Tokyo Founder Institute Opens Applications for the Spring 2015 Semester

The Founder Institute, world's largest entrepreneur training and startup launch program, is now accepting applications for the Japan Fall 2025 Semester. Since launching in Tokyo in 2013, the Founder Institute has helped launch over a dozen companies in the region, and our efforts in Tokyo have also been profiled by several high profile media channels, including The Bridge, and others.

If you could benefit from expert training and advice to launch a technology startup in Tokyo, click here to apply today.

Those who apply by the Early Admissions Deadline (Sep 21, 2025) will have their application fees waived (typically $50) and are eligible for Founder Institute Fellowships.

In the Founder Institute's four-month, part-time program, promising startup entrepreneurs "learn by doing" and launch a company through structured training courses and expert feedback from a large network of business mentors. Plus, you are not required to quit you day job to participate, so you can begin testing and developing your startup ideas without putting your livelihood at risk.

In order to celebrate the launch, the Tokyo Founder Institute will host a "Pre-Curriculum" of free startup events for the general public:

From “Maybe” to Momentum: Building a Great Startup Idea: 10:00am, Nov 18, 2026 (Asia/Tokyo): https://FI.co/e/391471
From First Idea to First Funding: Global Alumni Stories: 2:00am, Dec 02, 2026 (Asia/Tokyo): https://FI.co/e/391077

See all upcoming events

The Tokyo Chapter will begin on Nov 11, 2025, and will be led by local leaders Thibault Danjou (CEO of Augusta Ltd), Toshio Furuta (Chief Attorney of Clair Law Firm), and Satoshi Okuda (CEO of Prime Style Ltd.).

In addition, some of Tokyo's top entrepreneurs will help teach founders in the program, including:

