Award 2025' and received the Encouragement Award, making this its second consecutive year being selected.
### Initiative Overview
The 'Sakai DX Promotion Lab' is a regional DX support network established in 2023 with Sakai City as the secretariat, involving 17 organizations across industry, academia, government, and finance. It has worked to form a foundation where support organizations collaborate organically.
This initiative aims to transform the Lab into a 'place for DX support' where companies and support organizations grow together through DX practice. Sakai City defines DX not as simple operational efficiency through digitization, but as an effort to improve corporate value through new business creation and business model transformation. While upstream support is essential for value-creating DX, many existing support programs remain stuck in downstream processes (mere digitization).
To address this, Sakai City launched 'Sakai NeXt Drive,' a program starting in FY2025 that implements DX support focused on new business creation and business transformation. It supports local companies in their challenges while incorporating a structure where support organizations improve their own capabilities through practice.
### About Japan DX Award 2026
Now in its 5th year, the Japan DX Award honors practitioners engaged in business and organizational transformation. The 2026 theme is 'Transformation Breeds the Next Transformation,' exploring transformations that chain across organizations, regions, and industries.
### Upcoming Schedule
The 24 finalists will participate in a 3-day public presentation screening.
- **Public Presentation (Support Category):** June 18, 2:00 PM – 4:00 PM (Online, free with registration).
- **Japan DX Award 2026 Summit & Award:** To be held on July 22-23, 2026, at TODA Hall & Conference Tokyo, where winners will be announced. The Support category ceremony is scheduled for July 22.
FAQ
What is the Sakai DX Promotion Lab?
It is a regional collaboration body for DX support, with the Sakai City Office as the secretariat and 17 organizations from industry, academia, government, and finance participating. Support organizations collaborate to comprehensively support the DX of local companies.
What are the features of 'Sakai NeXt Drive'?
It is a program that supports not just business efficiency (digitalization) but also the creation of new businesses and business transformation (transformation) using digital technology, aiming for genuine DX that enhances corporate value.
Please tell me about the selection of finalists for the Japan DX Award 2026.
From a record 186 applications, 24 companies were selected as finalists after a written review. Sakai City and Sakai DX Promotion Lab have been chosen in the [Support Category].
What is the upcoming review schedule?
The public presentation review for the support category will be held online on June 18, 2026, at 14:00, and the award ceremony will take place on July 22-23, 2026, at the 'Japan DX Award 2026 Summit & Award'.
What companies and organizations are participating in the Sakai DX Promotion Lab?
Participants include Sakai City, Sakai Chamber of Commerce and Industry, Osaka Shinkin Bank, NTT West Japan, Sharp, Osaka Metropolitan University, and a total of 17 organizations from public, financial, IT, and educational sectors.