JETRO Holds the Singapore-Japan Fast Track Pitch Event 2024 in Singapore to Accelerate Global Open Innovation of Japanese Companies/Startups/SMEs

July 2024

JETRO, Ministry of Economy, Trade and Industry of Japan (METI), and Embassy of Japan in Singapore, co-organizing with the Ministry of Trade and Industry of Singapore, Economic Development Board, and Enterprise Singapore, held the Singapore-Japan Fast Track Pitch Event 2024 in Singapore on July 19.

In front of about 300 participants (about 170 in-person and 130 online), 13 finalists from Japan, Singapore, and other countries presented their proposals on the open innovation challenges provided by the five challenge owners.

Prior to the presentations, Mr. SAITO Ken, Minister of Economy, Trade and Industry of Japan, and Dr Tan See Leng, Minister for Manpower and Second Minister for Trade and Industry of Singapore, gave the opening remarks, stressing the importance of strengthening cooperation for the creation of innovation between the two countries.

During the application period, about 50 proposals from all over the world were submitted to the challenges provided by the five challenge owner companies from Japan and Singapore. From among these, 13 finalists selected by the challenge owners presented their proposals.

Please refer to JETRO’s special website for the detailed challenge statements and finalists.

Singapore-Japan Fast Track Pitch Event 2024

The next round of the Fast Track Pitch Event will take place in Hanoi, Vietnam. Applications to the challenges by the six challenge owner companies will be open until September 1, 2024.

Taking the opportunity of the 50th anniversary of ASEAN-Japan friendship and cooperation in 2023, METI and JETRO launched the ASEAN-Japan Co-Creation Fast Track Initiative to support the creation of open innovation through collaborations among startups, SMEs, and large corporations from both ASEAN and Japan. This initiative proposes a new format of cooperation with ASEAN countries to create new innovations.

Under the ASEAN-Japan Co-Creation Fast Track Initiative, startups and SMEs from ASEAN and Japan will have the opportunity to (1) receive support not only from Japanese organizations such as JETRO, but also from the government agencies of ASEAN countries, and (2) access not only large Japanese corporations but also a wide range of innovation ecosystems, including global companies based in ASEAN.

Moreover, finalists will receive additional points in the selection process in grants programs, including the Future Co-Creation Projects in the Global South Program, to support their proofs of concepts. Please refer to the website below for more details.

https://gs-hojo-web.jp/
(Only Japanese is available)