Stayway Partners with YMFG Growth Partners to Digitize Subsidy Support for Three Yamaguchi Financial Group Banks, Accelerating Growth for Regional Enterprises

Stayway Inc. (Headquarters: Osaka City, Osaka Prefecture; Representative Director: Jun Sato; hereinafter 'Stayway'), operator of 'Hojokin Cloud', has commenced a business alliance with YMFG Growth Partners Co., Ltd. (Headquarters: Shimonoseki City, Yamaguchi Prefecture; Representative Director: Yasuhiro Zenin; hereinafter 'YMGP'). The purpose of this alliance is for YMGP to introduce 'Hojokin Cloud' to build a framework that provides comprehensive subsidy support to the customers of three group banks (Yamaguchi Bank, Momiji Bank, and Kitakyushu Bank), delivering swifter and more accurate solutions to local SMEs.

Background of the Business Alliance

Within the Yamaguchi Financial Group (YMFG), YMGP, which supports the business growth of regional companies, provides optimal solutions to various management issues. Recently, against the backdrop of responding to soaring prices and labor shortages, as well as promoting DX and GX, the investment appetite of SMEs has been increasing. As a means to realize this, the utilization of subsidies is also growing in importance.

On the other hand, subsidy systems are diverse, and understanding the systems and preparing applications require considerable time and specialized knowledge. Therefore, it was a challenge for YMGP to provide efficient and high-quality support to the client companies of its three group banks (Yamaguchi Bank, Momiji Bank, and Kitakyushu Bank).

Given this background, the two companies initiated a business matching with the aim of advancing and streamlining the subsidy support structure by utilizing YMGP's consulting capabilities and the expertise and technology of 'Hojokin Cloud' provided by Stayway.

Overview of the Business Alliance

First, YMGP will utilize 'Hojokin Cloud' provided by Stayway when offering subsidy utilization support. This will streamline the collection and organization of subsidy information, reducing the workload of personnel and improving responsiveness.

In addition, through YMGP, high-precision information from 'Hojokin Cloud' will be fed back to the three group banks (Yamaguchi Bank, Momiji Bank, and Kitakyushu Bank). This will strengthen backend support to make optimal subsidy proposals to the SMEs that are clients of each bank.

Furthermore, for subsidy utilization needs received at the counters of each bank, YMGP will take on practical support utilizing 'Hojokin Cloud'. This enables seamless support across the group, from consultation to application and post-adoption follow-up.

Comments from Representatives of Both Companies

■ Mr. Yasuhiro Zenin, Representative Director, YMFG Growth Partners

With our purpose of 'For your Growth,' we have been addressing the business growth of regional companies head-on, working to improve corporate value and solve regional issues by providing unique optimal solutions to diversifying and complicating management challenges. Even in a rapidly changing business environment, we believe that regional companies have significant growth potential. While the utilization of subsidies is an effective means to connect such challenges to concrete growth investments, the complexity of the systems and the practical workload have been barriers to their use.

This business alliance with Stayway Inc. aims to realize the digitalization and advancement of subsidy support operations through the high expertise and technology of 'Hojokin Cloud', and to support the growth investments of regional companies more swiftly and accurately.

Going forward, based on the trust and knowledge rooted in the region, we will continue to work as a unified group to accompany our customers in their challenges, so that their growth leads to the revitalization of the regional economy and, ultimately, the realization of a sustainable regional society.

■ Jun Sato, Representative Director, Stayway

Our company has set the mission of 'unlocking the potential of SMEs and regions.' We are deeply honored to enter into a business alliance with YMFG Growth Partners, a company with a broad business base that acts as a platform for problem-solving under the purpose of 'For your Growth,' walking alongside customers toward their business growth.

While subsidies are an effective means to support the challenges of regional companies, there are certain hurdles to their utilization. Therefore, by combining 'Hojokin Cloud' with the specialized knowledge of YMFG Growth Partners, who are deeply familiar with the regional economy, we aim to develop an environment where regional companies can execute growth investments more smoothly and effectively. We will continue to contribute to the further revitalization of the regional economy.

About the 'Hojokin Cloud' Series

'Hojokin Cloud' is a digital transformation service for subsidy applications designed for financial institutions, operating companies, and professionals. It aims to build a platform where all SMEs can have equal growth opportunities through subsidies by collecting and centralizing complex information on subsidies dispersed across national and local governments, providing information tailored to the needs of individual SMEs, and visualizing, analyzing, and streamlining operations using data and technology.