FAQ for the Financial Innovation Category#Related document

1 Application guidelines
2 Application guidelines

Category
Application
requirement
Application
requirement

Answer
Applicants may apply to both categories, however will only be awardedin either category if selected.
A single company may not submit multiple applications. A single
company may only submit one application.
Such applications are permitted. However, please be aware that theMay we submit the same content as that of a previous year’s application? innovative nature of the proposal is a key aspect of the evaluation
criteria.
Previous winners may not apply again. However, it is possible for theSustainability category. Also companies that have utilized the Tokyo
Metropolitan Government’s support through any of the following
programs overseen by the Tokyo Metropolitan Government or FinCity
May winners of the award in previous years apply again?
are eligible.Tokyo (The Organization of Global Financial City Tokyo):“Invest Tokyo Program”, the “Accelerator Program,” “Green Finance
Subsidy Program for Tokyo Market Entry,” and the “Tokyo FinancialAward.”
Please apply with proposals that include new services, not services thatalready exist.
“New services” refer to: 1) entirely new services; 2) services that have
yet to be released in Japan; 3) existing services with new functions orother features added to them; or 4) services with added value owing to
the introduction of new technology, such as lowering price. Therefore,
May proposals be for services that have already been developed, or that applications may be submitted for services that have already been
are currently in a planning stage?
launched if they have added value in terms of price as a result of theaddition of new functions or reduced prices thanks to the introductionof new technology.
Applications for services that are currently in a planning stage arepermitted. However, since the feasibility of such services will beevaluated by the judges, please describe the feasibility of the serviceson the application form.
If a company is unable to participate in certain events whereparticipation is mandatory, they may not apply to the award.
May we apply for the award even if we are unable to participate in the
The contents of the pre-seminar will be shared individually withsupport program?
companies that did not attend it. However, the company’s application
will be terminated if it cannot participate in the mentoring andnetworking events as those are mandatory.
Question
May we apply to both the Finanncial Innovation Category and theSustainability Category?
If providing different solutions, may a single company submit multiple
aplications?

3 Application guidelines

Application
requirement

4 Application guidelines

Application
requirement

5 Application guidelines

Application
requirement

6 Application guidelines

Application
requirement

7 Application guidelines

Application
methodMay we select multiple service categories?

Applicants may only select 1 category that are relevant to their
proposed service.

8 Application guidelines

Application
methodIn the case of joint projects, may we submit applications with the namesof all the companies involved?

Applications for such joint projects are permitted. However, please
decide on which company will represent the others and write the nameand information of that company on the application. Please include thenames of the other companies and the roles they played in the field
where the service overview and business model are described.

9 Application guidelines

Application
methodWould it pose a problem to provide materials and presentations entirelyin Japanese or entirely in English?

10 Application guidelines

Screening
methodHow many companies are selected in the screening?

11 Application guidelines

Screening
MethodWho are the judges?

Please click here for details on the judges.

12 Application guidelines

Screening
MethodDo all companies that applied for the award get the opportunity topresent?

Plans are only for about 15 companies selected in the first stage ofscreening to give a presentation.

13 Application guidelines

Screening
methodWhat are the judging criterias?

Please click here for details on the judging criterias.

Doing so would not pose any problems. Submitted materials andpresentations can be interpreted and/or translated into both Japaneseand English, so please contact the Tokyo Financial Prize Secretariat if
such assistance is required. (support is only provided for Japanese andEnglish)
About 15 Japanese/foreign companies will be selected in the firstround, and 3 Japanese/foreign companies will be selected in the finalround.

The first stage of the screening focuses on the contents of the proposal
provided on the application form. The companies that make it throughthe first stage of the screening then participate in the support programand improve the contents of their proposal (with particular focus onenhancing feasibility).
Afterward, the companies that made it through the first stage of thescreening provide presentations in the final stage where they discuss
the extent to which they have been able to enhance the feasibility of
their proposal and other such strengths, which the judges then take
into consideration.
The representative relevant to the Japan project may atend theceremony.

14 Application guidelines

Screening
methodWhat is the difference between the first and final screenings?

15 Application guidelines

Awardceremony

In the case of foreign companies already expanded to Japan, does theoverseas representative need to participate in the award ceremony?

16 Application guidelines

SupportprogramMust participants be in Japan during the support program?

17 Application guidelines

SupportprogramWhat sort of companies are available as business matches?

18 Application guidelines

SupportprogramWhat sort of mentors are available for the mentoring events?

19 Application form

Application
requirement

May we apply if it is unlikely that we will establish a site in Tokyo?

No, in such cases, applications will not be accepted.

20 Application formApplication
requirement

May we apply for the award if we are unable to participate in the awardceremony?

No, companies that are unable to participate in the award ceremony
may not submit applications. Since such participation is mandatory,
please confirm your company’s ability to attend the ceremony before
submitting an application. A separate announcement will be provided
with details about the award ceremony.

21 Application form

Application
methodShould only the full-time employees of our company count for the“number of employees”?

Yes, please write the number of full-time employees.

22 Application form

Application
methodShould annual sales be specified with specific periods and currencies (JPY Please record annual sales according to your company’s fiscal year.
or USD)?
Please select JPY or USD for the currency.

23 Application form

Application
methodWhat is the difference between a “stage” and a “round”?

Although physical presence in Japan is not required as program can beheld online, there will be programs held in-person such as networking
events, etc.
Business matches differ for each company. As the purpose of businessmatching is to enhance the uniqueness and feasibility of proposal
contents, business matching will be decided in consultation with eachapplicant. For example, businesses (including financial institutions), andpublic institutions such as metropolitan organizations and universities
are possible matches.
Mentors are determined according to items discussed in consultation
during the mentoring events. Examples include experts affiliated withfinancial institutions within Tokyo (e.g., banks, securities, insurance),
IT vendors, venture companies, consulting firms, government agencies,and industry groups.
Please click here to view the list of mentors"Stage" referes to the company's growth stage, whereas "Round"referest to the series of financing the company is currently in.

24 Application form

Applcation
method25 Application form

Application
method26 Application form

Applicatio
methodAny clear conflict with laws and regulations will factor into feasibility
evaluations. However, exceptions may be made if certain services
To what extent should realistic expectations and feasibility be factored
provided by the government were utilized, such as demonstration
into considerations of the balance between usability and laws/regulations?
experiments and sandboxes, and the prospect of feasibility wasdemonstrated.
Please refer to the company’s team(s), achievements, and structures indescribing what the company may contribute. Please describe theHow should our company’s contributions, service overview, and businessservice overview in a way that communicates how it is innovative.
model each be distinguished?
Please describe how the business model will be monetized within thenew proposal.
Please contact the secretariat of the Tokyo Financial Award:
tokyo.financial.award@jp.ey.com
What should be done if the contents of an application must change after
Please contact the TFA secretariat with particular urgency if it relates toit has already been submitted? (e.g., attendees to the award ceremony)the details of the registered company and/or the details of the
proposed service.