NEDO Deep-Tech Startup Support Program (DTSU)
NEDO (Japan) · Innovation grant (VC co-funded)
$20MSubsidy covering up to 2/3 of costs: STS phase up to JPY 300M/500M, PCA up to JPY 500M/1B, DMP (mass-production demo) up to JPY 2.5B; max JPY 3B and 6 years per project.
Japan's large-scale subsidy for deep-tech startups needing long, capital-intensive R&D, co-funded alongside VCs/CVCs and business partners through stage gates.
Key terms
- Coordinated with VC/CVC investors; LOI (STS/PCA) or MOU (DMP) from partners required
- Subsidy rate up to 2/3 (1/2 for some DMP cases)
- Phases last ~1.5–2 years each with stage-gate review
- Submission via J-Grants (requires GBizID)
- Program may end before end of FY2027 depending on selections
Eligibility
- Where
- Japan
- Stages
- seed, series-a, growth
- Needs VC/accelerator backing
- Yes
- Needs partner referral code
- No
- Must be incorporated
- Yes
- AI focus required
- No
- Students / researchers
- Not eligible
- Nonprofits
- Not eligible
Also required
- Deep-tech requiring long, large-scale R&D
- Partner LOI/MOU needed
How to apply
Read the FY2026 公募要領 on NEDO, obtain a GBizID, line up investor/partner LOIs, and submit through J-Grants in one of ~4 windows per year.
- Benefit
- cash
- Equity-free
- Yes
- Decision time
- —
- Credit validity
- —
- Deadline
- Fixed submission windows: 10th call closed (3-8 Sep 2026); 11th call window planned early April 2027, 12th early-mid Oct 2027
- Status
- Paused — next round TBA
Verified 2026-10-23 · source