Today, the Founder Institute, the world's premier idea-stage accelerator and startup launch program, is excited to announce that we are now accepting applications for the Japan 2025 Semester!
If you want to build a startup in Tokyo and could use expert training and feedback, then apply to the Tokyo Founder Institute today, or attend a free event.
Those who apply by the Early Admissions Deadline (Mar 23, 2025) will have their application fees waived (typically $50), and if you enroll by the Early Deadline you are also eligible for Founder Institute Fellowships.
Since launching in Tokyo in 2014, the Founder Institute has helped launch several promising companies in the region, and our efforts in Tokyo have also been profiled by several high profile media channels.
To celebrate the launch, the Tokyo Founder Institute will several free startup events for the general public, where you can meet top entrepreneurs and learn more about the program:
Japan Events:
- Meet the FI Alumni Scaling Startups in Asia: 8:00pm, Jun 16, 2025 (Asia/Tokyo): https://FI.co/e/371522
Global or Regional Events:
- Founder Institute Online Information Session: https://FI.co/infosession
- How to Come Up with Great Startup Ideas: 2:00am, Jun 03, 2025 (Asia/Tokyo): https://FI.co/e/370916
- How to Build Your MVP Using Artificial Intelligence : 2:00am, Jun 05, 2025 (Asia/Tokyo): https://FI.co/e/371453
- Startup Pitch Practice: Share Your Idea and Get Expert Feedback: 9:00am, Jun 10, 2025 (Asia/Tokyo): https://FI.co/e/370846
- FI Alumni Panel: Meet Portfolio Companies and Ask Questions: 2:00am, Jun 24, 2025 (Asia/Tokyo): https://FI.co/e/371860
- Startup Finance & Banking Basics: AMA with Grasshopper Bank: 2:00am, Jun 26, 2025 (Asia/Tokyo): https://FI.co/e/372069
- Co-Founder Networking: Find a Business Partner: 2:00am, Jul 01, 2025 (Asia/Tokyo): https://FI.co/e/371710
- Startup Pitch Practice: Share Your Idea and Get Expert Feedback: 2:00am, Jul 08, 2025 (Asia/Tokyo): https://FI.co/e/370435
Leaders of the world’s fastest-growing startups have used the Founder Institute to transition from employee to entrepreneur, test their startup ideas, build a team, get their first customers, raise funding, and more - like Udemy, Realty Mogul, iCarsClub, Itembase, goplaceit, and Appota. Based in Silicon Valley and with chapters across 200 cities and 100 countries, the Founder Institute's mission is to "Globalize Silicon Valley" and create sustainable startup ecosystems that will create one million new jobs worldwide.
Running the Founder Institute's efforts in Tokyo are local startup leaders Kenji Sadamoto (Founder/CEO, Heart Forever Co. Ltd.), Satoshi Okuda (CEO, Prime Style Co.,Ltd.), Toshio Furuta (CEO, Clair law firm), and Yoshihiro Kidachi (President, BOIDSCraft Corporation).
In addition, some of Tokyo's top entrepreneurs will mentor founders in the program, providing them with expert training, feedback, and evaluation. The list of mentors for the Japan 2025 includes:
- Abdellah Aouf: Chief Executive Officer, GO PLATFORM
- Ahram Chui: Director , Gyeongnam Venture Investment
- Aki Ohashi: Vice President, Evolution Ventures
- Alexander De Vore: CEO, 3D Printing
- Alyssa Chen: Principal of Accelerator and Community, AppWorks
- Andreea Marinescu: CEO, Tech Add-Venture
- Andrew Shuttleworth: Mentor, Founder Institute
- Arcui Usoara: Founder/CEO, Iaculus
- Asuka Kondo: Design Director , D4V (Design for Ventures)
- Benjamin Joffe: Founder & CEO, Plus Eight Star
- Cedric Wagrez: VP, ML Tech & Japan AI, TaskUs
- Cenk Baladura: Mentor,Venture Partner, Namcebawon Group | Founder Institute Korea
- Chiamin Lai: Managing Partner, UB Ventures
- Chintan Oza: Founder, Anantam Ecosystems
- Chris Foltz: Global Entrepreneur-In-Residence, Responsible Solutions Ltd
- Christoph Sollich: Christoph Sollich - The Pitch Doctor, The Pitch Doctor
- Conrad Kimball: CEO, ADU.Works
- Darren Menabney: Professor and Partner Faculty , GLOBIS University - Graduate School of Management
- David Yeng: Managing Partner, Founders Venture Capital
- Donghwa Chung: Attorney, Star Law Firm
- Dr. Ish Anand: Board member, iCapital Ventures
- Dr. Joe Hüg: Managing Director, IOAK, Corp., Professor, iU University
- Dr. Mayank Singh: Co-founder, CEO , Impute Inc.
