KING SALMON PROJECT
Overseas Urban Challenges Course

2024 APPLICATION CLOSED
THANK YOU FOR YOUR APPLICATION

ABOUT

The Tokyo Metropolitan Government supports the development of PoC (Proof of Concept) for solving social issues in overseas cities by start-up companies.
From this fiscal year, the Tokyo Metropolitan Government launched the King Salmon Project "Overseas Urban Challenges Course" to support start-up companies in Tokyo to promote overseas PoC and advance into business.
For year 2024, PoC’s are delivered in City of Helsinki (Republic of Finland) and Nairobi City (Republic of Kenya) as parts of King Salmon Project "Overseas Urban Challenges Course".

BACKGROUND

As global competition for innovation, also known as the Fourth Industrial Revolution, intensifies startup companies that produce cutting-edge products and services are becoming more important. In overseas, many startup companies known as “unicorns” have been founded. Unfortunately, however, Japan has produced only a few of them, so producing a flood of start-up companies, which are the sparks of innovation, is required.
Meanwhile, as Tokyo is facing all kinds of social challenges such as declining birthrate, considerable number of startups within the city possess advanced solutions to such issues. Aiming for a sustainable growth, it is crucial for Tokyo to explore such startups and to enhance productivity through innovation.
Under such backgrounds, the Tokyo Metropolitan Government has tried to tackle social challenges with applying with new business models, solutions, products and/or services of startups in this project. Furthermore, the Tokyo Metropolitan Government delivers multiple supports which enable startups to deliver their business growth and accelerating the momentum through horizontal deployment of leading cases.

PURPOSE

Many oversea cities also face the same challenges as Tokyo, implying that potential solution could be provided by startups with advanced business within Tokyo.
The Tokyo Metropolitan Government therefore launches the King Salmon Project "Overseas Urban Challenges Solving Course," which provides comprehensive support from matching startups with overseas cities to solving their challenge.
This project aims for a long term growth and resolution of social issues faced by Tokyo, through the establishment of a "cycle of entrepreneurship" that includes "starting a business → expansion → exit（via IPO etc） → starting subsequent startups."

PROGRAMS

King Salmon Project "Overseas Urban Challenges Course" is consisted of the following four programs.

1. Travelling
   Overseas
   and
   Delivering
   Pitches

   Startups that passed the first screening process traveled to targeted oversea cities for a week after applying. During their stay, they engaged in meetings with local stakeholders and cities’ officials to refine their proposals addressing urban challenges and eventually deliver pitches as their proposals to the cities’ officials.
   The project secretariat, Deloitte Tohmatsu Consulting LLC, which has been commissioned by the Tokyo Metropolitan Government, accompanied the companies, and assist in coordinating with the overseas cities.

   The travel expenses for companies that pass the document screening were covered by the Tokyo Metropolitan Government (conditions and limits apply)

2. PoC Conduction

   Selected companies conduct PoC using products and services that contribute to solving the social challenges faced by the overseas cities. The PoC period includes a two-month preparation period and a three-month PoC period, making the total project period five months. The project secretariat accompanies the selected companies on their overseas travels if necessary.
   

   ※The following expenses are, in principle, not be borne by the startups:
   ① Travel and accommodation expenses (lodging and local transportation) to the local cities.
   ② Expenses related to the PoC (up to 10 million yen).

3. Business
   Expansion and
   Growth in Targeted
   Overseas Cities

   The project secretariat assists in matching with local venture capitalists, corporations, and research institutions, arranging meetings to promote business expansion oversea. Additionally, strategies for global business expansion will also be discussed.

4. Achievement
   Presentations

   The results of the PoC shall be reported to the project secretariat.
   The project secretariat posts information that contributes to the growth of the startups and the future development of this project. Accordingly, cooperation from the selected companies is expected.

CITIES

King Salmon Project Overseas is conducting PoC by selected startups, addressing urban challenges faced by the city of Helsinki and Nairobi.

Helsinki

Theme / Urban Challenge

Reduction of Environmental Impact by Controlling Carbon Dioxide Emissions from Buildings

Background

Helsinki, Finland's capital city, is seeking for top runners who can provide solutions to environmental impact and other global challenges. The city has been a leading startup hub in Europe, providing unique platform for startups to create sustainable, inclusive, and smart solutions towards its ambitious goal of realizing carbon neutral by 2030.

Nairobi

Theme / Urban Challenge

Mitigation and Control of Flooding Caused by Heavy Rain, River Flooding, and Levee Breaches

Background

The capital city of Kenya, Nairobi, with its startup incubation facilities such as iHub, has been a proactively supportive city for innovations and startups in Africa. Nairobi has been severely affected by heavy rains and floods caused by the El Niño phenomenon in recent years. The city therefore aims to solve social problems through collaboration and partnerships with startups in the fields of flood control and damage mitigation measures during flood events.

APPLICATION FOR 2024

An official explains the urban challenge that this project aims to address in Helsinki: reducing environmental impact by curbing carbon emissions from buildings and related sources.