Innovation Capital

HP : https://www.kyoto-obc.jp/

Hankyu Kyoto Line

Japan External Trade Organization KYOTO（JETRO KYOTO）
Address: Kyoto Keizai Center, Kankoboko-cho, Shijo-dori, Muromachi-higashi-iru, Shimogyo-ku, KYOTO 600-8009, Japan
HP : https://www.jetro.go.jp/jetro/japan/kyoto/
TEL : 81-(0)75-325-5703 FAX : 81-(0)75-325-5706 Email : KYO-startup@jetro.go.jp

COCON
KARASUMA

Kyoto
KeizaiCenterAyakoji do-ri

Subway Karasuma LineTEL : 81-(0)75-366-4364 Email : info@kyoto-obc.jp

FamilyMart
Shijo Muromachi

Karasuma do-ri

Address: Kyoto Keizai Center, Kankoboko-cho, Shijo-dori, Muromachi-higashi-iru, Shimogyo-ku, KYOTO 600-8009, Japan

AccessMuromachi do-ri

Kyoto Overseas Business Center

Shijo
StationKarasuma
StationKyoto

Innovation Capital

Kyoto

WelcomeWhat kind of image do you have of Kyoto?
Many people’s image of Kyoto is one of an ancient capital of Japan that is now an international
However, Kyoto is not only a capital of history and tourism, but a capital of innovation.

tourist destination with a large number of temples and shrines, including world heritage sites.

Index
WelcomeThree Strength
Eco System
Universities
Global Player
Tourism andName Recognition
Infrastructure
Ecosystem Player

According to a survey conducted by Travel + Leisure, one of the mostpopular tourism magazines in the US, Kyoto is and has been among theWorld’s Best Ten Cities for seven consecutive years. More than 85 million
tourists visit Kyoto every year.

You might already have noticed that Kyoto is an extremely attractive place
not only for tourists but also for businesses that are planning to expand into
the Japanese market, and for companies that are looking into investment inKyoto. Notably, the ecosystem in Kyoto is rapidly developing, as
symbolized by the opening of Plug and Play Kyoto and other ecosystem
players.

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7
9

11
12
13

Phoenixi

14

Monozukuri Ventures

15

Keihanna Research Complex

16
17
18

Stroly / BERTRAND

19

tmsuk / HACARUS

Support20

Startup Visa Supporting Program21

Services with hospitality

Event

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Plug and Play Kyoto

R&D
Voice

Kyoto was the capital of Japan for more than 1000 years. After the capital
was relocated to Tokyo, long-standing traditions fused with the new
wisdom of local firms and universities.
This is evidenced by the number of high-tech companies representing Japanthat have made worldwide achievements, starting in Kyoto.

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Photos provided / with the cooperation of: Traditional Arts Super College Of Kyoto, Kyoto Institute of Technology, TAKARA HOLDINGS INC., Eirakuya co.,ltd, KYOCERA
Corporation, ROHM Co., Ltd., Nintendo Co., Ltd., The Kyoto Chamber of Commerce and Industry, Kyoto Research Park Corp., Kyodai Katsura Venture Plaza, City of Uji, Creation
Core Kyoto Mikuruma, Advanced Chemical Technology Center in Kyoto (ACT Kyoto), Keihanna Open Innovation Center @ KYOTO (KICK), PLUG AND PLAY KYOTO, Phoenixi,
Monozukuri Venture Co., Ltd., Public Foundation of Kansai Research Institute., Sansan, Inc., Stroly Inc., Bertrand Co., tmsuk co.,ltd., HACARUS INC.
Licensed by (in random order): Kenninji, Nanzen-ji, Kyoto University, Entrepreneurship club @Kyoto Uni., Kyoto University Medical Science and Business Liaison Organization,
KYOTO Design Lab, Kyoto Institute of Technology, Doshisha University, Organization for Small & Medium Enterprises and Regional Innovation, JAPAN(SME SUPPORT JAPAN),
Ritsumeikan University, To-ji Temple, Money Forward, Inc., LINE Corporation, City of Kyoto, The Kyoto Chamber of Commerce and IndustryPublic Interest Incorporated
Foundation KYOTO Industrial Support Organization 21, Advanced Science, Technology & Management Research Institute of KYOTO(ASTEM), NPO Glocal Human Resources
Development Center, Kiyomizu-dera Temple

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Innovation Capital

Kyoto

Three Strengths
Kyoto has three strengths: “Tradition”, “Wisdom”, and “Innovation”.
Kyoto is far ahead of other cities in terms of its three strengths — Tradition, Wisdom, and Innovation —and continues, through the city’s unique structural interrelationships, to create new value that is
admired around the world.

The people of Kyoto have nurtured their culture, lifestyle, and spirit for over 1200 years.
Traditional craftsmanship and spirit had a significant role in producing Kyoto’s unique andinnovative products in combination with "knowledge" from Kyoto’s high-ranking universities.
This triangle of three strengths has maintained the right balance over time, and is further
strengthened by the participation of supporting players such as accelerators and venture capital.

