Latest UpdatesUK startup accelerator Rainmaking Innovation establishes Japanese subsidiary in Osaka

Rainmaking Innovation is a UK startup accelerator that runs corporate boot camps and projects to inspire and drive innovation with companies. It operates “Startupbootcamp,” the largest business acceleration program in Europe. Rainmaking Innovation was founded in 2015 and it currently has over 20 bases worldwide. It has facilitated collaboration together with startups and their host city partners through organizing programs in 18 cities around the world and the support of more than 700 startups.

The company set up Rainmaking Innovation Japan LLC in Osaka in March 2019 with the aim of conducting a boot camp in Japan.
Since June 2019, it has held “Startupbootcamp Scale Osaka,” a program for selecting promising startups from around the world and facilitating their growth in the Japanese market, in Osaka and Kansai together with seven corporate partners—including Sakura Internet, JR West Innovations, Hankyu Corporation (Business agent: Hankyu Hanshin Properties Corp.) and Yomiuri Shimbun.

Based on the theme "Smart City & Living," it plans to hold boot camps in Osaka and Kansai over the next three years (once per year, for a total of three times).

To assist with the establishment of the company’s base in Japan, the JETRO Invest Japan Business Support Center (IBSC) invited Rainmaking Innovation to the Regional Business Conference held in Osaka and provided consultation on tax and labor matters, information on government incentives and business matching. The IBSC also introduced local governments and offered support with publicity and PR.