J-Startup
Connects nominated Japanese startups with global ambitions to government funding, events, business matching, and regulatory support.
J-Startup is METI's flagship public-private programme for Japanese startups with global ambitions. The programme is nomination-based: external experts (venture capitalists and corporate new-business leads) nominate candidates, METI selects, and a secretariat jointly run by METI, JETRO and NEDO provides intensive support. Selected companies receive preferential access to government funding, exhibition slots at major Japanese and overseas events, business matching with J-Startup Supporter corporates, and assistance with regulatory reform. METI inaugurated the programme in June 2018. As of March 2025 it had selected 239 startups across five rounds, with 31 newly selected in the fifth round (announced 13 March 2025). The programme operates as a cohort-style designation rather than a direct cash grant — value flows through ecosystem access and prioritised use of other government schemes.
Each grant below is a distinct funding opportunity with its own eligibility, scope, and deliverables.