2025 APPLICATION CLOSED
THANK YOU FOR YOUR APPLICATION
ABOUT
Tokyo Metropolitan Government aims to solve common urban challenges and foster the next unicorns through global scaleup by supporting the Joint Project of startups in Tokyo to address issues in overseas cities since last year.
This year, the city of Malmö (Sweden) and Jakarta (Indonesia) will serve as the testing grounds for this joint project.
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.
-
Travelling
Overseas
and
Delivering
PitchesStartups 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)
-
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). -
Business
Expansion and
Growth in Targeted
Overseas CitiesThe 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.
-
Achievement
PresentationsThe 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 Malmö and Jakarta.
Malmö (Sweden)
E.g.
- ①：Efficient waste management
- ②：Promotion of organic farming
- ③：Advancement of urban agriculture
Challenge Theme 2: Promoting Sustainable Urban Development
E.g.
-
①：Promotion of the circular economy and sharing services
- ②：Transition to renewable energy
- ③：Promotion of MaaS
Jakarta (Indonesia)
E.g.
- ①：Optimizing waste management using AI, data etc.
- ②：Promoting new upcycling technologies
- ③：Promoting the reduction of amount of waste
Challenge Theme 2: Promoting Reusable Energy
E.g.
- ①：Promoting decentralized renewable energy generation
- ②：Optimizing energy consumption through energy management solutions
- ③：Increasing the share of new renewable energy sources
- ④：Advancing new energy-saving technologies
APPLICATION FOR 2025
| Application Period |
May 2nd (Fri) ~June 9th (Mon) 23:59 |
|---|---|
| Number of Candidate |
・First Screening：Max 5 companies per city ・Final Screening：1 company per city |
| Application URL |
Please refer to the Application Guideline for open call and send the required documents to the secretariat
2025 APPLICATION CLOSED |
| FAQ | If you have any further questions, please contact the secretariat ・Application Deadline: June 9th 23:59 (The secretariat will not be able to answer specific questions about the application status and the screening process) |
Introduction Videos (About Malmö and the Urban Challenges)
Introduction Videos (About Jakarta and the Urban Challenges)
Evaluation
The overseas cities’ officials will conduct a comprehensive evaluation based on the following assessment criteria upon selecting PoC partners.
(Note: Please only refer the following criteria as a general guideline for application, as cities will conduct detailed evaluation according to their own criteria)
| Points | Assessment Criteria |
|---|---|
| Contribution to the urban challenge |
Does the solution fit the challenges in the corresponding city? |
| Is the service/product unique compared to other services and methods used in the corresponding city? |
|
| Feasibility of project execution |
Are the risk factors clear and demonstrable? |
| Is the schedule and the players involved in the PoC clear? | |
| Is the team structure capable of delivering the project? | |
| Are the measured outcomes clear and show a positive impact on the corresponding city? |
|
| Overseas expansion and sustainable development after the PoC |
Are development and expansion in the city expected after the PoC? |
| Does the team have enough member with language skills for overseas business development? | |
| Does the team have enough knowledge of the city? | |
| Does the team have a track record of overseas business? | |
| Is there a potential growth for the solution used in the PoC in the global market? Is the business sustainable after the PoC? |
|
| Enthusiasm/ Motivation |
Is the purpose of applying for this PoC clear? |
| Is the purpose of business expansion in the region clear and reasonable? |
Schedule for 2025
(Schedule Subject to Change)
- May 2nd ～ June 9th
- Application Period
- Late June
- Document Screening of Oversea Cities
- Early July
- Announcement of Screening Result
- July
- PoC Plan Refinement
- August 4th ～ August 8th
-
Pitch towards Jakarta
(For those who applied for PoC in Jakarta)
- August 25th ～ August 29th
-
Pitch towards City of Malmö
(For those who applied for PoC in Malmö)
- Early September
- Announcement of Selection Result
- September ～ October
- PoC Preparation
- November ～ January
- Implementation of PoC
- February
- PoC Result Summary
- March
- PoC Result Presentation