[Press Release] Ibaraki Shinkumi and Appreciate Inc. Sign Business Matching Contract to Promote DX for Regional Companies

April 10, 2026 Ibaraki Shinkumi / Appreciate Inc.

Ibaraki Shinkumi (Financial Institution Code: 2101, Headquarters: 2-3-12 Omachi, Mito City, Ibaraki Prefecture, hereinafter "Kenshin") and Appreciate Inc. (Headquarters: Station Front Mito 6F/7F, 1-1-3 Sannomaru, Mito City, Ibaraki Prefecture, President & CEO: Yukiya Wada, hereinafter "Appreciate"), provider of the new attendance management system "iTime", are pleased to announce the signing of a business matching contract in April 2026 aimed at supporting workstyle reforms and productivity improvements for regional small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs).

■ Background of the Contract

Currently, "workstyle reform" and "digitalization of labor management (DX)" are urgent issues for many SMEs. However, challenges such as "implementation costs and site adaptability" act as barriers to adoption. "Kenshin," which is strengthening "management support" as a community-based financial institution, and "Appreciate," which provides user-friendly IT services from the perspective of the frontline under the slogan "From Ibaraki to the World," have joined hands. By combining their strengths, they determined that they could contribute to solving the implementation and operational challenges faced by regional companies and support sustainable management, leading to the conclusion of this contract.

■ Overview of the Matching Contract

Based on this contract, Kenshin's precise ability to grasp the issues of its business partners, cultivated over the years, will be closely linked with the generous implementation and operational support provided by Appreciate's dedicated staff, thereby supporting the promotion of DX that is firmly established in the workplace. By integrating the advanced system utilization of the i-series, which can "visualize" in real time not only simple attendance management but also man-hour management per project and the value-added amount per employee hour, with Kenshin's strong relationship of trust with locally rooted customers and hands-on problem-solving capabilities, we will strongly back the acceleration of management decisions and operational efficiency for regional companies.

■ Benefits for Ibaraki Shinkumi (Financial Institution Side)

- Expansion of Customer Support Menu
It becomes possible to propose concrete and low-cost (from 300 yen per person per month) solutions to the serious issues of "labor shortage" and "working hour management" faced by business partners.

- Enhancement of Hands-on Support
Through management analysis utilizing data accumulated in iTime, more precise management advice and understanding of financial needs become possible, strengthening its function as a partner supporting the growth of regional companies.

■ Benefits for Appreciate Inc. (Company Side)

- Utilization of Regional Network
Through "Kenshin," which has a solid foundation in Ibaraki Prefecture, it becomes possible to deliver the i-series to companies in a wide range of industries that were difficult to reach on their own.

- Improvement of Social Trust
By partnering with a major regional financial institution, reliability from private companies can be further enhanced, in addition to the track record of implementation in local governments (such as Ibaraki Prefectural Government and Mito City).

■ Future Developments

Going forward, both companies will multiply support for the DX of regional companies through the following initiatives, not limited to simple product introductions.

- Holding Joint Seminars
We plan to start webinars and face-to-face seminars with themes such as "How to choose a foolproof attendance management system" and "Data utilization for productivity improvement" around the summer of 2026.

- Collaboration in Implementation and Operational Support
Both companies will work together to provide a generous support system that allows even companies unfamiliar with IT to implement the system with peace of mind, such as initial hearings and proxy settings.

■ Representative's Comment

Yukiya Wada, President and CEO, Appreciate Inc.

"The profitability of SMEs is synonymous with saving the Japanese economy." Born from this great cause, the management support system "iTime" is a system that achieves both a reduction in the input burden on the frontline and the visualization of management. Together with "Kenshin," which supports the local economy, we will make it our mission to do everything in our power to help companies in Ibaraki increase their added value and grow into stronger organizations.

■ Company Profiles

[Ibaraki Shinkumi]
- Financial Institution Code: 2101
- Location: 2-3-12 Omachi, Mito City, Ibaraki Prefecture
- Main Business: Banking operations such as deposits, loans, and foreign exchange, and management support for regional companies

[Appreciate Inc.]
- Representative: Yukiya Wada, President and CEO
- Capital: 100 million yen
- Locations:
(Ibaraki HQ) Station Front Mito 6F/7F, 1-1-3 Sannomaru, Mito City, Ibaraki Prefecture
(Ibaraki HQ 2nd Office) Sompo Japan Nipponkoa Mito Building 2F, 2-6-13 Minamimachi, Mito City, Ibaraki Prefecture
(Tokyo HQ) Ryumeikan Honten Building 12F, 3-4 Kanda Surugadai, Chiyoda-ku, Tokyo
- Business Description: Software development, SaaS product business, e-sports business, IT consulting
- Official Website: https://all-app