JETRO Startup
Global Startup Acceleration Program (GSAP)（*1）
Applications for 2025 GSAP program are now open.
JETRO, in cooperation with the Cabinet Office and other organizations, supports Japanese startups to expand their international business development.
We provide accelerator programs tailored to the needs of individual startups in collaboration with top overseas accelerators that boast a strong track record in supporting startup growth. We look forward to working in this program with various startups providing products, technologies, services, and ideas that solve common global issues.
(*1) The “Startup City Acceleration Program (SCAP)” has been renamed the “Global Startup Acceleration Program (GSAP)” since FY2023.
(*1) The “Startup City Acceleration Program (SCAP)” has been renamed the “Global Startup Acceleration Program (GSAP)” since FY2023.
5 Distinguished Features of GSAP
- Equity-free program hosted by world-class accelerator *English required
- Get access to valuable information, resources, and connections that can only be obtained by joining the community
- Acquire practical, advanced business development skills with an eye toward overseas expansion in various forms, including fundraising and sales channel and customer development.
- Access to influential investors and partners through renowned lecturers and mentors, depending on accelerator’s assessment.
- Not limited to the U.S. market, and global business development is expected both during and after participation.
GSAP2025 Program Outline（5courses）
（For more details, check out GSAP2025 Program Details）
| Course Name | Target Fields | Accelerator | Period | Company Slots | Stage |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Enterprise BtoB Course | Services for BtoB（BtoB、BtoBtoC、SaaS） | AlchemistX | About 10~28 weeks | 30 | Pre-seed～SeriesB |
| AI Course | Generative AI, other AI based services | StartX | About 20 weeks | 15 | Pre-seed～SeriesA |
| Deep Tech Course | Life Science, Big Data, Chip&Semiconductor, Fintech, etc. | Berkeley SkyDeck | About 20 weeks | 20 | Pre-seed～SeriesA |
| Sustainability Course | Sustainability, Cleantech, Climatetech, etc. | Third Derivative, New Energy Nexus | About 24weeks | 10 | Pre-seed～SeriesB |
| Manufacturingtech & Hardtech Course | Hardware, advanced manufacturing, mobility, electrification, automated systems, advanced materials, IoT, AI hardware, etc. | industry 4.0 | About 12 weeks | 15 | Pre-seed～SeriesA |
Application Process
[Note] Application would be completed upon submission of two items: application and pitch deck.
Please read the Terms and Conditions and disclaimer in the application requirements and register your information.
For detailed information on pitch deck, please refer to the Know more about this program! for each course and submit your pitch deck.
GSAP2025 Details of the Program（5 courses）
Courses aimed at developing market entry strategies for overseas expansion, gaining market insight, networking, developing sales channels, business alliances, and fundraising. In addition to practical programs through workshops, discussions, presentations, etc., mentoring by experts and introductions to potential partners, including investors, are provided.
AlchemistX: Enterprise B2B Course
US accelerator specializing in early-stage enterprise sector startup support and investment. Rated the #1 accelerator in the enterprise sector.
Total funding of companies participating in the program is over $1.4 billion.
This course consists of the following three phases. The course consists of the following three phases, and you can apply from any of them. Phase 1: “Understanding U.S. Market”, Phase 2: “PoC,Business Validation”, Phase 3: “Business and Customer Expansion”
Phase1
- Time:
- June-August (online basis); In-person Bootcamp in Tokyo scheduled for 6/23~6/25
- Number of companies:
- 30
- Field:
- Companies providing services to corporate clients (BtoB and BtoBtoC companies)
- Target:
- companies of pre-seed to series A and looking to expand overseas in the future
- Application Deadline:
- May 21th, 2025 15:00(JST) ※Extended deadline
（1.6MB）
※For details on Phase2 and Phase3, please refer to “05 |Entry - Selection Process” on pages 12-13 of the application guidelines.
The application period is scheduled to start in June or later; those who want to be notified of the application start of Phase2 and Phase3 are requested to register using the form below.
AlchemistXStartX: AI Course
Accelerator from Stanford University. It has produced 18 unicorn companies and attracted more than 1,600 entrepreneurs to its community, making it one of the most highly regarded accelerators in Silicon Valley. The original program has received more than 300 applications, with an acceptance rate of less than 10%. This program is specially designed for Japanese startups.
- Time:
- Mid August - Early November (online basis); travel to San Francisco for about a week late October (optional)
- Number of companies:
- 15
- Field:
- Generative Ai, other AI-based services
- Target:
- Companies of Pre-seed to Series A and providing services to corporate clients (B2B and B2C)
- Application Deadline:
-
1st Deadline: April 20th, 2025
2nd Deadline: May 30th, 2025
StartXBerkeley SKYDECK: DeepTech Course
Accelerator from the University of California, Berkeley. It has its own fund and is strong in supporting university-launched startups utilizing the university's human resources and environment.
- Time:
- October-mid February 2026 (online basis)
- Number of companies:
- 20
- Field:
- DeepTech
- Target:
- Pre-seed to Series A university-related startups, R&D startups, researchers, postdoctoral fellows, etc.
November 3rd~21st is the travel period. The standard duration of the trip is 3 weeks, but adjustments can be made within the period.
A desk for each company will be set up in the Berkeley Skydeck during the travel period.
In principal, participating companies will be required to accept at least one intern from UC Berkeley.
- Application Deadline:
- June 6th, 2025 23:59（JST）
Berkeley SkyDeckThird Derivative, New Energy Nexus: Sustainability Course
The program is a collaboration between D3, which has approximately 800 in-house experts and more than 200 external mentors, and NEX, which has a proven track record in entrepreneurship development across 15 countries.
Japan Energy Fund Ventures, which invests in the areas of CO2 reduction and climate resilience, is also participating as a cooperating partner. The core program will run through October, with follow-up mentoring scheduled through December.
