News & Updates

Turning the Kyoto-Osaka-Kobe Bay Area into a Global Startup Ecosystem!

May 25, 2021

10 Promotional Videos Showing Why The Region is The Best Choice for Global Corporations Looking for New Business in Japan

The "Collaborative Project for Building a Startup Ecosystem in the Kyoto-Osaka-Kobe Bay Area" (implementing municipalities: Kyoto Prefecture, Osaka Prefecture, Hyogo Prefecture, Kyoto City, Osaka City, and Kobe City) produced 10 videos to introduce the must-know facts of the startup ecosystem in this area. JETRO and the Ministry of Economy, Trade and Industry (METI) selected this project for the "Regional Business Conference (RBC)".

Appointed as global hub city for "The Startup City Project" by the Cabinet Office of Japanese government in July 2020, with the objective of fueling further our global ecosystem, Kyoto-Osaka-Kobe Bay Area joins forces to attract outstanding international companies in the fields of such as smart cities, mobility, and healthcare, which are known to be strong suit of the region.

Situated at the heart of Japan, the region houses population size as huge as over 21million with 17th world largest economy, which is close to the size of Turkey or the Netherlands. While being home to numerous top universities and research institutes which have contributed to presence of internationally known corporations in the region boasting its innovative and state-of-the-art technology, three cities also pride in their distinctive and irresistible cultures embracing beautiful landscapes, architecture, traditional arts and crafts, and rich cuisine tradition as well.

Contents include exclusive interviews with active startup companies whose founders are from both Japan and abroad in a wide range of fields such as life science, manufacturing, AI and IoT, and influential key players in the region’s ecosystem, sharing us compelling stories why the region is an ideal place for their business. Kyoto-Osaka-Kobe Bay area proudly declares that we are set out and committed to become a hub of innovation where global corporations move into, and to show the world how the region is a perfect platform for startup ecosystem.

Promotional Videos

* You can play each video by clicking the playlist button on the upper right corner of the screen.

About RBC

1. RBC Overview
Based on the "Reform 2020" project of the Revised Japan Revitalization Strategy 2015 - Investment in the Future and Productivity Revolution -, JETRO is implementing the RBC to encourage overseas companies to invest directly in regions.
The RBC is designed to promote the attractiveness of a local business environment to foreign companies that local governments want to attract to their region, and to encourage collaboration with local companies and local universities. In implementing RBC, projects are publicly solicited from local governments and other organizations that are proactive in attracting foreign companies and are screened by reviewing board. For selected projects, JETRO provides detailed support by utilizing its network of offices in Japan and overseas.
2. Collaborative Project for Building a Startup Ecosystem in the Kyoto-Osaka-Kobe Bay Area
Local governments: Kyoto Prefecture, Osaka Prefecture, Hyogo Prefecture, Kyoto City, Osaka City, Kobe City
Project Summary: Taking advantage of regional strengths of Kyoto-Osaka-Kobe Bay area as a "The Startup City Project" (selected by the Cabinet Office in July 2020), top companies and startups in the fields of smart cities, mobility, and healthcare are invited. Specifically, it will build a global startup ecosystem in the Keihanna Research Complex Project's acceleration program "KGAP+" and collaborate with the international innovation conference "Hack Osaka" to build a global startup ecosystem in the Kyoto-Osaka-Kobe Bay Area.

JETRO Kyoto (Contact: Oi, Makino)
E-mail: KYO@jetro.go.jp