Akerun Partners with upnow to Enable Unmanned Operation of Rental Spaces, Enhancing Space Owners’ Profitability

Akerun's access control management system (hereinafter "Akerun"), provided by Photosynth Inc. (Minato-ku, Tokyo; CEO Kohtaro Kawanose; hereinafter "Photosynth"), has integrated with "upnow," a rental space self-booking website creation service offered by Upnow Inc. (headquartered in Shibuya-ku, Tokyo; CEO Goki Aoyama; hereinafter "Upnow").

With this integration, space owners who have already set up Akerun on instabase—the rental space matching platform operated by Rebase Inc.—can now also use the same Akerun system on upnow. Users who book rental spaces via upnow can unlock the door directly from their smartphone on the reservation details screen, eliminating the need for physical key exchange and enabling space owners to operate their spaces unmanned while improving profitability.

Overview of the Akerun and upnow integration:

- Akerun devices already linked on instabase can be used seamlessly on upnow, enabling unmanned operation of rental spaces without additional hardware

- Users can lock and unlock doors directly from their smartphone via the upnow reservation screen, eliminating the need for key exchange or on-site staff support

- Space owners can set time windows for access based on reservations and remotely lock/unlock doors, achieving both unmanned operations and enhanced security and profitability

Background of the Akerun Integration

upnow enables any space owner to easily create a self-operated booking website at no initial or monthly cost, supporting nationwide space owners in attracting customers directly while minimizing fees and streamlining operations.

Traditional rental space operations have required key handovers to users and on-site staff support, creating operational burdens in terms of cost and manpower. Particularly for spaces used from early morning to late night, balancing unmanned operations with secure access management has been a challenge.

To address this, upnow now offers integration with Akerun—built upon its existing instabase integration—as a solution to enable unmanned operations and improve space owners’ profitability. Space owners who have already linked Akerun on instabase can now use the same Akerun devices on upnow, seamlessly connecting their upnow booking site with Akerun’s access management system.

Benefits of the Akerun and upnow integration:

【Benefits of Akerun and upnow integration】

- Enables completely unmanned operations without physical key exchange

- Users can lock and unlock doors directly from the upnow reservation screen on their smartphone. Eliminates the need for physical key handover or PIN code sharing, allowing space owners to operate rental spaces remotely and without on-site presence.

- Secure, reservation-linked access control

- The unlock button is displayed only during the reserved time window (including a configurable 0–30 minute buffer before and after the reservation), ensuring users can enter only during their booked time, thus enabling secure and reliable access management.

- Increased profitability using existing Akerun devices

- Space owners can use their existing Akerun devices already linked on instabase without installing additional hardware, minimizing upfront investment. This reduces operational costs while increasing profitability for rental space businesses.

Photosynth will continue to actively promote Akerun-based unmanned and labor-saving solutions to improve operational efficiency across various facilities. The company will also advance feature enhancements and expand partnership services to meet diverse needs, including secure access management and reduced operating costs for rental spaces and other venues.

For more details on the Akerun and upnow integration, please refer to the upnow user guide:

https://upnow-guide.notion.site/Akerun-36bbb44a67608068bb06f91fb137af69

【About upnow】

upnow is a rental space-focused reservation system that allows users to set up a dedicated booking website at no initial or monthly cost. It enables seamless conversion of customers arriving via Google Maps, social media, or direct searches into direct bookings and payments, with setup possible in as little as one day. Currently, upnow is deployed in over 8,000 spaces nationwide.

https://upnow.jp/

【About Upnow Inc.】

Upnow Inc. (headquartered in Shibuya-ku, Tokyo; CEO: Goki Aoyama) operates under the mission "Supporting those who challenge to create the future," using IT to empower individuals taking their first steps into entrepreneurship or side businesses. The company develops and operates "upnow," a self-booking system for rental space owners. Leveraging experience supporting over 1,000 rental space operations nationwide, Upnow is advancing unmanned and efficient space management. The company has established a capital and business alliance with Rebase Inc., which operates the rental space matching platform "instabase."

【About Akerun】

"Akerun" is an IoT service that digitizes physical keys into cloud-based access, enhancing both convenience and security. Utilizing the access authentication platform "Akerun Access Intelligence," which combines digital and physical IDs for user verification, Akerun connects any door to the internet, enabling access management across diverse locations and scenarios.

The core Akerun-branded service, "Akerun Access Control Management System" for businesses, is a cloud-based solution that can be retrofitted onto existing doors. It enables locking/unlocking via smartphone or IC card, remote lock/unlock operations, cloud-based key permission management, granting/revoking access rights, and checking entry/exit logs via web tools or smartphone apps.

Service website: https://akerun.com/

【About Photosynth Inc.】

Photosynth Inc. (hereinafter "Photosynth") operates under the mission "Embedding experiences of innovation into the future through connected things," offering cloud-based IoT services under the Akerun brand—including the "Akerun Access Control Management System"—which enables cloud management of locks via simple retrofitting to existing doors. By connecting office doors to the internet and the cloud, Akerun enables not only keyless entry via IC cards or apps but also cloud-based permission management and access logging, enabling comprehensive access control across diverse locations and use cases. Through its cloud-based IoT services, Photosynth supports digital transformation and work-style innovation for enterprises of all sizes and industries.

https://photosynth.co.jp/