Program Hokkaido 5th - Open Network Lab (オープンネットワークラボ)

Open Network Lab HOKKAIDO 5th Batch – Application Closed

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Vision

Building an innovation ecosystem^※in Hokkaido

Discovering startups that can leverage Hokkaido’s primary sector, tourism, rich natural world, and other assets to be active on the global stage
Industry, government and academia integration to support investment, incubation, and commercialization for a new future
Promoting open innovation by Hokkaido companies
Startup-centered invigoration of regional communities

※A framework, resembling an ecosystem, in which companies, universities, and others work together to generate many innovations

Theme

Supporting startups utilizing Hokkaido’s unique assets to solve problems

Primary sector
Space industry
Bio healthcare

Open Network Lab HOKKAIDO focuses on primary industry, space industry, and bio-healthcare, which are all part of the vision of Sapporo and Hokkaido to act as a hub city for promoting the startup ecosystem, and this year as well will be actively recruiting startups committed to solving these problems.

In the 5th Batch we are once again collaborating with Open Network Lab, our sister program. Open Network Lab HOKKAIDO is being held fully online. We look forward to applications from Hokkaido, as well as those from outside the prefecture and outside of Japan.

Program

Support for building businesses in Hokkaido
Unparalleled business growth made possible by an industry-government-academia collaboration program

Open Network Lab was launched in 2010 by Digital Garage. We brought this expertise and community to Hokkaido in 2018 to start Open Network Lab HOKKAIDO (Onlab HOKKAIDO) with the mission of “incubating startups from Hokkaido that can compete on the global stage.”

Based in Sapporo, this roughly three-month accelerator program is for developing startups. It supports your business through activity funding, office spaces, and help for polishing your business, as well as mentoring by specialists in various fields.

MENTORING

All sorts of support is offered, from hypothesis testing to presentations. Opportunities are also provided to receive advice from specialists, investors, and established entrepreneurs in various fields from Japan and abroad.

FIELD

Onlab HOKKAIDO collaborates with our partners, as well as Sapporo City and numerous local governments in Hokkaido, to provide proof of concept sites. This program is unique thanks to its environment in which participants can dynamically take on challenges in Hokkaido.

COMMUNITY

Through the Onlab network, we hold many seminars for sharing entrepreneurial expertise and provide numerous opportunities to communicate with graduates and other startups.

FUNDING

All teams are given up to 10 million yen in equity investment to fund their activities during the program. They also have opportunities to present their businesses to investors, business companies, and members of the media at the Demo Day.

INCUBATION SPACE

Participating teams can use coworking spaces including Inter x cross Creative Center (Shiroishi-ku, Sapporo City) and SAPPORO Incubation Hub DRIVE (Chuo-ku, Sapporo City).

BENEFITS

Gain access to numerous tools and resources from our partner companies. Our partners serve fundamental needs for every startup, ranging from infrastructure, development tools, hiring, and back-office tools—all at discounted or free prices.

VALUE

The only industry-government-academia collaborative accelerator program in Hokkaido
In response to the challenges facing Hokkaido,
enabling speedy verification in a vast range of fields

Online (remote) program participation

We offer the same program as Open Network Lab, our sister program. A structure is in place to help manage your business progress, including online mentoring and idea sharing.

Hokkaido’s only accelerator program with industry-government-academic integration

Resources are provided to promptly test your hypothesis, including mentoring by specialists in various fields through industry-government-academic collaboration in Hokkaido.

Test hypotheses and conduct proofs of concept in collaboration with Hokkaido local governments

Support is given to verify issues and conduct proofs of concept in collaboration with Hokkaido local governments, including STARTUP CITY SAPPORO, Sapporo City’s startup support project, and the Sapporo-Hokkaido Startup Ecosystem Promotion Council.

Continual support after the program

In addition to utilizing The Hokkaido Shimbun Press’ media network, participants can explore all sorts of business potential, including the Digital Garage Group’s global community, finance, PR, marketing, and business collaboration.

