June 30, 2026
Ministry of Internal Affairs and Communications (MIC)
National Institute of Information and Communications Technology (NICT) Implementation of “Nationwide Accelerator Program” to Create ICT Startups from Local Communities

- Holding of Kigyouka Koshien * and Kigyouka Banpaku＊ for FY 2026 and Implementation of Regional Qualifying Events -

　To support the business expansion of ICT startups from local communities, MIC and NICT will implement the "Nationwide Accelerator Program" for FY 2026.
　The final outcomes from the Accelerator Program will be presented at the "Kigyouka Koshien" and the "Kigyouka Banpaku," where students as well as early-stage entrepreneurs selected from all over Japan will showcase their business plans. The "Kigyouka Koshien" is scheduled to be held on Thursday, March 11, and the "Kigyouka Banpaku" on Friday, March 12, 2027.

1. Background and purpose

　Aiming to solve regional issues and stimulate regional economies through the creation of ICT startups from local communities*1, MIC and NICT have been implementing the "Nationwide Accelerator Program" every year. The Program aims to discover and foster next-generation ICT human resources*2, and also supports the business expansion of ICT startups from local communities.

• *1: Startups conducting ICT-based business operations in various regions and other areas
• *2: Students interested in ICT-based businesses, including junior high school students, high school students, technical college students, vocational school students, university students, and graduate students.

　On November 28, 2022, the government formulated the Five-year Startup Development Plan, with the goal of increasing investment in startups by 10 times or more in five years as a joint effort of the public and private sectors. MIC and NICT continue to collaborate with the public and private sectors to create an ecosystem that fosters startups. This year, we will once again implement the “Nationwide Accelerator Program” to help achieve the government’s goal.

2．Nationwide Accelerator Program

　Under “Nationwide Accelerator Program”, NICT ICT mentors*3 provide next-generation ICT professionals and promising regional ICT startups identified through regional qualifying events, helping them refine their own business plan. As the culmination of this mentoring process,

students and early-stage entrepreneurs selected from all over Japan will present their business plans at the final stage of this Accelerator Program—" Kigyouka Koshien " (for students) and "Kigyouka Banpaku" (for early-stage entrepreneurs).

• *3: ICT industry professionals and venture capitalists

　In addition, opportunities such as exhibiting in a major domestic exhibition are also offered to Participants of "Kigyouka Koshien" and "Kigyouka Banpaku".

（1）Regional qualifying events
　Those who wish to participate in the "Nationwide Accelerator Program" are encouraged to apply for a regional qualifying event to be held in their respective areas. For those living in an area where no regional qualifying event is held, we plan to accept applications online without requiring participation in such an event.
　For more information, please visit "ICT Startup Support Center" (https://www.nict.go.jp/venture/ )

（2）Kigyouka Koshien and Kigyouka Banpaku
　The presenter of the best business plan at the "Kigyouka Koshien" or "Kigyouka Banpaku" will be granted the "Minister of Internal Affairs and Communications Award." The dates and venues for this year's events are scheduled as follows:

Date: Kigyouka Koshien - Thursday, March 11, 2027
Kigyouka Banpaku - Friday, March 12, 2027

Venue: Marunouchi Building Hall & Conference Square
(7F, Marunouchi Building, 2-4-1 Marunouchi, Chiyoda-ku, Tokyo)

　More details will be announced as the event dates approach.

Note: The"Kigyouka Koshien" and the"Kigyouka Banpaku" are registered trademarks of the NICT.

＊“Kigyouka Koshien” for studentsand “Kigyouka Banpaku” for young entrepreneurs are the series of business plan contests for ICT startups, beginning from related regional contents with the deep helps by NICT mentors. The Final contests were in March every year.