Tradition
Kyoto was the center of politics and culture in
Japan for more than 1000 years, and still remains
the cultural center of Japanese, and a majortreasure-trove of Japanese traditional industries.
The skills and spirit of Japanese craftsmanshiphave continued to be passed down to this day.

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WisdomInnovation

Twenty-four Japanese have been awarded Nobel
Prizes (as of fiscal year 2015), including twelve
researchers related to Kyoto. Not only Kyoto
University but 47 other universities are located in
Kyoto, and the whole of the city is like a campus
where Japanese wisdom is accumulated.

While Kyoto is a city with tradition, it has also
introduced new things ahead of other cities, andimaginatively upgraded its innovations. Several
global firms have started in Kyoto, and madeworldwide achievements by upgrading traditional
techniques into high-tech industries.

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Innovation Capital

Kyoto

Eco system Vision of the future
Kyoto's ecosystem is developing rapidly and Industry-government-academia players are organically getting
connected.They are getting relationship with those who from abroad. In October 2019, for example, the City of
Kyoto has signed an MOU with Biolabs, a shared lab operating company as well as a leading player in the Boston
ecosystem.Moreover, in order to build a startup ecosystem, alliances not only in Kyoto but also in Keihanshin area
are being promoted throughout the Kansai region.

Capital Area

Kyoto

Cyber Agentsan sanMoney Forward

LINE

Local government

Universities &Research institutes

Mega VC
founded in Kyoto

Kansai TLO

City of Kyoto

Japanese &Foreign Startups
in Kyoto

Foreign students

Local companies
SHIMADZU

Private support
facilities
Co-working facilities- CO&CO- engawaKyoto, etc

KANSAIKYOTO RESEARCH PARKKYOCERANISSHA

Build-up of Startup
Ecosystem
supported by Kyoto

GoWorkinʼ KYOTO

Accelerators
Incubators

Kansai area
Osaka, Kyoto,
Hyogo-Kobe Startup consortium

PLUG AND PLAY KYOTO

Public Supportingorganization

UNPOS , Urban
Innovation Japan
Kansai Bureau of Economy,
Trade and Industry

PR for foreign VCs& entrepreneurs
STARTUP GUIDE
StrolyForeign accelerators,
VCs(USA, EU)
PLUG AND PLAY KYOTO
Life science sector(Boston, USA)
BioLabs

CIC（Cambridge
Innovation Center）

4YFN

e

（GSM Association）

To-be cooperated
Accelerators(USA, EU)
Selected Accelerators
By Cabinet Oﬃce

Phoenixi

VCʼs ﬁnancial
institutes

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Overseas

Kyoto Prefectural
government

High-school students and others

Collaboration with
Next Tokyo in Tokyo

Foreignmajor
companies

Foreignstartups

Future Venture Capital
Kyoto University
Innovation Capital

Traditional artisans &artists
Creative industries

Building Gateway with Worldʼs largest
Innovation festivals

Overseas
Innovation
Events6

Innovation Capital

Kyoto

Universities CITY of ACADEMIA
Kyoto is also the nation's college capital. One out of ten people in the city is a university student, which is thehighest ratio in Japan. In addition to Kyoto University, which has produced many Nobel Prize laureates, Kyoto ishome to a number of other high-level universities including Doshisha University, Ritsumeikan University, andKyoto Institute of Technology, all of which provide incubation facilities to support startup companies. Kyoto
University ranked number 1 for the ratio of increase in the number of university-originated ventures from 2016 to2018. In the words of Mr. Akira Yoshino, 2019 Nobel Laureate and Honorary Fellow of Asahi Kasei Corporation,
Kyoto has the basis to give birth to startups having the potential to become unicorns like GAFA. Of all places inJapan, Kyoto has the most similar features to Silicon Valley. This city clears all the conditions for creating
innovation, such as the presence of local VCs, prominent universities that produce first-rate researchers andsavants, and so on”. (interview article in Nikkei on October 17, 2019)Japan No.1
Ratio ofuniversities
to population

10.02%

One out of ten people in Kyoto Cityis a university student

38 colleges & Universities
About 140,000 students
About 9,000 students
from overseas

Source: Fiscal Year 2019 Basic School Survey, number of Schools and Studens by City of Kyoto“There are five conditions(*) that caused innovation in Silicon Valley, and actually Kyoto has all of them.”
Hon. Fellow Akira Yoshino of Asahi Kasei Co..

Japan No.1

Interview with Governor Nishiwaki in the PR magazine of Kyoto Prefectural Government.
* He mentioned on the following five conditions at the interview: (1) Wisdom, (2) Money, (3) Place where people
talk and drink together, (4) Making new idea into illustration or visual images, and (5) Distance from the capital

Each Universities offer various startup
incubation programs
Global Technology
Entrepreneurship Program

KYOTO Design Lab

Entrepreneurship club
@Kyoto Uni.

