NEDO NEP Yakushin (Accelerator) Course
NEDO (Japan) · Deep-tech founder grant
$200KGrant up to ¥5M or ¥30M (~$200k) at 100% (carve-out tracks 75%), plus mentor matching
NEDO Entrepreneurs Program grant for pre-fundraise deep-tech founders in Japan: up to ¥30M at 100% subsidy to build and validate the business model, with an experienced mentor.
Key terms
- Tracks: Yakushin 500 (<¥5M, 100%), Yakushin 3000 (≤¥30M, 100%), Carve-out A (<¥5M, 75%, individuals/teams), Carve-out B (≤¥30M, 75%), GX (≤¥30M, 100%)
- 500/3000 tracks target founders before fundraising; most tracks fund corporations
- Deep-tech fields (AI, robotics, materials, life sciences, energy, IoT, etc.); nuclear excluded
- 2026 call closed 17 Apr 2026 (noon JST); projects started Sep 2026
- Documents and interviews in Japanese
Eligibility
- Where
- Japan
- Stages
- idea, pre-seed
- Needs VC/accelerator backing
- No
- Needs partner referral code
- No
- Must be incorporated
- No
- AI focus required
- No
- Students / researchers
- Not eligible
- Nonprofits
- Not eligible
Also required
- Deep-tech seed required
- Before institutional fundraising (500/3000 tracks)
How to apply
Download the call guidelines and track-specific forms from the NEP site and upload via the online form during the annual spring call.
- Benefit
- cash
- Equity-free
- Yes
- Decision time
- —
- Credit validity
- —
- Deadline
- Annual call (2026 closed 2026-04-17; typ. spring)
- Status
- Paused — next round TBA
Verified 2026-10 · source