Abdellah Aouf: Chief Executive Officer, GO PLATFORM
Adam Najberg: Senior Advisor, CorpBridge Advisors
Ahram Chui: Director , Gyeongnam Venture Investment
Aki Ohashi: Vice President, Evolution Ventures
Alex Chang: Senior Vice President (& TIEF Fund Leader), Industrial Technology Investment Corp.
Alexander De Vore: CEO, MadeHere
Alyssa Chen: Principal of Accelerator and Community, AppWorks
Andreea Marinescu: CEO, Tech Add-Venture
Andrew Shuttleworth: Mentor, Founder Institute
Anna Leshchuk: Founder, BREAMS
Arcui Usoara: Global Board Advisor and Brand Strategist, Founder, Iaculus
Asuka Kondo: Design Director , D4V (Design for Ventures)
Brian Yoo: Startup Advisor, LinkedIn Branding Expert, Founder at CareerLab
Cedric Wagrez: VP, ML Tech & Japan AI, TaskUs
Chiamin Lai: Managing Partner, UB Ventures
Chintan Oza: Founder, Anantam Ecosystems
Chris Foltz: Global Entrepreneur-In-Residence, Founder Institute
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 Director, Hong Kong IEC (Singapore), Managing Partner, Founders Venture Capital
David Kenji Chang, A-N Partners
Donald Soo ドナルド•ソー: Former CEO
Donghwa Chung: Attorney, Star Law Firm
Dr. Ish Anand: Board member, iCapital Ventures
Dr. Joe Hüg: Managing Director / Professor of Practice, IOAK, Corp. / iU University
Ed Thompson: Marketing Consultant / Founder, Concept Design I/O
Edgar Chiu: Co-founder & Managing Partner, SparkLabs Taiwan
Elias Ek: Angel Investor, Co-Organizer, Sponsor, Dragons' Chamber
Enzo Pan: Attorney, Xiri Attorneys
Erdinç Ekinci: Managing Director, Founder Institute Japan/Korea/Taiwan
Eugene Lee: CEO, Socialtext
Eugene Kim: Co-Founder, Managing Director, SEATTLE PARTNERS LLC.
Eugene Kim: Co-founder & Partner, SparkLabs Group
Eugene Noh: Investor, Self Employed
Evan Burkosky: Co-founder & CEO, kimaru.ai
Filip Dybowski: Venture Scout, Decile Group
Fion Lee-Madan: Technical Co-Founder, COO and Customer Success, Fairly AI Inc.
Francisco Soares: Founder, Furious Green
Franklin Kamnang Ngansop: Co-Founder, Vitamin CS Coaching
Fredrik Debong: Serial Entrepreneur in Medtech, Fintech, and Innovation Management, Angel Investor
Fuminori Gunji: Global Head of GTM, ZooKeep
Gaurav Malhotra: CEO and Founder, Hire Pundit
Giang Trịnh: Managing Partner, VMCG Capital
GRAEME OGILVIE: Advisor, Fractional Executive, Founder, Angel Investor , Who says I can't - Senior Partner
Han Sung Kang: Attorney (New York) / Partner, D'LIGHT Law Group
Hany Sayed: Chief Digital Officer, Gyozer Proptech
Haru Noda: Senior Capitalist, YANMAR VENTURES
Hideki Suzuki: CEO , TSUCREA Co., Ltd.
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
Ian Huang: General Partner, Good People Ventures
Ikuo Hiraishi: CEO, SunBridge Global Ventures Inc.
Ippei Takushima: Partner, Kimura Takushima & Yamaguchi
Iva Buschmann: Director, Tokyo Leadership Institute
Ivan E. Germanov: Certified Coach, Founder Institute
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: Managing Director, InMeSta Ecosystem + WeShapeUp 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: Managing Director, Founder Institute
Jennifer Lin: Investor , Headline
Jeongwoo Lim: Associate, W-inc.
Jet Son Tan: Founder & CEO, TrendRider
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
Julie Oh, Coach Julie Oh
Jun Kojima: Venture Capitalist, Golden Egg Ventures / Egg FORWARD Inc.
Karin Wellbrock, MCC: Executive Leadership Coach (MCC) 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.
Keigo Shimada, D.Sc.: Investment Associate, Coral Capital
Keshni Morar: Managing Director, FI South Africa + Investable
Keshni Morar: Managing Director, FI South Africa + Investable
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: Managing Director, Aavya Inc. Japan
Makihara Arisa: Junior Associate , Anobaka
Manji Suzuki: Founder, SUZUKI MANJI OFFICE
Marco De Biasi: Startups Investor & Advisor /Program Director/Conselheiro Fiscal, LGA/Italcam/Mobicity
Mari Nishiyama: Startup Partner Lead, Stripe
Marko Simic: Chief Technology Officer, Ascent Robotics, 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.
Milad Moazzenzadeh: Founder and CEO, Driven Global Consulting Co,. Ltd
Mirandy Kim: Product Design Consultant, Mirandy Design Studio
Mohammed Kashif: Senior Quality Assurance Automation Engineer, Department of Motor Vehicles
Niklas Tawast: Venture Capitalist, Digital Garage, Inc.
Nitin Mistry: Founder, MC Squared Solutions
Niyati Gupta: Product Design Lead, Netflix
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
Pras Hanuma: General Partner, NextUnicorn Fund
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
Ryan Micheletti: Head of Global Operations, Founder Institute
Sabine Lin: Partner, Xiri Attorneys-at-law
Sameer Sortur: Founding Partner, SquareCircle Ventures
Sameer Karulkar: Founder and Partner, Coverpage Ventures Advisory LLP
Sanjaykumar Patel: Founder -Patent & Trademark Attorney, EXCELON IP - Patent & Trademark Attorneys
Satoshi Okuda: CEO, Primestyle Co.,Ltd.
Satoshi Nunokawa: Associate , Incubate Fund
Schyler Alexandra Cole: Entrepreneur in Residence, Value Create Ventures
Sergio Escobar: CEO & Partner, BCF Ventures, Managing Director, Lalotte Ventures
Serkan Toso: Co-Founder, byFood
Sertac Yeltekin: Founder & Executive Director, InVirtuoLabs
Shinya Yamamoto: Founder & CEO, Link & Innovation, Inc.
So Saito: Founder, So & Sato Law Offices
So Yeon Kim: Founder & CEO, Lapis APAC Pte Ltd.
Stefan Barrett: CTO , AgUnity
Stella (Jeehyon) Yoh: Principal, SOSV and Orbit Startups
Steve Monaghan: General Partner, Finmirai
Sung Jae Lim: Venture Capitalist, Headline
Sush Bapna: General Partner, 10Ten Ventures
Taku Furukawa: Founder & Organizer, Tokyo Fabhub
Tao Romera Martinez: Chief Operating Officer, Soundraw
Taruho Kuroda: Senior Director, R&D Asia-Pacific Hub, LEO Pharma
Ta Wei Wang: Managing Director, Pinehurst Studio
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: SIF Ventures CoFounder, TreeoVC LP, Angel Investor, and Founder, .
Tyson Batino: Co-Founder, SmartStart Japan
Vennela Subramanyam: Product Manager, Google
Vinod Vasudevan: Vice President, Deloitte Tohmatsu Venture Support
Vladimir Pletyukhin: Founder and Creative Director, Launch Deck
Walied Albasheer: founder and managing partner, Intuitio Ventures
Wei Chen: Venture Capitalist, Fubon Financial Holding Co., Ltd.
Woohyun Nahm: Early Stage Investor, Korea Investment Accelerator
XIAOXI GUO: COO and Co-Founder, I.W.G.
Xinmei Cai: Engineering Director, Google Japan
Yamato Sasagawa: Investor, World Innovation Lab (WiL)
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
Yu Hosaka: Lawyer, NEXAGE Law Office
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
Yvie Tai: Director, Business Development, Qualcomm
Zolboo Bayarsaikhan: Co-founder and CEO, START