ECC-iCAP

D-egg

Doshisha Uni.
7

BKC Incubator

Ritsumeikan Uni.

15 28

Prof. Honjo
Cancer immunotherapy

Nobel Prizelaureates
related to Kyoto

More than half of the 28 Japanese Nobel Prize laureates are
related to Kyoto.

EDGE+R(Program for the
Cultivation of
Innovation
Architect)@Ritsumeikan

Sr.Fellow Tanaka @ Shimadzu Corp.
mass spectrometry of Biopolymer

No.1= KYOTO University at ratio of increasing number of university originated ventures in 2016-2018
No.1 = Tokyo University Total Number of Ventures in 2016-2018
the number of Increase of University
originated Ventures (2016-2018)

Kyoto Institute ofTechnology

Kyoto Uni.

Prof. Yamanaka
For iPS-Cell discovery

Kyoto Univ.
Tokyo Univ.

61
44

Source: METI Survey in 2018/ Implementation of University originated Ventures etc.

College

2016

2017

2018

Tokyo
Univ.

227

268

271

Kyoto
Univ.

103

154

164

Source: data from the references of Kyoto City government, HPs from Univ.

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Innovation Capital

Kyoto

Global Player

Global companies that started
have been nourished by thein Kyoto have, at their source, traditional industries which

history and culture of Kyoto

The pottery industry called “Kyo-yaki” and “Kiyomizu-yaki” developed in Kyoto,
which used to be the capital of Japan for a long time. Pottery has not only been usedin commodities and art works, but has also been applied to diverse areas for its
hardness, heat resistance, corrosion resistance, and high electric insulation qualities.
Typical examples of applying pottery technology are ceramic capacitors and otherelectronic components. Kyocera and many other global electronic manufacturers are
based in Kyoto, with this traditional pottery technology at their source.

Ceramic insulator
for TV picture tubes

Kiyomizu-yaki Ceramics©KYOCERA

Ceramic Condensers
Methods for dyeing the Japanese kimono with patterns, evolved fromhand-painted “yuzen” to stencil dyeing, and then to mechanical dyeing,
gradually expanding the scale of production. The technology of printing clothwith ink has been applied to printing diverse materials in different combinations.
These printing technologies are also used in high-tech industries, including
printed boards for electronic equipment and for more advanced
semiconductor substrates. ROHM and other global manufacturers areheadquartered in Kyoto.

Mechanicalpencil lead

0.5mm

Fabric Printing

TVS diode in thesmallest class in the world

Semiconductor, Printed Circuit Boards
The Fushimi area in southern Kyoto City is known as one of the major
sake-producing centers in Japan. Approximately 20 major sake producers
are located in this area, including Gekkeikan and Takara Shuzo. Japanesesake is made primarily from rice, rice malt and water, and requires
advanced fermentation technology. The fermentation technology for sakeproduction has led to advanced biotechnology. Takara Bio, a research &development company in biotechnology, was formed as the bio businessdivision of Takara Shuzo.

Sake Alcohol Brewing

Biotechnology
Nintendo has been leading in video game world, but its history started
when the company produced and marketed “Hanafuda”,
a Japanese traditional card game in 1889. Nintendo is also known for
producing playing cards for the first time in Japan.
In the 1980s, Nintendo became a household name around the world forthe success of “GAME & WATCH” and “Family Computer（NintendoEntertainment System）”. It created new entertainment by introducing
electronic technology as the basis for the production of toys.

Playing Cards
7
9©1980 Nintendo

Computer Games
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Innovation Capital

Kyoto

Tourism and Name Recognition

Infrastructure

City in a geographically compact area, surroundedby rich natural environment

Ideal environment for driving innovations “Kyoto Innovation Belt”

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0
20 2
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20 3
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20 4
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20 5
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20 6
0
20 7
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20 8
0
20 9
1
20 0
1
20 1
12
20
1
20 3
1
20 4
1
20 5
1
20 6
1
20 7
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5,000,000
4,500,000
4,000,000
3,500,000
3,000,000
2,500,000
2,000,000
1,500,000
1,000,000
500,000
0

Trends of the number of foreign tourists staying
at accommodations in Kyoto

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Because of its uniqueness as a place where tradition
and modernity coexist, Kyoto is famous as a tourist
destination and is recently getting more and more
visitors from abroad. In 2018, the number of foreign
tourists staying in Kyoto increased by 1 million to 4.5
million compared with the previous year. Kyoto has a
global reputation. Besides, more than 300 international
conferences, including STS (The Science andTechnology in Society) Forum, are held in Kyoto every
year, and the number of the international conference inKyoto ranks second only after the one in Tokyo,
according to ICAA. STS Forum provides anopportunity that not only scholars and researchers,
including Nobel laureates but also policymakers andbusiness leaders from all over the world, meet anddiscuss science and technology issues in the 21st
century. Recently, it is getting popular to stay longer in
Kyoto prefecture and visit the countryside areas of
Kyoto by the Sea (Amanohashidate and cluster offishermen's houses) and Kyoto in the Forests(Kayabuki no Sato, a village of traditional farmhouses, designated as an Important Cultural Property),and enjoy eating the local foods, experiencing the
local culture, and mingling with the local people.

