（※1）Calculated based on published figures from ICANN (the nonprofit organization responsible for coordinating internet domain names and related resources). Latest data as of February 2026 : https://www.icann.org/resources/pages/registry-reports
【Survey Highlights】
● Accounting software recorded the highest adoption rate among all categories at 68.9%, demonstrating its position as an essential business infrastructure tool during the early stages of entrepreneurship.
● Generative AI services achieved the highest scores across multiple evaluation metrics, including 84.4% satisfaction and 87.6% intention to continue usage, highlighting their rapid adoption as business efficiency tools.
● The most common selection criteria were ease of implementation, brand recognition, and low initial cost, reflecting the practical priorities of entrepreneurs in the startup phase.
【About the Business Concierge Award】
（URL：https://www.onamae.com/business/bizconaward/startup）
The Business Concierge Award is a recognition program conducted by Business Concierge, based on surveys of Onamae.com by GMO users. Recipients are selected and honored according to user evaluations and feedback, recognizing services that have gained strong support in their respective fields.
In 2026, the entrepreneurial ecosystem has undergone significant change, driven by the rapid adoption of generative AI and the expansion of startup support initiatives. Against this backdrop, Business Concierge launched the award program to make the experiences of actual entrepreneurs more visible and to provide aspiring founders with a reliable information resource when selecting business services.
For the Startup Awards, the survey targeted individuals who have launched businesses or startups and examined service usage, selection criteria, and post-adoption evaluations across five categories:
・Corporate Credit Cards
・Accounting Software
・Shift and Attendance Management
・Business Chat Tools
・Generative AI Services
Gold, Silver, and Bronze badges are awarded to the top three services in each category.（※2）
（※2）Award recipients were selected based on an independent survey conducted by Business Concierge (valid responses: 615). The awards do not guarantee or endorse the quality, effectiveness, or performance of any awarded service.
■Survey Methodology
Survey Title : Survey on Services Used During the Business Startup Phase
Survey Period : May 22–31, 2026
Conducted By : Business Concierge
Target Respondents : Users of Onamae.com by GMO who identified themselves as entrepreneurs, business owners, sole proprietors, or personnel responsible for new business development
Methodology : Online Survey
Valid Responses : 615
【Award-Winning Services】
| Category | Gold | Silver | Bronze |
|---|---|---|---|
| Corporate Credit Cards | Sumitomo Mitsui Card Business Owners | American Express® Business Card | JCB Corporate Card |
| Accounting Software | freee Accounting | Yayoi Accounting | Money Forward Cloud Accounting |
| Attendance Management | Money Forward Cloud Attendance | freee Attendance Management Plus | Jobcan Attendance Management |
| Business Chat | Chatwork | Microsoft Teams | Slack |
| Generative AI Services | ChatGPT | Gemini | Claude |
■Key Findings
①Accounting Software Achieved the Highest Adoption Rate at 68.9%, Establishing Itself as Fundamental Startup Infrastructure
Among the five categories surveyed, accounting software demonstrated the highest usage rate at 68.9% (424 respondents).
Respondents frequently cited its value in tax filing, collaboration with accountants, and improving accounting efficiency. The category also achieved the highest score among usefulness-related metrics, with 78.5% of respondents stating that it was beneficial during the startup phase.
②Generative AI Services Recorded the Highest User Evaluation Scores Across All Categories
Generative AI services, used by 56.4% (347 respondents) of participants, achieved the strongest results across all user evaluation measures.
・Satisfaction: 84.4%
・Intention to continue using: 87.6%
・Perceived usefulness: 83.9%
・Willingness to recommend: 75.8%
These figures were the highest among the five categories surveyed.
Respondents reported benefits such as more efficient information gathering, faster document preparation, and reduced time required to draft contracts and proposals, indicating that generative AI has become firmly established as a productivity-enhancing business tool.
③Ease of Adoption, Brand Recognition, and Low Initial Cost Were the Most Important Selection Factors
The most frequently cited reasons for choosing services were:
・Ease of implementation
・Strong brand recognition
・Affordable initial cost
The findings suggest that entrepreneurs operating under limited time and resource constraints place significant value on solutions that can be deployed quickly while minimizing upfront investment.
▼For more information and the full report on the Business Concierge Award 2026 Startup Awards, please visit:
https://www.onamae.com/business/bizconaward/startup
【About Business Concierge】
（URL：https://www.onamae.com/business/）
Business Concierge is an information platform operated by Onamae.com by GMO, Japan’s leading domain registration service, providing business efficiency and productivity insights for sole proprietors and small-to-medium-sized enterprises.
As a media platform supporting entrepreneurs and new business creation, Business Concierge launched the Business Concierge Award to recognize and select services based on actual user feedback.
The program will continue on an annual basis, with the goal of serving as a trusted source of information for future entrepreneurs. Details regarding the 2027 edition will be announced on the official Business Concierge website.
【About GMO Internet, Inc.】
GMO Internet, Inc. is a comprehensive internet company engaged in internet infrastructure businesses, including domain registration, cloud and rental server services, and internet connectivity, as well as internet advertising and media businesses.
Guided by its corporate mission, “Internet for Everyone,” the company strives to support a safe and secure digital society while creating new value through AI-driven innovation. Through these efforts, GMO Internet aims to deliver smiles and inspiration to all stakeholders.
