Japan’s Ministry of Economy, Trade and Industry (METI) announced on April 6 that it will provide intensive support to 30 startups engaged in solving social issues while ensuring high profitability. The program will increase opportunities for participation in government procurement and encourage acquisition of international certification.

The program began in July with a public call for applications from companies wishing to receive support, and 30 companies from all over Japan were selected from among the 500 or so that applied. They include Euglena, a bio-venture company, Shizen Denryoku, a renewable energy developer, and Sakano Tochu, which is involved in low-environmental-impact agriculture.

The program conveys expert advice on how to measure the extent to which a business has contributed to solving social issues, and supports the acquisition of B Corp certification, an international qualification for companies that are socially and environmentally conscious and have a high level of public interest.

Source : https://www.nikkei.com/article/DGXZQOUA063BO0W3A001C2000000/

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