Kyoto has an accumulation of wisdom that represents Japan, and therefore is an extremely attractive city for
private companies, because it offers potentiallyintensive impetus to the creation of new industries and new
businesses, leveraging intellectual property that universities own.
To realize this impetus, industry-government-academia organizations in Kyoto have collaborated to establish an
all-Kyoto system to back up innovations.
In particular, in the southern part of Kyoto prefecture, ranging from Kyoto City to the Kansai Cultural andAcademic Research City (“Keihanna Science City”), many research facilities and organizations that support SMEs
and startup businesses are located, along with a large number of global companies.
Proactive initiatives are in progress to link this area as a “Kyoto Innovation Belt” for the revitalizationof the local economy through industry-government-academia collaboration.

Kyoto
Innovation
Belt

Number of Foreign Guests

Kyoto Instituteof Technology

Kyoto Sangyo University

Kyoto Keizai Center

Kyoto Prefectural University
Doshisha University,
Imadegawa Campus Kyoto University,
Ritsumeikan University,
Kinugasa Campus
Yoshida Campus

Creation Core Kyoto Mikuruma

Creation Core Kyoto Mikuruma
Kyoto Keizai Center

Kyoto University,
Katsura Campus

Kyoto Prefectural
University of Medicine

Kyoto Research Park

KatsuraInnovation Park

Ryukoku University

Rakunan Shinto

Kyoto Research Park

Kyoto University,
Uji Campus

Rakunan Shinto

Kyoto Phoenix Park

Doshisha University,
Kyotanabe Campus

Kyodai Katsura Venture Plaza

Kyoto Prefectural University,
Seika Campus

Advanced Chemical Technology Center in Kyoto

Keihanna Science City

Experimental Farm,
Kyoto University

Kyoto Phoenix Park7
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Keihanna Open Innovation Center @ Kyoto

12Innovation Capital

Kyoto

Ecosystem Player Plug and Play Kyoto

Ecosystem Player Phoenixi

Company Introduction

About us

Plug and Play is the ultimate innovation
platform, bringing together the best startups,
investors, and the world’s largest
corporations. Headquartered in Silicon Valley,
we have built accelerator programs, corporate
innovation services, and an in-house VC tomake technological advancement progress
faster than ever before. Plug and Play Kyoto
opened in July 2019 as the second branch inJapan following the Tokyo office.

Phoenixi sees social issues as business opportunities. Hence, we support new business enterprises
and start-ups that will pave the way for their solution. In June 2019, Phoenixi launched toberu, aresidential incubator as a base for implementing our program, to support ventures across industries.
Employees of corporate sponsors and participants selected through our screening process bring
their business ideas to solve social issues, and aim for commercialization while living and working
together for 4 months. We accept an entry of startups coming from overseas for our program. We
aim to build an ecosystem for businesses that pursue both profit and social impact at the same timeby supporting startups throughout the launch process while providing a diverse environment thatfacilitates innovation. This is the first initiative of its kind in Japan that aims to create a virtuous
cycle which promotes the creation of unicorns and ESG investment to contribute for the SDGs.
Photo : Yurika Kono

What We Do

Introducing Our Incubation Program

Our mission is “to make innovation open to anyone, anywhere. “ Located in the CBD near Shijo Karasuma, we hostacceleration programs with 8 major corporate partners twice a year, as well as various pitch events and talks. Last
year, we selected 15 startups in the hard tech and healthcare industries for our first batch, and we expect to start
our second batch in summer 2020.

At toberu, we provide comprehensive incubation program that startups need, including an access to a variety ofknowledge and resources, shared time and space with colleagues from different industries, professional support
from successful entrepreneurs and mentors, and networking with investors. The final Showcase, which is held at theend of the four-month program, provides an important forum for entrepreneurs to network with corporate sponsors
and domestic and foreign investors. This fiscal year, we plan to establish a support fund for entrepreneurs thatparticipated in our program.

Why Kyoto?
We believe bringing international startups to Kyoto is something really beneficial to both Japanese corporates andthe startups -- a synergy between the unique culture of Japan and groundbreaking ideas from overseas. Kyoto has ahigh standard of advanced manufacturing, groundbreaking studies from renowned universities, and time-tested
beauty of the cityscape, all of which stimulate startups to refine their business ideas.

Kyoto as a Startup Destination
In partnership with Kyoto City, we are committed to making Kyoto one of the world's leading startup ecosystems.
About half of the startups selected for our programs came from overseas. As we foster co-creation between
international startups and large corporations through our programs, we aim to create a globally open startup
ecosystem here in Kyoto that will lead the way to the next era.

