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Last October, STATION Ai opened in Nagoya, Aichi Prefecture. With a total floor area of approximately 23,600 square meters, it's gaining attention as Japan's largest startup support hub. We spoke with Ms. Fukumi Matsuyama, who is in charge of startup support of Aichi Prefectural Government and about the current state as well as future prospects of the regional ecosystem.
Could you tell us about your background?
After graduating from Mie University's Faculty of Bioresources, I worked in quality control at a food factory in Aichi Prefecture. I then joined the Aichi Prefectural Government, and in my first three years,I spent handling accounting duties, concerning industrial land management and construction orders.
After that, I transferred to the Startup Division through the ‘job posting system’ This system allows us to challenge for interesting positions, separate from regular transfers. I applied, because I wanted to be involved in Aichi's largest project and I wanted to work for people who are passionate about creating something new.
Could you tell us about “STATION Ai”?
STATION Ai opened last October as Japan's largest startup support hub, built on the concept of becoming a center where aspiring entrepreneurs gather from both within Japan and overseas. At its opening, it hosted approximately 500 startups and 200 corporates, with a goal of accommodating up to 1,000 startups within five years. We aim for 20% of these to be overseas startups.
Our daily events bring together companies, startups, entrepreneurs, and students, to create opportunities for innovation through networking.
While STATION Ai started operation last October, startup support actually began in 2020,This four-year experience and the resulting community helped ensure a smooth launch for the new facility.
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What specific support do you provide?
STATION Ai offers a range of comprehensive support including business development assistance for startups, matching between corporates and startups and programs to nurture entrepreneurs from both student and professional backgrounds. This year, we've launched two new distinctive acceleration programs focusing on GX (Green Transformation) and manufacturing. These programs play a crucial role in connecting local businesses with startups, while supporting startup growth.
Furthermore, we, officers of Aichi Prefectural Governments, ourselves are also actively involved in those programs. . For instance, if a startup needs to conduct interviews for parents raising children , we'll leverage our personal networks to help. We always maintain a "startup-first" mindset and provide as much support as possible.
Could you elaborate on the support system for resident corporations?
STATION Ai daily offers pitch events, VC meetups, and mentoring sessions. Officers of Aichi Prefectural Government actively participate in providing support, including their regular office hours. We offer consultations on matters requiring specific administrative knowledge, such as introduction of subsidies, understanding government budget timing.
Government budget planning begins around the summer, so any business development activities for the next fiscal year need to start around April or May. By sharing this kind of "government common sense" information, we help startups plan their business development more effectively.
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What are the characteristics of Aichi Prefecture's overall ecosystem?
We see many B2B startups, particularly those offering SaaS and DX solutions for manufacturing industries - a natural trend for a manufacturing-focused area. Since STATION Ai also welcomes startups from outside of our area, we currently have slightly more Tokyo-based startups, compared with our regional startups.
The ecosystem's scale feels just right. Unlike Tokyo, where various support organizations and communities are dispersed, Aichi's main innovation hubs are concentrated in a few locations like STATION Ai, NAGOYA INNOVATOR'S GARAGE, and Nagono Campus. We believe this creates an ideal regional ecosystem where you can usually reach anyone you need to meet within about two steps.
Are there any support programs provided by the Aichi Prefectural Government aside from your STATION Ai?*
We run the "AICHI NEXT UNICORN LEAGUE," pitch contests with a prize,up to 10 million yen. In 2025, Out of 3 seasons, the first and the season provided prize money progressively: 2 million for the third prize, 3 million for 2nd prize, and 5 million for first prize. In the third round, we provide prize money, 10 million, only for 1st prize winner.
We understand that startups particularly value financial support and introductions of potential clients or interviewees. Within our administrative capacity, we strive to provide these while maintaining clear role differentiation with STATION Ai's programs, always keeping our startup-first philosophy.
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What strategies do you employ in managing a community with many startups?
We emphasize horizontal connections. For example, we invite promising talents from our student entrepreneur development program to VC meeting opportunities, focusing on cross-program integration.
However, we're mindful that both startups and established companies are very busy, so we don't push for participation just to meet KPIs. We always prioritize creating high-quality connections.
We use communication tools for information sharing and conduct monthly surveys to understand the needs of each startup and established company. This helps us coordinate support efforts effectively between STATION Ai and the prefecture, with clear role division - for instance, officers of Aichi Prefectural Government handle administrative collaboration inquiries, while STATION Ai staff manage community-related matters.
While we do have a KPI of gathering 1,000 startups within five years since opening, we never push for hasty business launches or forced entrepreneurship. Our absolute priority is respecting the will of founders and startups, offering support wherever they need it.
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What feedback do you hear regarding student entrepreneur support in Aichi Prefecture, known for its active university partnerships?
Our student entrepreneurship program has been running for about two years and has resulted in more than ten startup launches. We're seeing entrepreneurs emerge not just from Nagoya University, but also from Nagoya Institute of Technology, Chukyo University, and others, indicating that entrepreneurship is becoming a more widely accepted career path.
Students who might be labeled as "too ambitious" at school find a positive environment here where entrepreneurship is celebrated. This community allows naturally entrepreneurial individuals to pursue their own path rather than feeling pressured to join traditional companies.
Could you tell us about TechGALA Japan planned for February 2025?
We're hosting Aichi and Nagoya's first global conference, "TechGALA Japan", from February 4th to the 6th, estimating around 5,000 attendees with many English speaking sessions planned. We've brought on Ms. Hiromi Okuda as producer and secured notable speakers including Prof. Takaaki Umada from the University of Tokyo and Prof. Yoichi Ito from Musashino University.
The "HackGALA" hackathon within TechGALA has attracted more local businesses than we expected, even elementary school students will be participating, creating a diverse mix. We aim to showcase Aichi Prefecture's initiatives both domestically and internationally throughout this event.
How would you like to see Aichi Prefecture develop in the future?
Aichi was once called "barren ground for startups," ironically because of the stable income available from large companies. However, corporate attitudes are changing, with local companies increasingly allowing side businesses and concurrent employment.
We aim to create an environment where technical experts can leverage their skills to start businesses. While student startups are important, we'd particularly like to see more success stories from working professionals, especially from the many engineers based in Aichi. We want to establish a culture where collaboration between established companies and startups becomes the norm.
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Finally, do you have a message for those considering starting a business in Aichi?
I encourage everyone to get involved in our community and experience the energy of this region firsthand.
The Aichi Prefectural Government is actively pursuing international collaboration, working with startup support organizations and universities across 22 regions in 9 countries. We provide student overseas dispatch programs, exhibition participation in Singapore, and facilitate matching between international startups and Aichi businesses. STATION Ai itself was modeled after STATION F in Paris, from which we continue to receive advice from.
While our capabilities as government officials may be limited, we're committed to providing the best possible support within our administrative capacity to help startups succeed.
Editor's Note
Although STATION Ai is just getting started, it's already fostering new relationships between manufacturing companies and startups. Some resident companies have begun proof-of-concept testing and collaboration with major manufacturers.
The entrepreneur community is also active, with seminars, events, and networking sessions creating both formal and informal networks.
By leveraging its strengths in manufacturing and maintaining a close-knit community of appropriate scale, Aichi aims to build a globally competitive startup ecosystem.
The interview revealed Ms. Matsuyama's dedication to supporting entrepreneurs, driven by her desire to "I wanted to work for people who are passionate about creating something new." Her commitment is evident in the thousands of business cards she's exchanged through continuous engagement with startup companies. STATION Ai and Aichi Prefectural Government are clearly becoming a compelling first choice for entrepreneurs taking their initial steps.
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