Economy

Tokyo Metropolitan Gov. Pre-opens Facility to Support Domestic, International Startups

Courtesy of Tokyo metropolitan government
Tokyo Gov. Yuriko Koike speaks at a kickoff event for the Tokyo Innovation Base in Chiyoda Ward, Tokyo, on Monday.

By Chikako Minami / Japan News Staff Writer

16:05 JST, November 29, 2023

The Tokyo metropolitan government has pre-opened the Tokyo Innovation Base, a facility for domestic and international startups, investors, students and others to meet and develop partnerships in the capital’s Chiyoda Ward on Monday.

The approximately 5,500-square-meter facility can be used for events such as startup pitch competitions, business-to-business exchanges and business education programs for students.

The facility will be fully operational in May after a co-working space and an area to showcase or demonstrate products developed by startups are set up.

About 400 people such as startup executives and accelerators — entities supporting the growth of startups — from Japan and overseas gathered at a kickoff event held at the facility on Monday.

Tokyo Gov. Yuriko Koike explained the government’s goals such as to increase the number of unicorns in Tokyo by 10-fold in five years.

“Tokyo aims to become a city where challengers are born and gather from around the world and support them in their efforts,” the governor said in English.