Why Kyoto?
Kyoto is a city where historical companies thriving into the
future and startup companies creating innovative ideas
coexist, where Japan’s knowledge and finest minds cometogether. It is an ancient city, an entrepreneurial city, and a
global city. There is a spirit of entrepreneurship thatencourages you to “give it a go” and a culture that allows the
pursuit of originality. Kyoto is a special place where there isjust the right amount of tension that nurtures innovation in theextraordinary space where people of various ages,
occupations, and nationalities intermingle.

Comments on the Kyoto ecosystem
We hope that the versatility of Kyoto helps to create asynergistic effect, and that the entire city becomes anecosystem where entrepreneurs and new businesses are
nurtured through loose-knit social networks.

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Photo : Yurika Kono

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Innovation Capital

Kyoto

Ecosystem Player Monozukuri Ventures

Ecosystem Player Keihanna Research Complex

Company Introduction

Company Introduction

Monozukuri Ventures (MZV) is a venture capital firm established in 2015 thatinvests in hardware, IoT, and advanced manufacturing. Currently, we are active
mainly in Kyoto and New York. MZV is characterized by having two divisions:venture investment and prototyping consultation to support business seeds to reachthe prototyping stage. We have invested in 27 startups in Japan and the US (13 inJapan and 14 in the United States, as of February 2020). For these investee startups,
we provide support to increase corporate value, such as introducing potential
partner companies and investors. Through prototyping consultation and partnerships
with Japanese small and medium-sized enterprises, we have supported more than 60
prototype projects, some of which have advanced to the mass production stage.

Advanced Telecommunications Research Institute International (ATR) is
one of core institutes in Keihanna Science City, where consist of not only
more than 140 research facilities both from public and private, including
universities and culture facilities, but also residential district in the green
Keihanna hills stretching over Kyoto, Osaka and Nara prefectures. ATR
has steadily achieved world-class results in neuroscience, robotics,
wireless communications and life science since its establishment in 1986.
Besides, leading an initiative of ecosystem creation in the science city is
ATR’s vital mission in recent years, as well as its own businessdevelopments based on cutting-edge research outcomes.

Reasons for operating in Kyoto

Introduction of acceleration programs and other support for startups

There are three reasons why we operate in Kyoto.
First, there are many universities and students. The number of universities and students per 100,000 people is thehighest in Japan, so new ideas and innovations are born easily. Kyoto University is famous for producing the top
number of Nobel Prize laureates in Japan. We regard the accumulation of state-of-the-art technology in Kyoto as agreat advantage.
Second, the world's leading manufacturing companies such as Nintendo, Shimadzu, and Omron are located in
Kyoto. Like startups, large companies also aim to create innovation, and there are many cases of successful
collaboration between startups and large companies.
Third, Kyoto has a long history of manufacturing, which has been supported by many traditional industries andsmall and medium-sized enterprises for decades. “Kyoto Shisaku Net Group”, established in 2001, is a group of
more than 50 diverse small and medium-sized manufacturers that provides prototyping services mainly for large
companies. The group believes that providing the same kind of prototyping services to startups can help them toovercome the “mass production barrier '' and support their growth. With that philosophy in mind, the group
established Makers Boot Camp, the predecessor of MZV, in 2015. Kyoto Shisaku Net GroupATR launched “KGAP+ (Keihanna Global Acceleration Program Plus)” in 2019. The distinctiveness are the goaland diversity. Startups from home and abroad pursue to accomplish a PoC/pilot test in collaboration with major
companies/organizations and pursue business globally. Startups are stimulated by each other, as overseas startups
learn Japanese business custom and Japanese have a global mindset. The startups can access to key organizationsof ecosystem in Israel, Barcelona, New York City, Canada, Hong Kong and India, thanks to strong relationships
ATR has built. ATR also organizes “KOSAINN (Keihanna Open Global Service Platform for Accelerated
Co-Innovation)”, which enables a startup to join a major company’s project for the purpose to solve thecompany’s issue.

Features of Kyoto's ecosystem

Reasons for operating in Kyoto
Kyoto is a world-famous sightseeing city with a history of over a thousand years, however it has a different aspect:producing innovators. Nintendo, Kyocera, Omron, Rohm and Shimadzu were a startup. An ecosystem certainly has
existed there since long ago. In the south of Kyoto Prefecture, this culture, academia, industrial R&D, cutting-edge
technologies and open-minded residents as well as global network are organically linked and the Keihannaecosystem is created.

