[Update: The new support base for startups has opened! Learn more about YOXO BOX here!]
Yokohama city announced the “Innovation City Yokohama” initiative in January this year, in which researchers, technicians, entrepreneurs and students are encouraged to expand their cross-sectorial networks and create innovations from Yokohama. Since the declaration, it has already created more meetup opportunities for innovators from large companies, SMEs, startups and universities. It’s next step will be opening a support base for startups that can launch its ecosystem to the next level.
Yokohama city will open this new support base for startups through its partnership with a Joint Venture (JV) headed by Mitsubishi Estate this October. The new base is scheduled to be located in Kannai station area, a neighborhood of Yokohama Minato Mirai district, and will provide not only various programs such as intensive mentoring programs, seminars, fireside chats and networking events, but also shared office space to attract startups.
The base aims to strengthen the participants’ business, foster global startups, and attract startups abroad leveraging the JV’s global network and connections. Since many universities, research institutes, and manufacturing SMEs are concentrated in Yokohama, the base also provides support programs for students and researchers to start their own businesses, as well as services for manufactures to capitalize on their techniques, like developing trial products.
The new support-base for startups will play a role as a hub to connect companies, innovators and information. By collaborating with the base, Yokohama city is striving for the achievement of “Innovation City Yokohama,” in which people and companies gather and innovative business areas are developed city-wide.
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