Grants · UPDATED JUNE 24, 2026
Grants & subsidies
The main public funding routes for startups in Japan, from entry-level Tokyo subsidies to deep-tech national programs.
FUNDING BOARD · 12 PROGRAMS
Live grants, subsidies and competitions for startups in Japan. Always confirm the current round on the official page.
Tokyo Startup Gateway
Tokyo Metropolitan Government
TMG business-plan contest that starts from a 400-character idea.
Individuals aged 15 to 39 planning a business in Tokyo.
Digital / AI Adoption Subsidy
SME Agency (METI) / SMRJ
Subsidizes IT and AI tools to lift SME productivity (formerly IT導入補助金).
Japan SMEs (GBizID Prime, via an approved IT vendor).
Small Business Sustainability Subsidy
SME Agency (METI)
Funds marketing, ads and store improvements for small businesses.
Micro and small businesses (via local Chamber of Commerce).
JETRO Subsidy for Direct Investment in Japan
JETRO / METI
Covers feasibility and validation costs for entering the Japan market.
Foreign-affiliated companies with a legal entity in Japan.
JST FOREST
Japan Science & Technology Agency
Funds bold transdisciplinary research with spinout potential.
Early-career researchers at Japan-based institutions.
SME New Business Entry Subsidy
SME Agency (METI) / SMRJ
Successor to the Business Restructuring subsidy; funds diversification.
Japan SMEs entering a genuinely new business area.
SusHi Tech Global Grants
Tokyo Metropolitan Government
Flagship Tokyo grant plus 18 months of hands-on scale-up support.
Designated SusHi Tech Global Startups (growth stage).
Tokyo GX Foreign Company Subsidy
Invest Tokyo (TMG)
Multi-year subsidy for green foreign firms establishing in Tokyo.
Foreign green-tech (GX) companies setting up in central Tokyo wards.
Japan SBIR
Cabinet Office / NEDO
US-style SBIR scheme: proof-of-concept funding, then commercialization.
Japan SMEs doing R&D on social challenges.
Monozukuri Subsidy
SME Agency (METI)
Capital investment for new products, services or production processes.
Japan-registered SMEs (GBizID Prime account needed).
NEDO Deep-Tech Startup Support (DTSU / GX)
NEDO
Phased R&D grants for deep tech, from early research to mass-production demos.
Japan-incorporated deep-tech startups with VC backing.
Up to ¥2.5B across phases (2/3 subsidy, VC co-investment required)
RollingRolling (periodic calls)
Official site ↗NEDO International Joint R&D
NEDO
Funds joint R&D between Japanese deep-tech startups and global partners.
Japan SMEs with an overseas R&D partner (approved countries).
No opportunities match these filters.
The board above lists Japan’s public funding only: grants, subsidies and competitions. Two quick distinctions:
- Grants & subsidies - non-dilutive public money you keep (Tokyo city rounds for early stage, NEDO and JST for deep-tech R&D).
- Competitions - pitch contests with prize money (Tokyo Startup Gateway).
Looking for equity, mentorship or a cohort instead? Accelerators and incubators (Techstars Tokyo, Antler, Plug and Play) live on the Accelerators & programs tab, and visa routes are on the Visas tab.
One timing note
Amounts, eligibility and deadlines reset every fiscal year (Japan’s year starts in April, and many calls open around December to January). Treat the figures on the board as a guide, then confirm the current round on each official page before you plan around a number.
COMMON QUESTIONS
Does the Japanese government give grants to startups?
Yes, and more than most founders expect. National programs range from NEDO's deep-tech grants (up to 2.5 billion yen across phases) to JETRO subsidies, and Tokyo runs its own startup subsidies. Genkan's funding board tracks the main ones with confirmed deadlines.
Can foreign founders get startup grants in Japan?
Many programs are open to any company incorporated in Japan, regardless of the founder's nationality, and several run in English. Look for the English-OK tag on our funding board; eligibility usually hinges on incorporation and business substance, not passport.
What is the biggest startup grant in Japan?
For deep tech, NEDO's phased support reaches up to 2.5 billion yen with VC co-investment requirements. For most early-stage software startups, metropolitan subsidies and smaller national programs in the single-digit millions of yen are the realistic entry point.
When are the deadlines for Japanese startup subsidies?
They vary by program and round. We list a confirmed date only when an official source publishes one, and mark everything else Rolling or Check site; the next three confirmed deadlines always appear on our guide page.
OFFICIAL SOURCES
Genkan is an orientation, not legal advice. Rules and amounts change, so always confirm the current details on the official pages above.