- Ed Thompson: Marketing Consultant / Founder, Concept Design I/O
- Edgar Chiu: Co-founder & Managing Partner, SparkLabs Taiwan
- Erdinç Ekinci: Co-Founder & CEO of Openfor.co & Co-capital.co, Managing Director of Founder Institute Japan/Korea/Taiwan
- Evan Burkosky: Co-founder & CRO , kimaru.ai
- Franklin Kamnang Ngansop: Cofounder , Vitamin C&S Coaching
- Fredrik Debong: Serial Entrepreneur in Medtech, Fintech, and Innovation Management, Angel Investor
- Fujiyo Ishiguro: ＣＥＯ, Netyear Group Corp.
- Fumiaki Koizumi: CEO, Fumiaki Koizumi & Associates
- Fuminori Gunji: Global Head of GTM, ZooKeep
- Gaurav Malhotra: CEO and Founder, Hire Pundit
- Giang Trịnh: Managing Partner, VMCG Capital
- Hany Sayed: Chief Digital Officer, Gyozer Proptech
- Hideki Suzuki: CEO , TSUCREA Co., Ltd.
- Hirokazu Nagano: CEO, KLab Venture Partners株式会社
- Hiroko 裕子 Nishiyama 西山: ディレクター, NPO Seitaikai
- Hiroshi Nishikawa: Representative Director, Solve AI
- Hiroyuki Anno: Founder and CEO, DELIGHT Global Inc.
- Hooi Yen Chin: Director, Polaris Law Corporation
- Ikuo Hiraishi: CEO, SunBridge Global Ventures Inc.
- Ippei Takushima: Partner, Kimura Takushima & Yamaguchi
- Jack Huang: Managing Partner, Dreamhub Ventures
- Jacky Lou: Advisor/Coach for , Startups and Founders
- Jad Tarifi: CEO & Co-founder, Integral AI
- Jan Kaiser: Vice President, Head of Corporate Finance | Turnaround & Transformation | IPO | Private Equity | Value Creation, Marelli
- Jared Campion: Founder & CEO, Dream Drive
- Jason Everaert: Product Manager, Fintech
- Jatin Kataria: Founder & MD, InMeSta + JK Venture Studio
- Jay Onda: Director (Investments) | CVC Advisory Board Member, Marubeni Ventures | National Venture Capital Association
- Jeffrey Paine: Founding Partner, Golden Gate Ventures, Singapore
- Jeni Chang: Founder | Investor | Advisor
- Jennifer Lin: Investor , Headline
- Jet Son Tan: Head of Product - Asia Pacific, Tom Tom
- Jihun Yeon: Investment manager, Nautilus Investment
- John Kirch: Director, Ichigo Asia K.K.
- John Millar: Dr, Techbridge Capital
- Jonathan Nguyen: Founder & CEO, Unsensible
- Jordan Fisher: Co-founder & Executive Chairman, Zehitomo
- José Francisco Fernandez Serna: Angel Investor, AgriFood Founder and Executive, CEO of E-motion Foods, Partner in DesertTech Ventures, and Board member in different organizations
- Joshua Flannery: Founder & CEO , Innovation Dojo Japan
- Jun Kojima: Venture Capitalist, Golden Egg Ventures / Egg FORWARD Inc.
- Karin Wellbrock: Executive Leadership Coach and Co-Founder, Kay Group K.K.
- Karthik Rampalli: Venture Capitalist, Beyond Next Ventures Inc
- Kazuo Nagasaki
- Kei Shimada: Executive | Entrepreneur | Award-winning Innovator | Global Keynote Speaker| Startup Mentor | Angel Investor | EMBA, Liquid One Studio
- Kei Watanabe: Co-founder, Glasp Inc.
- Ken Covey: Investment Manager, QXLV
- Kevin Brockland: Founder & Managing Partner, Indelible Ventures:
- Khalil Maaouni: Head of Data and Digital, Coca-Cola Bottlers Japan Inc.
- Kiyotake Sugita: Founder, KLAR株式会社
- Kojiro Seto: Startup Advisor, bTANK LLC
- Kotaro Mori: Deputy Secretary General, Yokohama Future Organization
- Krishan Caldwell: APAC Commercial Solutions Leader (Flexibility) , Kraken
- Lauren Nham: Investor, MetaCap Ventures
- Leo Ma: Founder, EO Studio Japan, EO Studio
- Lu Dong: Founder and CEO, TakeMe Co.,Ltd.
- Luca Meguro: Investor, MS&AD VENTURES
- Luca Meguro: Manager, Strategic Partnerships & Investment Senior Associate, MS&AD VENTURES
- Maaike Doyer: Founder, Epic Angels
- Mahesh Kasar: SVP, Head of Sales - APAC / Global Partner Alliance and Indirect Channel Sales, Rakuten Symphony
- Makihara Arisa: Junior Associate , Anobaka
- Marco De Biasi: Startups Investor & Advisor /Program Director, FI/LGA /LAAS
- Mari Nishiyama: Startup Partner Lead, Stripe
- Marko Simic: Chief Technology Officer, Ascent Robotics, Inc.
- Masumi Shimafuji: Co-Founder and CEO, xRsion Inc.
- Max Zheng: Director of Investments, Blockchain Founders Group
- Maximillian Naza: Chief Executive Officer , PasciVite
- Michael Sheetal: Founder / CEO, PlayBrain Inc.