- Time:
- July~December (basically online), with a face-to-face Bootcamp scheduled for June 18-20 in Tokyo.
- Number of companies:
- 10
- Field:
- Sustainability in general (Sustainability, Cleantech, Climate tech)
- Target:
- Pre-seed to Series B companies
- Application Deadline:
- May 20th, 2025 23:59(JST) ※Extended deadline
industry4.0: Manufacturingtech & Hardtech course
An accelerator operated by LEAN ROCKET LAB and CENTREPOLIS Accelerator based in Central Illinois, USA. The accelerator program supports the growth of startups using 4th Industrial Revolution technologies.
- Time:
- August-October (online basis) : Scheduled to travel to Detroit, US from September 29 to October 3.
- Number of companies:
- 15
- Field:
- Hardware, advanced manufacturing, mobility, electrification, automated systems, advanced materials, IoT, AI hardware
- Target:
- Pre-Seed ~ Series A
- Application Deadline:
- May 25th, 2025 23:59（JST）
industry 4.0StartX: Flagship Preparation Program
A program aimed at participating in the Flagship program of StartX, an accelerator from Stanford University, which has an acceptance rate of less than 10% from applicants worldwide. Through consultations with StartX mentors, preparation of application materials, and 1:1 mentoring, you can apply for the Flagship program. If accepted, you will participate in the Flagship course along with startups from other countries, accelerating your expansion into the United States. (Please note that acceptance into this Preparation Program does not guarantee participation in the Flagship program.)
- Timing:
- Refer to the application guidelines (3 batches conducted)
- Number of Companies:
- 5-7 companies per batch
- Field：
- No specific field
- Target:
- Pre-seed to Series A
- Application Deadlines:
-
- Batch (1): Wednesday, May 21, 2025, 11:59 AM (JST) ※Extended deadline
- Batch (2): Sunday, August 31, 2025, 11:59 PM (JST)
- Batch (3): Wednesday, December 17, 2026, 11:59 PM (JST)
Application Requirement
All requirements from 1 to 6 must be met. In addition, there are individual application requirements. Please refer to the application guidelines for each course for details.
- The startup company must be located in Japan
- Considering overseas business development or fundraising
- Can conduct business negotiations in English
- Persons with decision-making authority regarding overseas business development (directors, persons in charge of overseas business development) must be able to participate.
- Agree to the Terms and Conditions and the Online Program Terms and Conditions written in Japanese and be able to participate in all programs related to this course.
※The governing language of this Agreement shall be Japanese. If an English translation hereof is made for reference purpose, only the Japanese original shall have the effect of a contract and such English translation shall have no effect. - Be willing to cooperate with the post-program questionnaire (*Follow-up questionnaires and business status surveys will be conducted by the Cabinet Office and JETRO at any time during or after the program).
Participation Fee
- JETRO Expenses
- Participation Program Fee
- Company Expenses
- Flight, Transportation and Accommodation fee
- Domestic travel and accommodation fee for Bootcamp
- ESTA, VISA, overseas insurance, and other expenses related to travel to the US
- All other expenses not covered by JETRO
Special Note
- Companies that have participated in the Startup City Acceleration Program or Global Startup Acceleration Program in the past are also eligible to participate, except for the same accelerator in the same course.
- In principle, participating companies are required to accept at least one intern from UC Berkeley for the Deep Tech course.
- Interviews with the accelerator may be required for the selection process. In this case, we will contact you as soon as possible.
Not sure which course to choose?
For those who are not sure which course to choose, we offer a 30-minute consultation. If you wish to do so, please register below. Whether you use this service or not is not related to the selection process. Also, depending on the number of applications, a deadline may be set.
Former participants
Equity-based（with investment）Startup Acceleration Program
In addition to GSAP (no program participation fee, no investment), JETRO is also working to attract overseas investors and overseas accelerators to Japan. The following accelerator have established their first investment programs in Japan and are currently recruiting participants as 2nd batch.
Please note that these accelerator programs are designed on the basis that the accelerator (seed VC) will invest in the startup. For information on investment conditions, check out the details of each program.
Techstars Tokyo
- Application Period：
-
December 16, 2024 – May 14 2025（Techstars Tokyo Accelerator Event Page）
- Program Period：
- Approximately 3 months from Ausust 18, 2025, with DemoDay on November 25
- Location：
- ”Innovation Field Yaesu” Tokyo Midtown Yaesu
- Number of companies：
- 12
- Investment amount：
-
$120,000 per startup from the fund established by Techstars
＊See theInvestment termson the Techstars website
- Eligibility：
- Japanese startups aiming to go global from Japan, as well as startups from around the world
- How to Apply：
-
Apply directly via Techstars Tokyo Website
Alchemist Japan
- Application Period：
- May 5,2025 to July 21, 2025
- Program Period：
- October - December
- Location：
- Global Business Hub Tokyo (Otemachi Financial City Grand Cube 3F)
- Number of companies：
- 9-12
- Investment amount：
- Up to $100,000 per startup from the fund established by Alchemist Accelerator
- Eligibility：
- Japanese startups aiming to go global from Japan, as well as startups from around the world
- How to Apply：
-
Apply directly via Alchemist Japan Website
Contact
- JETRO Innovation Department Startup Division
-
Ark Mori Building, 6F
12-32, Akasaka 1-chome, Minato-ku, Tokyo
E-mail： su-support@jetro.go.jp
*We cannot answer any inquiries regarding company selection.
- Overall: Ibaraki
- Enterprise BtoB course: Ibaraki
- AI Course: Kaga
- DeepTech course: Sakoda
- Sustainability course: Toyama
- Manufacturingtech & Hardtech course: Hayashida