One of the characteristics of Kyoto's ecosystem is that the Kyoto Prefecture
government and Kyoto City government actively back up
industry-government-academia collaboration and create ventures based on strong
cooperation that leverages the strengths of Kyoto mentioned above. Compared toother prefectures, Kyoto’s entrepreneur development programs and support for thecommercialization of university research seeds through industry-academia
collaboration are notable.
We believe that the spirit of "Monozukuri", reflected in our company’s name, is themost attractive thing that Kyoto offers. Kyoto has a long history of producing newtechnologies based on the different values, thoughts, and cultures of students,
researchers, foreigners, and others. We think that Kyoto is the place where suchmixing across different fields is most likely to occur. We would like to connect startups
around the world with Japanese companies based on this spirit of "Monozukuri".
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Kyoto

R&D Base for IT Companies & Startups

Voice Companies active in Kyoto

More and more IT companies like LINE, Cyber Agent, and Sansan Innovation Lab, which was created byrenovating a traditional Kyo-Machiya house, are deciding to locate their offices and R&D/design centers in Kyoto.
For these and many other companies, Kyoto’s abundance of university students and other global talent, along withthe city’s global reputation as an attractive place to live, make it easier to recruit bilingual/multilingual staff.

StrolyStroly started from the commercialization of technology originally owned by the Advanced Telecommunications ResearchInstitute International (ATR) in Keihanna. The company’s head office was initially set up in the Keihanna Open Innovation
Center (KICK) and later moved to an area closer to Kyoto Station. ATR is unique not only in its high technical capabilities but
also in its global connections. Around 20% of the researchers at ATR come from abroad. This, and the fact that Ms. Takahashi
graduated from school in the US, means that Stroly has naturally been a
global startup from the beginning. The company employs many foreign
engineers and collaborates with creators in more than 50 countries tocreate illustrated maps. Stroly has participated in a number of overseas
pitch events and acceleration programs including Web Summit in Lisbon.

Sansan Innovation lab
Operation base for AI engneers at the renovatedtraditional Japanese house in Oct. 2018

MONEY FORWARD opened

Development basis
in Kyoto city center in Feb. 2019

Stroly is a Kyoto-based startup established in 2016 that provides an online platform for illustrated maps powered with GPS
location information. Machi Takahashi, the founder, is a very active female entrepreneur. She attended the SXSW Conferencein the US as the only Japanese finalist at the SXSW Pitch event in 2019. Stroly connects the entire world from Kyoto using
the keywords "Let's share how the world looks."

One of the advantages of being located in Kyoto is the city’s affinity fortourism, which is highly compatible with Stroly’s business. Since Stroly
can collect tourist data and logs using GPS, the company collaborates
with the municipal governments in Kyoto and other cities on projects todecentralize tourism. The company also has a close relationship with the
Kyoto Prefecture government, which provided Stroly with assistancewhen the company was just getting started.

LINE KYOTO

at the 3rd main Basis forTechnical development was set up in June 2018

BERTRANDThomas Bertrand, originally from France, started the Bento&co online shop from a tiny house in Kyoto in November 2008. Starting small
with help from friends and a stock of 30,000 yen (about 300 USD) in his living room, the Bento&co story began.
In March 2012, Bento&co moved their operations to the heart of downtown Kyoto and with it they opened a beautiful brick and mortar
flagship boutique.
Thanks to years of experience handling parcels, Thomas Bertrand also launched a
new shipping service to help businesses and make international shipping easier:Ship&co. Ship&co provides a SAAS and an API for sellers and warehouses tomanage their shipment process. If most users are businesses based in Japan, someof them are in Europe, Singapore or North America.
Thomas’s company finds huge advantages to being based in Kyoto. The Kyoto
brand attracts much attention when marketing or recruiting, and the city’s compact
size makes it easy to access information on lawyers, accountants, and other partners
in the community, which is very important for startups.
More importantly, the business environment in Kyoto means shorter commutetimes, fewer meetings, and less pressure, which allows the company to stay focusedon the things that are most important for a startup; doing what they need to for theircustomers and to grow their users base. This is right in line with Kyoto’s historicalphilosophy of craftsmanship, which says you must stay focused if you really want
to develop something innovative. Indeed, time flows differently in Kyoto.
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Kyoto

Voice Companies active in Kyoto

Support Startup Visa Supporting Programtmsuk

The Japanese government introduced a “Startup Visa” system to encourage foreign entrepreneurs to start abusiness in Japan. Normally, foreign entrepreneurs can start a business in Japan only after obtaining a status ofresidence under the category of “business manager”, which requires first securing an office in Japan. However, the“Startup Visa” allows foreign entrepreneurs to stay in Japan for up to one year to prepare for starting a business,before securing an office and meeting other requirements. The “Startup Visa” system is available in municipalities
that have applied through the Ministry of Economy, Trade and Industry (METI). The system was introduced in
Kyoto in spring 2020.
In Kyoto, foreign entrepreneurs can contact the Kyoto Overseas Business Center, run
by Kyoto Prefecture, Kyoto City, JETRO Kyoto, the Kyoto Chamber of Commerce and Industry, and otheraffiliated organizations, for visa support and other assistance.

