🇯🇵 Accelerators, incubators and startup programs in Japan
35 accelerators, incubators and startup programs in Japan, from the Open Ecosystem Atlas — Program, Community, Event, Accelerator, Incubator, Ecosystem and University. Most are based in Tokyo, Toranomon and Shibuya. 26 of them offer free access.
Open in the Atlas mapAccelerators, incubators and startup programs in Japan
Japan Startup Visa
Program · Nationwide · Free access
Officially the Program to Promote Startup Businesses by Foreign Nationals. Since January 2025 available in every prefecture, giving up to two years to build before full Business Manager requirements.
Offers: info
Tokyo Startup Subsidy
Program · Tokyo · Free access
Tokyo Metropolitan Government funding covering about two thirds of eligible costs, up to ¥3M, for businesses under five years. Route in via Tokyo Startup Station.
Offers: funding
Sustainability Subsidy, Startup Type
Program · Nationwide · Free access
The 小規模事業者持続化補助金 startup category: up to ¥2.5M at a two-thirds rate for businesses in their first two years.
Offers: funding
Shibuya Startup Support
Program · Shibuya, Tokyo · Free access
Shibuya ward backing for founders, one of the most flexible startup visa pathways in the country.
Offers: info, community
Fukuoka City startup programs
Program · Fukuoka · Free access
Office and residential rent subsidies for foreign founders, priority incubator access, and a national strategic startup zone.
Offers: funding, info
JETRO
Program · Nationwide · Free access
The Japan External Trade Organization. Free consultations and setup support for anyone bringing a business into Japan.
Offers: info, mentoring
Venture Café Tokyo
Community · Toranomon, Tokyo · Free access
Thursday Gathering, every Thursday 4 to 9pm at Toranomon Hills. Sessions, networking, hundreds of builders weekly. The front door of the Tokyo ecosystem.
Offers: community, mentoring
Openfor.co at CIC Tokyo
Event · Toranomon, Tokyo · Free access
Openfor.co, the virtual incubator, hosts monthly hybrid sessions at CIC Tokyo: Swarm Reviews, workshops and open office hours. Individuals are the point, not the exception. No company required.
Offers: community, mentoring
Founder Institute Japan
Accelerator · Tokyo
The selective accelerator layer of the Openfor ecosystem, co-directed by the Openfor team. The step after the incubator, for when you are ready to incorporate and raise.
Offers: mentoring, community, funding
Openfor.co
Incubator · Tokyo, global
Openfor.co is a Tokyo-based virtual incubator for individuals: accelerator-grade support for the 99% who are locked out of the venture-backed path. Membership-priced, no company required, joinable from anywhere. Members become AI-defensible personal assets first, with products as extensions. Backed by 250+ mentors across 30 countries, 50+ institutional partners, 150+ events, 8,000 attendees, 400+ startups and 700K annual reach. Sister brands: Founder Institute Japan, Korea and Taiwan (accelerator) and Co-Capital.vc (investor community). This atlas is one of its open projects.
Offers: mentoring, community, info, funding
Open Network Lab
Accelerator · Tokyo
Digital Garage’s accelerator, one of the longest-running seed programs in Japan.
Offers: funding, mentoring
KDDI Mugen Labo
Accelerator · Tokyo · Free access
KDDI’s long-running startup program connecting founders to the telecom giant and its partners.
Offers: mentoring, community
01Booster
Accelerator · Tokyo
Accelerator and open innovation firm running corporate-partnered programs across Japan.
Offers: mentoring, community
Startup Weekend Japan
Event · Nationwide
54-hour build weekends run by volunteers in cities across Japan, part of the global Techstars community.
Offers: community
Startup Grind Tokyo
Event · Tokyo
The Tokyo chapter of the global founder community, monthly fireside events.
Offers: community
Startup Café Fukuoka
Ecosystem · Tenjin, Fukuoka · Free access
A literal cafe for startups inside Fukuoka Growth Next. Concierge consultations for anyone with an idea.
Offers: mentoring, community, space
University of Tokyo
University · Tokyo, Japan · Free access
University with entrepreneurship and ecosystem programs.
Offers: community, info
Tokyo Metropolitan University
University · Tokyo, Japan · Free access
University with entrepreneurship and ecosystem programs.
Offers: community, info
iU Professional University of Information and Management for Innovation
University · Tokyo, Japan · Free access
University with entrepreneurship and ecosystem programs.
Offers: community, info
GLOBIS University
University · Tokyo, Japan · Free access
University with entrepreneurship and ecosystem programs.
Offers: community, info
Tokyo Innovation Base (TIB)
Ecosystem · Tokyo, Japan · Free access
Public program or ecosystem organization supporting builders.
Offers: community, info
SusHi Tech Tokyo
Event · Tokyo, Japan · Free access
Public program or ecosystem organization supporting builders.
Offers: community, info
Startup Lady
Community · Tokyo, Japan · Free access
Public program or ecosystem organization supporting builders.
Offers: community, info
IVS
Event · Tokyo, Japan · Free access
Public program or ecosystem organization supporting builders.
Offers: community, info
CreatorLabo
Community · Tokyo, Japan · Free access
Public program or ecosystem organization supporting builders.
Offers: community, info
Shivans Lab
Community · Tokyo, Japan · Free access
Public program or ecosystem organization supporting builders.
Offers: community, info
AI Collective Tokyo
Community · Tokyo, Japan · Free access
Public program or ecosystem organization supporting builders.
Offers: community, info
TAI
Community · Tokyo, Japan · Free access
Public program or ecosystem organization supporting builders.
Offers: community, info
Business in Japan
Community · Tokyo, Japan · Free access
Public program or ecosystem organization supporting builders.
Offers: community, info
EO Studio Japan
Community · Tokyo, Japan · Free access
Media and community studio for entrepreneurs, FI Japan partner.
Offers: community
Female Founder Initiative
Community · Tokyo, Japan · Free access
Community and programming supporting women founders in Japan.
Offers: community, mentoring
Global Startup Expo
Event · Tokyo, Japan
Startup expo and pitch event, FI Japan partner.
Offers: community
Innovation Dojo Japan
Community · Tokyo, Japan
Founder training and community program, FI Japan partner.
Offers: community, mentoring
Scaling Japan Podcast
Event · Tokyo, Japan · Free access
Podcast covering what it takes to scale a company in and from Japan, FI Japan partner.
Offers: info, community
Japan Finance Corporation
Program · Tokyo
Government lender offering startup loans.
Offers: funding