Deadline: 19-Feb-23
The U.S. Embassy Tokyo’s Public Affairs Section announces an open competition for organizations to submit applications to carry out an exchange program that promotes U.S. – Japan collaboration on furthering innovation, especially in priority areas of critical and emerging technologies.
Program Objectives
- Through the U.S.-Japan Competitiveness and Resilience (CoRe) Partnership, the United States and Japan seek to accelerate innovation and startup collaboration to enhance economic competitiveness. The Government of Japan (GOJ) has prioritized science, technology, and innovation as pillars of its economic growth under its New Capitalism strategy. It also hopes to boost investment in start-ups. The GOJ has recently developed its concept of establishing Startup Campuses around Japan, working with private and public companies, including organizations from the United States.
- The exchange program will connect government officials, academics, and business professionals from both the United States and Japan to collaborate on furthering innovation, especially in priority areas of critical and emerging technologies. These include AI, quantum technologies, biotechnology, digital and decarbonization, among others. Similarly, through conversations between industry, academia and government, the program should provide guidance on how to build an innovation ecosystem that leads to U.S.-Japan cooperative entrepreneurial endeavors.
- Japan’s science and technology clusters are among the best in the world, though these outputs need to be channeled into productive economic returns in order to boost global competitiveness.
- Other program elements may focus on opportunities to expand beyond the domestic market, building communities and support systems for startups, identifying investment and funding opportunities, attracting U.S. venture capitalists to invest in Japan and vice-versa, mentorship and training, and entrepreneurial skill building. The program could be implemented through a series of in-person, virtual and hybrid format events, and will require the submission of a final recommendation report addressing the outcomes of the program and suggested actions to be taken.
- Proposals should include all costs associated with the program, including:
- Participants’ travel expenses (round-trip international airfares, domestic travel expenses, hotel and accommodation fees)
- Venue and technical costs for events
- Interpretation fees
Funding Information
- Length of performance period: Up to 24 months
- Number of awards anticipated: 1award
- Award amounts: awards may range from a minimum of $50,000 to a maximum of $70,000
Priority Region: Japan
Participants and Audiences
- The Embassy will only consider proposals that are geared toward Japanese audiences. Potential participants could include established opinion leaders from academic institutions; government officials; business leaders and entrepreneurs; start-up innovators; community and regional leaders; cultural institutions; thought leaders from the U.S. and Japan; and women and youth.
- If applying from outside of Japan, they highly recommend potential applicants to collaborate and coordinate with project partners in Japan to implement the requested program successfully.
Eligibility Criteria
- The following organizations are eligible to apply:
- Not-for-profit organizations, including think tanks and civil society/nongovernmental organizations
- Public and private educational institutions
- Public international organizations and governmental institutions
For more information, visit U.S. Embassy in Japan.