Organized by: Osaka Prefecture
Description: An entrepreneurship development program to actively support growth-oriented venture companies aiming to go public. The objective is to produce at least three listed companies from Osaka by 2020, and to establish an environment (venture ecosystem) in which successful entrepreneurs support their successors. EO Osaka, a global network of young entrepreneurs with annual sales of over $1 million, will provide a rich program for venture companies (21 companies in the first period, 20 companies in the second period, and 19 companies in the third period). Of the 21 companies in the first period, 16 companies increased their sales, with an average increase rate of 47.5%, and 10 companies more than doubled their sales, and are growing steadily.
Seed Acceleration Program (OSAP)
Organizied by: Osaka City
Target: Businesses in the seed to start-up phase
Description: An initiative to coordinate collaboration with seed accelerators and large companies, etc., to accelerate business and provide mentoring.
1. Provision of fundraising opportunities (brushing up business plans and business models for funding), as well as opportunities for individual interviews with multiple venture capitalists. (Achievement: Total of participating companies in fiscal years 2016 and 2017 (as of April 2018): 2.527 billion yen in total)
2. Business collaboration with large corporations: We provide opportunities to hear directly from those in charge about the assets and needs of large corporations, and to receive proposals and business advice that meet their needs.
3. Encounters with about 100 passionate mentors: Mentors are from large corporations, media, senior entrepreneurs, venture capitalists (VC), and local government officials, and will provide advice to the participants in their respective fields.
The aim of this project: The Osaka Innovation Hub (OIH) has been established to provide a venue for collaboration between venture businesses aiming for global expansion and investors and large corporations, etc. The aim of this project is to increase the intimacy and quality of such collaboration and to grow and mature the ecosystem of the entire city.
Organized by: “Business Development Consortium” jointly established by the Japan Research Institute, Ltd. and Sumitomo Mitsui Banking Corporation through cross-industrial collaboration.
Description: One of the largest incubation/acceleration programs in Japan that supports the creation and growth of businesses that have a societal impact.