DeepTech Frontier Challenge 2026
Awards a ¥10 million grand prize to deep-tech startups pitching at Global Startup EXPO 2026.
Entrants apply online with up to 10 pitch-deck slides, then go through a document screening round, an online Zoom pitch round, and a final in-person pitch at Global Startup EXPO in Osaka. Roughly 30 companies advance past the first round and about 15 reach the online final; the grand-prize winner receives ¥10 million, with further prizes still to be announced, though travel and accommodation to Os…
Looks for deeptech startups, Japanese or international, building research-driven technology in AI, advanced robotics, semiconductors, communications, quantum, bio/healthcare, space or fusion energy. Entrants must be a seed- to mid-stage company aiming for global expansion and able to pitch in English.
Sign up free to see the funding breakdown
Sign up free to see the industries in scope
Sign up free to see the full eligibility
Sign up free to see how to apply
Sign up free to see what you submit
Sign up free to see how they score you
Sign up free to see the timeline
Sign up free to see where teams trip up
Guides for this application
All guides →Grants for Biotech Startups: NIH, NSF, SBIR/STTR, and Non-Dilutive Funding
A practical guide to grants for biotech startups, including NIH SBIR/STTR, NSF, translational funding, evidence, regulatory readiness, and budgets.
Where to applyGrants for Robotics Startups: SBIR, Defense, NSF, and Pilot Funding
A practical guide to grants for robotics startups, including SBIR/STTR, NSF, DoD, NASA, field validation, TRL, pilot evidence, budgets, and commercialization strategy.
Write proposalHow to Write a Grant Proposal Reviewers Can Score
Learn how to write a grant proposal around reviewer criteria, evidence, work packages, budget logic, and commercialization for deeptech and R&D funding.
DocumentsGrant Work Plan Template: Work Packages, Gantt, Milestones, and Risks
Use this grant work plan template to structure work packages, tasks, owners, deliverables, Gantt timing, dependencies, and risk registers.
Similar grants
Browse the directory →DeepTech Frontier Challenge 2026
Global Startup EXPO · Japan
Pays a ¥10 million grand prize to deep-tech startups from Japan and overseas that pitch cutting-edge, research-rooted technology at Global Startup EXPO 2026 in Osaka.
Global Quantum + AI Challenge 2026
Resonance Alliance · Canada
Offers $200,000 in prizes across five enterprise challenge streams for teams building quantum, AI and HPC solutions to real industrial problems.
D.E.S.I.G.N. for BioE3 Challenge
🇮🇳DBT · India
Pays India's top biotech concept entries ₹1 lakh each month, with grants to build them.
NIA Start-Up Challenge
🇺🇸NIA · United States
Funds US entrepreneurs and small businesses developing healthy-aging technologies through NIA's Start-Up Challenge cash prizes and accelerator.
MIT Solve Global Challenges
🇺🇸MIT · United States
Supports teams tackling global challenges by selecting and backing scalable ideas through MIT Solve challenge pathways.
Hello Tomorrow Global Challenge — 12th
🇫🇷Hello Tomorrow · Global / Multinational
Offers deep-tech startup challengers equity-free seed support, mentorship, and investor exposure across sectors and global markets.