- Michael Sudano: Senior Robotics Operations Engineer, Woven Planet Holdings
- Michael Lee: CEO and Founder , CreBiz Factory
- Michael Ho: Founder , Ventures Cubed
- Mikio Kawahara: Chief Investment Officer / Head of Investment and Business Development, UTokyo Innovation Platform Co., Ltd.
- Naoko Kurosawa: Senior Manager, TSUCREA Co., Ltd.
- Nitin Mistry: Founder, MC Squared Solutions
- Noriya Tarutani: Director of Innovation Division, JETRO / J-Startup Affairs
- Paloma Lecheta: Regional Director - LatAm, Founder Institute
- PASCHAL OFFORDUM: Associate , Shujaa Capital
- Pina (Yoichiro) Hirano: CEO, Asteria Corporation
- Rancho Lee: Co-founder & APAC Partner, Simsan Ventures
- Raphael Hodé: CEO, Design Director, nowthen
- Rebecca Chai: Ventures Associate, Plug and Play Japan
- Reisa Matsuda: Community Manager, Google Japan
- Rene Budeck: Venture Capitalist, Stealth
- Roger Do: CEO, Co-Founder, Watchdog Cyber Defense
- Rosario B Casas: Co Founder, XR Americas, LLC / Business Creative Partners SAS
- Rosario B Casas: Co-Founder, BCPartners Tech
- Ryo Ishibashi: Prog Director, Massachusetts Institute of Technology
- Sameer Sortur: Founding Partner, SquareCircle Ventures
- Sanjaykumar Patel: Founder & Principal IP Attorney, EXCELON IP - Patent & Trademark Attorneys
- Satoshi Nunokawa: Associate , Incubate Fund
- Schyler Alexandra Cole: Managing Director, Qrea8iv Venture Studio
- Sergio Escobar: CEO & Partner, BCF Ventures, Managing Director, Lalotte Ventures
- Sergio Elias Wilson: Foreign Associate, So & Sato Law Firm
- Serkan Toso: Co-Founder, byFood
- Sertac Yeltekin: Founder & Executive Director, InVirtuoLabs
- Shinya Yamamoto: Founder & CEO, Link & Innovation, Inc.
- Sho Sato: CEO, LUDiMUS Inc.
- Shuji Honjo, Tama Graduate School of Business
- So Saito: Founder, So & Sato Law Offices
- So Yeon Kim: Founder & COO, Lapis APAC Pte Ltd.
- Stella (Jeehyon) Yoh: Principal, SOSV and Orbit Startups
- Steve Monaghan: General Partner, Finmirai
- Sujan Sanku, Mba, Llm, Bse: Japan Channel Partner, Paramount Consortium of Companies INC
- Sush Bapna: General Partner, AIDGE Ventures
- Takahiro Hayashi: CEO, HEROZ
- Taku Furukawa: Founder & Organizer, Tokyo Fabhub
- Takujiro Oto: Co-Founder and CEO, Drive Japan Inc.
- Tao Romera Martinez: Chief Operating Officer, Soundraw
- Tilo Bonow Piabo: Investor, Cavalry Ventures
- Timothy Connor: CEO & Founder, Synnovate
- Todor Panev: Co-Founder, CBDO, Talnets AG, Sindex, Sigoor
- Tomohiro Uchida: Partner, Translink Capital
- Tunc Berkman: Advisory Board Member, Sanamekan
- Tyson Batino: Co-Founder, SmartStart Japan
- Vinod Vasudevan: Vice President, Deloitte Tohmatsu Venture Support
- Vladimir Pletyukhin: Founder and Creative Director, Launch Deck
- XIAOXI GUO: COO and Co-Founder, I.W.G.
- Xinmei Cai: Engineering Director, Google Japan
- Yamato Sasagawa: Investor, World Innovation Lab (WiL)
- Yasuchika Wakayama: CEO, Breakpoint
- Yasumasa SAITO: Manager, CVC Department, SBI Investment Co., Ltd.
- Yoichi Morimoto: Head of Business Development, HiJoJo Partners Inc.
- Yoichi Ito: Dean of entrepreneurship dept., LINE Yahoo academia
- Yuichi Terada: Founder & President , Hiyoura Lab
- Yuji Tanabe: Co-Founder and CTO, Aeterlink
- Yuki Shirato: Managing Director, Yakumi
- Yuki Sato: Co-founder, CEO , Obniz Inc
- Yu Li Shein: Co-Director , Founder Institute Japan/ Korea/ Taiwan
- Yusuke Kohno: CEO, JITSUBO Co., Ltd.
- Yvie Tai: Director, Business Development, Qualcomm
- Zolboo Bayarsaikhan: Co-founder and CEO, START
- And many more to be announced.
The Founder Institute is the most challenging and effective step-by-step startup launch program for talented and motivated aspiring entrepreneurs. If you are serious about launching a startup, the Founder Institute can give you the structured process, constant feedback and evaluation from expert mentors, and global network of entrepreneurs you need to start an enduring company. In addition, the Founder Institute is the only program of its kind that focuses on people versus ideas, accepts founders with day jobs, and shares equity with all participants.
We hope you will join us in Tokyo and launch a company in 2016.