tmsuk Co., Ltd. is a manufacturer of AI/IoT enabled robotics
technologies. Originally from Fukuoka, the company
established an R&D center for AI/IoT in the Nishijin area of
Kyoto in 2017.
tmsuk chose Kyoto for its new location to better serve thecompany’s many clients in the Kansai area. While walking
around Nishijin, which is famous for Nishijin fabric, tmsuk’s
CEO discovered a traditional fabric manufacturing space, into
which tmsuk ultimately moved. Nishijin fabric itself has
survived by adopting machinery, and this fits with tmsuk’s
philosophy of automation using robots. tmsuk’s Kyoto office
now functions as the company’s main contact office. The
central location offers excellent access for more and more
scholars and companies with whom tmsuk collaborates, which
has led to global joint studies. The rich variety of academia in
Kyoto contributes in a big way to tmsuk’s R&D activities.
Another advantage of Kyoto is that the local authorities arevery cooperative. tmsuk’s technologies are very innovative, andthat sometimes requires regulatory assistance. Keihannna
Science City, designated as a national strategic special zone,
makes it easier for tmsuk to launch new technologies.

Outline of the system

HACARUS INC, a startup established in Kyoto in 2014, offers
breakthrough AI solutions based on sparse modeling technology
for the medical and manufacturing industries. The company
was selected as an AI 100 startup by CB Insights in 2020.

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KYOTO Prefecture

Immigration Bureau

Submit a “Plan for preparation
activities for starting a business”
to the local government

Issue a “Certiﬁcate for preparation
activities for starting a business”
to foreign entrepreneurs

Approve a status ofresidence※Previously, foreign entrepreneurs had to acquire
Business management Visa to set up new business in Japan.

New Support system

HACARUSHACARUS’s CEO and Founder Kenshin Fujiwara together with CMO Adrian Sossna

Foreign entrepreneurs

HACARUS decided to base the company in Kyoto because
Kyoto offers excellent access to ample young talent from richacademia and large companies such as Nintendo, Omron andKyocera among others. As HACARUS works locally andacross Japan, being located in the Kansai area is an advantage.
The local startup ecosystem has been growing rapidly. Big
corporates now recognize the necessity to tie up with startups
for innovation, so more opportunities are open to young
entrepreneurs. What is unique about Kyoto is that it has aninnovative mindset while still preserving its own tradition andculture. When you look at the large companies in Kyoto, youfind that they maintain their core expertise while driving growthby refining their technology and expanding applications in othersectors. Thanks to Kyoto’s global reputation as a tourist
destination, HACARUS is proud to offer its employees superb
work-life balance. This gives HACARUS an advantage whenhiring, which is one of the major difficulties for startups.

Preparation for set-up company under support
by Kyoto overseas Business Center

Your business
Start

Start Up VISA ( 6 months basis, up to 1 year)

Business Management VISA

Support Programby Kyoto Overseas Business Center

Judicial scrivener & public notary
External Experts
Entrepreneurship and management● Hands-on support by specialists● Information on support programs, incentives andevents to meet the needs of entrepreneurs● Support for living in Japan in general
Kyoto Pref.

Government

City of Kyoto

Kyoto chamber ofcommerce andIndustry

Kyoto Industrial
SupportOrganization 21

Inquiry：Japan External Trade Organization KYOTO ( JETRO KYOTO )Address : RM308, 78, Kankoboko-cho, Shijo-dori, Muromachi-higashi-iru,
Shimogyo-ku, Kyoto 600-8009, Japan
TEL : 81-(0)75-341-1021 E-MAIL : KYO-startup@jetro.go.jp

Other specialists by Fields
Life science, Social business and so on

ASTEM

JETRO
Kyoto

Consultation Service
・Legal & Administration
・Strategy & Management
・Human Resources
・Tax
・Industries
URL：

Linkedinhttps://www.linkedin.
com/company/
startup-capital-kyoto/

etc…

URL：

https://www.
facebook.com/
Facebook startupcapitalkyoto/

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Innovation Capital

Kyoto

Support Services with hospitality
Please contact JETRO Kyoto (KYO-startup@jetro.go.jp) for more information.

Incentive
Subsidy・Oﬃce Establishment Subsidy

Subsidizing 10% of invested ﬁxed assets *1 *2

・Employment Subsidy

100,000 Yen to 500,000 Yen *2

Tax・Preferential Tax Treatment“Real estate acquisition tax”
maximum 50% reduction(for expanding factories in Promotion Areas or new establishment)*1 Fixed asset excluding land
*2 In Kyoto City, Rate and Unit price are subject to change

Business Projects that foreign entrepreneurs can use
General support
・KYOTO STARTUP ECOSYSTEM

https://kyotostartup.jp/en/about-en/【Administrative oﬃce of Kyoto Startup Ecosystem
Promotion Council, Kyoto Wisdom Industry Creation Center】

