February 22, 2021 FY2021 Conventions of Entrepreneurs’ Koshien and Entrepreneurs’ Expo

The Ministry of Internal Affairs and Communications (MIC) and the National Institute of Information and Communications Technology (NICT) will hold the Entrepreneurs’ Koshien (for students) on Monday, March 1, 2021, and the Entrepreneurs’ Expo (for young entrepreneurs) on Tuesday, March 2, 2021, both online as the 2021 MIC and NICT Entrepreneurs’ Challenge 2 Days.

1. Purpose of this event

MIC and NICT are implementing a National Accelerator Program to create regional ICT startups with innovative technologies and services. This event will be held as the final of the program.
At this event, next-generation human resources, such as high school students, technical college students, university students, graduate students, etc. who ambitious for starting businesses, discovered from the cooperation events of each region by NICT’s ICT mentors, as well as promising regional ICT startups, will participate. The event will showcase business plans that the ICT mentors have refined.

2. Event summary

1. Time and date

Entrepreneurs’ Koshien: 1:00 pm on Monday, March 1, 2021
Entrepreneurs’ Expo: 1:00 pm on Thursday, March 1, 2022

2. Organizers

MIC and NICT

3. Content

1. 1.

   Entrepreneurs’ Koshien on Monday, March 1

   • Business plan contest by teams of technical college and university students selected from all over Japan
   • Jury Chair: SATO Koki (Representative Director of Septeni Holdings Co., Ltd./President and Executive Officer of Group Companies)
   • Awards: Minister of Internal Affairs and Communications Award, Jury Special Award, Sponsoring Company Special Award
2. 2.

   Entrepreneurs’ Expo on Tuesday, March 2

   • Business matching challenge by selected ICT startups from all over Japan
   • Jury Chair: NAKANO Shinzo
     (President/Partner of ITOCHU Technology Ventures Inc.)
   • Awards: Minister of Internal Affairs and Communications Award, Jury Special Award, ITU Special Award, and Sponsoring Company Special Award