In order to accelerate the support for the founding of university-launched startups, Kyushu University will introduce Japan's first rapid funding circulation model. It plans to acquire shares in early-stage startups, and after a certain amount of growth, sell them off early. It will use the funds to cultivate the next startup, building a permanent support system that program director Hiroshi Furuhashi describes as “a fountain that never runs dry.”

Kyushu University has a track record of supporting startups, with 21 companies having been established to date, based in its Ito Lab+ complex.

With the new model, the university plans to increase the number of startups it supports to 40 per year by 2026, about four times the current level. It will increase the number of people with experience in supporting startups and work on full-scale support.

According to the Ministry of Economy, Trade and Industry, there were 119 Kyushu University-born venture companies in 2023, ranking 12th in the country. However, with more than 100 inventions reported each year, there is even more potential.

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