・KGAP+(Keihanna Global Acceleration Program Plus)

https://shindan-kyoto.com/shien-navi/

・Kyoto Prefecture's preferential system
for the location of enterprises

https://www.kyotofuyouchibank.com/special/ (Japanese)【Kyoto prefectural government】

https://keihanna-rc.jp/en/【Keihanna Research Complex project】

・Kyoto City's support for business location(Science, Technology & Culture Commercialization
Community)【ASTEM】

・KYOTO STARTUP ECOSYSTEM

・Foreign entrepreneur support by STC3

Government support
・Kyoto city Venture purchasing system【Kyoto municipal government, ASTEM】

・Kyoto Prefecture New Product andService Sales Promotion Support Scheme(Challenge-Buy)

https://kyo-working.city.kyoto.lg.jp/support/ (Japanese)【Kyoto municipal government】
https://kyotostartup.jp/support/ (Japanese)【Administrative oﬃce of Kyoto Startup Ecosystem Promotion
Council, Kyoto Wisdom Industry Creation Center】

・Financial support by Kyoto city
Startup Support Fund

https://www.city.kyoto.lg.jp/sankan/page/0000275652.html (Japanese)【Kyoto municipal government, Kyoto Shinkin Bank,
Kyoto Chuo Shinkin bank, KRP, FVC, and so on】

https://www.pref.kyoto.jp/sangyo-sien/charenjibai.html(Japanese)【Kyoto prefectural government】

・Financial support by Kyoto University's venture fundSocial implementation support
・Technology development project tosolve social issues by next-generation industry
and university-originated ventures

・Kyoto Economic Gardening Support Program,Business Forest & Industry-Academia Forest
Promotion Project【Kyoto municipal government】

・Proof-of-concept support using KeihannaOpen Innovation Center (KICK)
and other facilities in Kyoto Prefecture【Kyoto prefectural government】

Organized tour
・Industrial tour

（Kyoto Startup Ecosystem Promotion Project）【Kyoto municipal government】

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Financing support
・Kyoto grants and subsidies portal

Event Information

HVC (Healthcare Venture Conference)

HVC KYOTO is providing a key component of business planning fordomestic and global healthcare startups, “Global Market Insight”. Most
healthcare companies are seeking business opportunities in their domestic
market due to language or regulatory limitations, but their competitors arecoming from the global market with robust power of product development
to create innovative products. Startups have to compete with, or
eventually be acquired by global big companies as an exit strategy topromote their product. To let startups obtain “real voices” from the global
market, HVC KYOTO made alliances with global healthcare companies,
professional advisors, mentors, and trainers in the translational researchand business planning. Our uniqueness and strength are providing training
and an opportunity to pitch in “English” in front of “Global Companies”.
We welcome presenters from startups to the podium, as well as partners
from pharmaceuticals, biotechs, medtechs, and venture capitals fromeverywhere in the world as a part of the "Healthcare Innovation
Ecosystem” at an exclusive place as a window between Japan and theglobal market, KYOTO.

Kyoto Design Lab
Kyoto Startup Summer School, hosted by the KYOTO
Design Lab at the Kyoto Institute of Technology, is Japan's
most intense entrepreneurship summer school conductedentirely in English. The two-week program is taught andfacilitated by established entrepreneurs, practitioners, andacademics to provide hands-on learning experiences on abroad range of startup topics such as Design Thinking, Lean
Startup, Fundraising, Marketing, Product Development,

・Next-generation regional industry promotion
https://www.ki21.jp/subsidy/【Kyoto prefectural government, Kyoto Industrial
Support Organization 21】

Pitching (presentation for startups), and more. In addition,
there are social programs such as mixers with local
entrepreneurs, visits to local startups, and joint meetups
with organizations in the Kyoto ecosystem.
In the last four years, over 120 participants from 40+
countries joined KS³ creating a truly global community. The
impact of the earlier programs is starting to show with past
participants not only founding companies but joining
startups and being active members of the startup ecosystem.
Website:https://www.kyotostartupschool.org/

https://miyakocapital.com/【Miyako Capital Co. Ltd., Nippon Venture Capital Co. Ltd.】

https://www.ki21.jp/subsidy/【Kyoto prefectural government, Kyoto Industrial
Support Organization 21】

Website:https://www.krp.co.jp/
hvckyoto/

KIEC
Kyoto International Entrepreneur Community (KIEC) is an
open platform for international entrepreneurs, or who want
to become one of those, or who want to contribute toentrepreneurship ecosystem in Kyoto. Our activities isbased on meetup events that are held once in every 2months. We also operate collaborative events with multiple
other international organizations mainly in Kansai area.

We are aiming to provide opportunities for:• Information exchange• Network building• Problem solving•Pitchesto activate sustainable and supportive environment
for all the international entrepreneurs in Kyoto.
Website:https://www.facebook.com/Kyoto-International-Entrepreneur-Community-305072086792193
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