ESG TECH BATTLE 2022
Application Requirements(1) Overview
In recent years, there has been an increase in the number of R&D oriented startups that havegrown significantly by leveraging their unique technologies. However, R&D often requires alarge amount of funding and human resources, and these startups and researchers require avariety of support.
Therefore, ESG TECH BATTLE, a pitch contest, will be held for R&D startups andresearchers, and the New Energy and Industrial Technology Development Organization (NEDO)
and the private sector innovation community will collaborate to provide various types of support(including awards and cash prize) to promising startups and researchers, thereby accelerating
the creation of role models.
NEDO is inviting applications from R&D oriented startups and researchers who have abusiness plan to utilize regional technology seeds or solve social issues in the energy andenvironmental fields. If an applicant for course 1 of the “Research and Development Oriented
Startup Support Project / Project to Promote Commercialization of Startups Utilizing Technology
Seeds in the Energy and Environment Fields and Technology Seeds in Local Communities" (研究開発型スタートアップ支援事業/地域に眠る技術シーズやエネルギー・環境分野の技術シーズ等を活用したスタートアップの事業化促進事業) (hereinafter referred to as the "Project”) achieves
excellent results, the applicant will be given special treatment in the screening of the project.

(2) Eligibility●Stage: Pre-seed / seed stage R&D oriented startup companies, and researchers andentrepreneurs who are interested in business utilizing their research outcomes.

●

Target area: Business plans that utilize technology seeds from local areas or plans thathave the potential to solve social issues, including those in the energy andenvironmental fields.

●

Target countries: All over the world. Not limited to startups and researchers located inJapan.

●Pitch contest: Must be able to join and speak at the pitch event to be held on Friday,
March 18, 2022, 4 - 9 pm JST.

●Compliance: Companies must be in compliance and not belong to or associated with any
antisocial organizations.

(3) Prizes① Awards
The following prizes will be awarded to the startups that achieve excellent results.
●

Grand Prize: Awarded by the Director-General, Industrial Science and Technology
Policy and Environment Bureau, Ministry of Economy, Trade and Industry of Japan (1company/individual)Awarded to the company/individual who receives the most outstanding evaluation by aselection committee of experts.

●Excellence Award: NEDO Award (2 companies/individuals)
Awarded to the second and third most outstanding entry after the Grand Prize by aselection committee of experts.

●

Honorable Mention: CIC Tokyo Chairman's Award (2-4 companies/individuals)
This award is given to the winner who has received the wonderful evaluation after theExcellence Award by a selection committee of experts.

② Cash prize
The winner of the Grand Prize will receive a cash prize of 1 million JPY.
③ Business Growth SupportStartups/Individuals that win the Grand Prize, Excellence Award, or other prizes will be able toreceive support for growth of their business from CIC Tokyo until the end of March 2023,
depending on the situation and needs of the company/individuals awarded. For example, thefollowing support is expected:●

Pitch opportunities●

Matching with business companies and investors●

Holding seminars and study sessions on intellectual property, legal affairs, fundraising,etc.

●

Mentoring by senior entrepreneurs, investors, startup supporters, and professionals●

Support for developing overseas connections

(4) Screening criteria
The selection committee, consisting of experts, will select the most highly rated
business/projects from among the applications received, taking into account the following
evaluation items in a comprehensive manner.

Evaluation items

Evaluation details① Growth potential

Can the business be expected to grow and continue? etc.

②Technologicalcapability andinnovativeness

Does the company possess unique and highly feasible technology
originating from the region? Does the business plan have a high degreeof novelty? Does it have a competitive advantage? etc.

③ TeamIs there an attractive team (ability, background, resource procurement,diversity)? etc.

④ MarketattractivenessIs there a need for the business and is there a large business
opportunity? Is it an attractive market? etc.

⑤ Challenging
natureIs there enthusiasm and determination for the new business? etc.

⑥ Social issues

Is the company addressing social issues such as energy and theenvironment? etc.

(5) Screening① Document screening
Each application will be screened by the secretariat based on the above screening criteria, andabout 20 applicants will be selected to proceed to the pitch contest.
② Pitch contest
On Friday, March 18, 2022, 4 - 9 pm JST, the pitch event will be held at CIC Tokyo inToranomon, Minato-ku, Tokyo, and judging will be conducted by a selection committee,consisting of experts. Those who will take the stage will be judged on their 3-5 minute pitches(depending on the number of applicants on stage), followed by a short Q & A session.

(6) Schedule① Application periodFebruary 4, 2022 (Friday) - March 3, 2022 (Thursday), 5 pm JST② Document screening
March 3, 2022 (Thursday) - early March 2022
③ Pitch Event
Friday, March 18, 2022, 4 - 9 pm JST(7) How to apply
Please Fill in the required information and submit the relevant documents via Google form.
Application form: https://forms.gle/pQZm9JzBTqQ7ss738○If you are unable to submit your pitch materials via Google Form, please submit them viaemail.
○Pitch materials: 1) Outline of the business, 2) Social issues to be addressed, 3) Market, 4)Services and technologies, 5) Team, 6) Business plan, etc. should be included (PPTX format
slides or a PDF version for the other formats is acceptable. Number of slides is limited to 20pages. If the number of pages exceeds this limit, please attach it after the main text as anappendix or reference. There is no limit on the number of pages for appendix or reference.
However, if the file size exceeds 15MB, please send it to env-startups@cic.com and confirm
receipt by replying to the secretariat.
※This document will also be used for the document screening, and the review will beconducted based on the contents of the document, so please note that even if the secretariat
cannot read the contents of the above items from the document, it will not be subject to review.
※Please do not include confidential information in the materials.

＜Please note the following points＞
1. No fee will be charged for application.
2. Please note that applications with incomplete information may not be reviewed.
3. The secretariat may contact applicants to confirm the contents of their application or torequest additional materials.
4. Notification of the results of the document screening will be carried out via email.
5. Please note that submitted application documents will not be returned.

6. We will not be able to respond to any inquiries regarding the status or details of thescreening process, or any objections to the screening results.
7. Award-winning companies/individuals will have their activities publicized in various
media such as newspapers, magazines, and the Internet. We may also ask for thecooperation of the press in covering the event.
8. The contents of the events in (6) ③above are subject to change without notice.
9. The application or granting of this award may be canceled in the event of any act or false
statement that may undermine the purpose of this award, failure to provide thenecessary cooperation in the screening process, or violation of laws and regulations orother socially acceptable reasons that make it inappropriate to name this award winner.

(8) Contact for inquiries
For inquiries regarding application procedures, application guidelines, and other matters, pleasecontact below.
CIC Tokyo Contact: Masaru, Lisa
Email: env-startups@cic.com