UNIDGE Launches Application for the Seven Bank Accelerator Program 2026

UNIDGE, a subsidiary of AlphaDrive, supports the Seven Bank Accelerator Program and is currently soliciting collaboration from interested companies starting March 16, 2026.

Seven Bank was established based on the idea that customers desire ATMs at Seven-Eleven stores. Since 2016, the bank has continuously held accelerator programs through open innovation, collaborating with various startups and entities to transcend the traditional notions of ATMs and banking services. This collaboration aims to tackle societal issues and create new value.

Entering its ninth iteration, this program marks a significant milestone in its 10-year journey. As societal changes accelerate, several challenges are emerging that banks alone cannot resolve. To address these, the program seeks to integrate innovative technologies and fresh perspectives from startups and businesses with the reliability and infrastructure provided by Seven Bank.

The core theme for this program is: “Co-create the Next Normal Beyond Finance.” Through leveraging Seven Bank’s extensive ATM platform, which boasts over 28,000 ATMs and generates more than 1 billion transactions annually, participants are encouraged to propose new business ideas utilizing the platform’s services. Further, participants can explore new value propositions by combing the strengths of Seven Bank’s services with their assets.

Program Overview

Themes (Please refer to the dedicated page for more details)

1. New Business Ideas using “ATM+”: The program invites proposals for innovative ideas that utilize new functionalities of the Seven Bank ATM platform.
2. Business Ideas Utilizing Seven Bank Group Services: Focused on co-creating new values by combining Seven Bank Group's strengths with partner businesses’ assets.

Who Can Apply?

All companies across various fields and industries are eligible to apply, with the requirement that communication can be conducted in Japanese.

Schedule

- Application Period: March 16, 2026 (Monday) – April 10, 2026 (Friday) 23:59
- Improvement Period: April 20, 2026 (Monday) – May 15, 2026 (Friday)
- First Screening Submission Deadline: May 15, 2026 (Friday) 23:59
- Pitch Preparation Period: May 25, 2026 (Monday) – June 12, 2026 (Friday)
- Final Selection: June 15, 2026 (Monday) – June 16, 2026 (Tuesday)

Support for Accepted Proposals

For the proposals that are selected, a team from Seven Bank will be allocated to promote collaboration towards service implementation and validation. Necessary resources, including budget considerations, will be discussed and arranged between the two parties.

How to Apply

Interested companies can apply through the dedicated application page: Seven Bank Accelerator Program 2026

Company Overview

About UNIDGE

UNIDGE, a strategic subsidiary of AlphaDrive, specializes in supporting new business initiatives. Their objective is not just to match partners but to foster open innovation, ensuring focused assistance geared towards solid business creation. The team consists entirely of members with experience in business development, addressing challenges from companies and establishing concrete goals for sustainable “collaborative business development.”

By providing systemic support for projects born from innovative ideas and establishing clear criteria for investment decisions, UNIDGE has curated a comprehensive database for potential collaborators, presenting actionable cooperation plans to partners. Following a successful partnership, they provide continued support through project completion. This approach has enabled UNIDGE to achieve support for around 80 companies within just three years of operation.