| Date | Thursday, October 26th, 2023 ※JST 10：00～19：00 |
|---|---|
| Method | ONLINE |
| Host | Asian Entrepreneurship Award Steering Committee |
| Co-hosts | Division of University Corporate Relations – The University of Tokyo Mitsui Fudosan Co., Ltd. TX Entrepreneur Partners General Incorporated Association (TEP) The Japan Academic Society for Ventures and Entrepreneurs General Incorporated Association (JASVE) Japan External Trade Organization (JETRO) Kashiwa city |
| Official Language | English (Some parts may be in Japanese. Simultaneous interpretation available.) *Startups may make presentations in Japanese, but if you do so, please note that you will not be considered as a candidate for judgement at the AEA main competition. |
|---|
Award Procedures
(1) Selected 10 companies present their business plans at the final session.
(2) At the final session, finalists will make a 10-minute presentation. After a fair judgement, prize winners of each prize will be elected.
Judging Criteria
(1) Innovativeness, commercial viability and social impact of the business, with consideration given to the potential of the business to expand and bring about changes in the global economy and society.
(2) Business performance, which includes the nominee’s competitive advantages, management team, strategic vision, and communication capabilities, including presentation skills.
(3) Possibility of collaboration with Japanese large corporations or expansion of business in Japan backed by it’s business model and roadmap.
<Only for Kashiwa-no-ha Award entrants>
(4)Utilization of “Kashiwanoha Innovation Field”
(How you would evolve your products or services as a result of the demonstration at Kashiwa-no-ha.)
Awards
【Asian Entrepreneurship Award】
・First Prize:3 million JPY
・Second Prize:1 million JPY
・Third Prize:500,000 JPY
・Kashiwa-no-ha Prize：Award money (TBD) ＋ Support towards a demonstration in Kashiwa-no-ha smart city
【Special Award】
＊Microsoft Award：
Once selected, the following resources will be provided.
l Microsoft Azure
maximum $150,000 /4 years
l Visual Studio Enterprise
l GitHub Enterprise
l Microsoft 365
l PowerPlatform
l Dynamics365
l Partner Solution：
Ø OpenAI
Ø Bubble
Ø Miro
Ø Stripe
Ø Linkedin
＊Fujitsu Accelerator Award：We will provide opportunities for startups to co-create Fujitsu smart city projects to engage in discussions with Fujitsu business unit.
＊IP Bridge Award：The winner, a company that contributes to the creation of people’s future and whose products have the potential to be implemented in Japan, can take 3 times of IP consulting service by IP Bridge, Inc by the end of 2023.
＊Life Science Award：
1. Support for scheduling 1on1 meeting with companies in LINK-J network during business trip to Japan and PR support at LINK-J website after consultation with LINK-J.
2. Posting an interview article of the award-winning company on website of LINK-J (Life Science Innovation Net.
3. (Japanese startups only) One-year free membership of LINK-J
＊The Japan Academic Society for Ventures and Entrepreneurs Award：The award is given by JASVE to the most excelling team in solving problems with an entrepreneurship mindset.
Qualification for Entry
Startup companies must meet all of the following requirements.
(1)Must be a technology based startup company which has solution related to either Life Science & Healthcare / Mobility / Energy & Environment / Sustainability.
— Must be a company. Individuals or research labs are not accepted.
— ”Technology based startup company” is a startup which has it’s own technology as the core of it’s business model.
(2) Must be an early stage startup which has completed PoC (Proof of Concept), and is able to communicate with a specific customer by using prototypes, samples or mockups.
— No conditions are required for number of years from establishment nor number of employees.
— Startups invested by VCs or planned to be invested are acceptable, but the capital amount must be basically 3M USD or under.
— Public companies or affiliates of large corporations are not accepted.
(3) Must be nominated by a person responsible for startup supports at a university, research institute, or private incubator, accelerator or any other startup supporting organizations.
(4) Startup company must be able to participate in all the programs held on October 26th, 2023.
— Your absence to some programs can be reasons for disqualification.
— Nominators are expected to support their startup nominee’s preparation towards the participation in the AEA program.
(5)Japanese companies must have the intention of expanding their business overseas. Non-Japanese companies must have a specific interest in the Japanese market or a strong desire to work with Japanese companies and develop business in Japan.
In addition, they must be prepared to facilitate discussions with Japanese companies in order to enter the Japanese market and collaborate with Japanese companies.
<Only for Kashiwa-no-ha Award entrants>
(6)Must be willing to do PoB (Proof of business) in Kashiwa-no-ha.