Alumni

Over 170 onlab alumni
playing an active role in their respective industries and regions

Voices

Fant, Inc.　CEO

Takano Satsuki（2nd Batch）

Turning ideas into reality

I had a vague business idea when I joined the program, but I had no clue whether there would be any user demand. During the program I repeatedly formed hypotheses about user issues and tested them, which brought previously unseen user issues to my attention and allowed me to polish my business idea. It was also great to be able to consult online with mentors in Tokyo from where I live in Hokkaido.

nanoFreaks, Inc. CEO

Keisuke Chiba (3rd Batch)

Changing the lives of entrepreneurs

When we are too focused on our business, we often lose our cool and stop thinking properly. At such times, it is important to have a friend or someone on your side who is in the same situation. This program has given entrepreneurs the opportunity to meet such people and to overcome barriers that were difficult to overcome. And these connections will continue to support moving ahead with their businesses in the future. We believe that this will be a lifelong asset in the life of an entrepreneur. We hope you’ll jump on board with this potentially life-changing opportunity!

Onlab alumni* Excerpts from all programs

Click here for previous participants

Mentors

Extensive mentoring to support your business, from Open Network Lab mentors to people leading Hokkaido’s future and specialists in various fields

Schedule

You can also apply for the Open Network Lab Program at the same time. Multiple interviews will be held with applicants who pass document screening between the application deadline and the start of the program.

Open Network Lab HOKKAIDO Program is held once per year.
For the latest information regarding application, please refer to our website, Facebook, Twitter and email newsletter.

* Please note that the content of our support may change due to the effects of COVID-19.

Application

Are you up for the challenge?

Program	Open Network Lab HOKKAIDO 5th Batch
Organizer	Open Network Lab HOKKAIDO：D2 Garage, Inc.
Deadline	Deadline　Noon on 2022/5/6 (Fri)
Participation Requirements	If research results, patents or other intellectual property rights are to be used in participants’ business, the participants need to have the rights to use such research results, patents, or other intellectual property rights in their business and shall not infringe the rights of any third party. Participants are required to attend the events such as lectures, mentoring or regular meetings that are to be held in the daytime on weekdays and scheduled for approximately ten (10) hours a week during the period of Onlab HOKKAIDO “Seed Accelerator” program and Open Network Lab “Seed Accelerator” program (collectively referred to as the “Program”) which runs approximately three (3) months, and to have skills to produce prototypes or achieve a certain level of the business progress during the Program period and to demonstrate the results. If the Applicant has received investment by third party(ies), the Applicant shall have obtained prior consent from such investor(s) to the Applicant’s participation in the Program. The Applicant’s business shall not violate public policy. Individual participants, members of the participating team, their relatives or their stakeholders shall not be involved in a part of anti-social forces or have any relationship with anti-social forces. Although participants may apply to the Program regardless of nationality, age or gender, participants who have nationality other than that of Japan and live in Japan need to be legally qualified to stay in Japan during the period designated by D2 Garage, Inc.(“D2 Garage”) or its shareholders, Digital Garage, Inc., and any of their group companies (collectively “D2 Garage Group”) in the Program period. Participants under the age of twenty (20) need to have acquired the written consent of their parent or legal guardian.
Terms of participation	The Applicant shall submit additional documents for screening or investing by D2 Garage and D2 Garage Group, if requested by them. In addition, the Applicant shall comply with other obligations including those regarding the application procedures. Furthermore, the Applicant shall agree to the terms and conditions of participation to be separately designated by D2 Garage and D2 Garage Group. Participants shall attend events relating to the Program held by D2 Garage and D2 Garage Group during the Program period. If participants’ corporate entities have not yet set up at the time of application, the participants shall incorporate a corporation after participating in the Program. The Applicant agrees that its activities may be posted on the websites or other media designated by D2 Garage, D2 Garage Group and the Hokkaido Shimbun Press, and any of their group companies in addition to the official website of Open Network Lab. During the Program Period, the Applicant shall concentrate on the business that they have undertaken to conduct in the application for the Program. Participants shall not discuss possible business alliances or receiving investments during the Program period with a third party without the prior consent of D2 Garage and D2 Garage Group. The Applicant shall allocate its shares to D2 Garage and D2 Garage Group (if it is incorporated afterwards, it shall do so after incorporation). With respect to the investment by D2 Garage and D2 Garage Group, contract(s) regarding such investment needs to be separately concluded.
Application Process	Application: Apply via website with filled entry form. Entry Form Screening: We will review your entry form from the perspective of your product idea, target market and team. 1st Interview: There will be a face-to-face or online interview with Onlab team. We may ask you to have interviews several times and submit additional documents. Final Interview:* Giving a presentation to board members of D2 Garage and D2 Garage Group. Adoption: Program Starts.