01Booster Launches Okinawa’s “Ryukyu Launchpad 2026” to Support Startups Expanding into Asia and North America

Zero One Booster Inc. (head office: Chiyoda-ku, Tokyo; Representative Director: George Goda; “01Booster”), a business creation company that supports corporate open innovation and new business development, has formed a consortium with U.S.-based LaunchStarz Inc. and will launch “Ryukyu Launchpad 2026,” a program supporting startups entering Asian and North American markets, under the “FY2026 Startup Overseas Expansion Support Project” commissioned by Okinawa Prefecture. This year, in addition to the overseas dispatch course including North America, the program has added a new overseas expansion preparation course for startups that are about to begin serious consideration of overseas expansion, expanding into a two-course structure. Applications for participating startups opened on May 15, along with registration for the preliminary briefing session to be held on May 28. Program background: Okinawa Prefecture has promoted startup support measures to date, and in recent years overseas collaboration, particularly with Asia, has accelerated, making international business expansion increasingly important. “Ryukyu Launchpad” is an overseas expansion support program hosted by Okinawa Prefecture that began in 2025, with the aim of accelerating startups’ entry into the U.S. and Asian markets. By leveraging Okinawa’s geographic advantages and international networks, the program supports the global expansion of Japanese startups. Key features for 2026: This year, the program offers two courses according to each startup’s overseas expansion phase: the “Overseas Dispatch Course (North America and Asia)” and the “Overseas Expansion Preparation Course.” The program plans to select up to 10 companies for the preparation course and around four companies for the dispatch course. Selected startups will receive comprehensive support for overseas expansion over approximately seven months. Overseas Dispatch Course (North America and Asia): This course provides practical local expansion support for startups that have already begun initiatives toward overseas expansion. Around four companies are expected to be selected: two for North America and two for Asia. Support includes selecting a target market from North America and Asia (Singapore, Malaysia, Indonesia, the Philippines, and South Korea); input sessions on business practices and market trends in each country; hands-on support from local experts and industry mentors; travel programs to the target countries; subsidies for travel expenses related to participation in a two-week local program; networking and business meeting opportunities for sales channel development, partner development, and fundraising; and PR opportunities through participation in local pitch events and press release distribution. Overseas Expansion Preparation Course: This course supports startups that are beginning to consider overseas expansion by helping them build the foundations. Up to 10 companies will be selected. Through in-person workshops in Okinawa, online programs, and pitch events, the course supports the development of a foundation for overseas expansion. Support includes a two-day in-person workshop and online program; input on overseas markets and business practices; mentoring and strategy design support from experts; support for improving English pitching skills; and a Final Pitch Day for presenting results. Eligible applicants: Startups with headquarters in Okinawa Prefecture, or startups whose executive officer responsible for overseas expansion resides in Okinawa Prefecture. Details of application requirements are available on the official website. Schedule: Preliminary briefing session: May 28, 2026. Application period: May 15 to June 19, 2026. Screening, including document review, interviews, and final pitch, is scheduled for June to July 2026. For the Overseas Expansion Preparation Course, the two-day in-person workshop in Okinawa is scheduled for July 21 to 22, 2026, and the 10-session online program is scheduled from late July to mid-December 2026. For the Overseas Dispatch Course, the North America program is scheduled from late July to late September 2026, and the Asia program from late August to early November 2026. Demo Day, the results presentation event, is scheduled to take place in Okinawa in February 2027. Overseas partners: LaunchStarz Inc. will handle the North America program. Based in Los Angeles, the company has experience supporting government-related programs such as JETRO initiatives and has helped more than 400 Japanese startups expand into the U.S. market. It is well versed in both Japanese and U.S. startup cultures. Meet Ventures will handle the Asia program covering Singapore, Malaysia, Indonesia, and the Philippines. It is an accelerator VC based in Singapore, Malaysia, and Indonesia, operating accelerators and public-private partnership programs for the Southeast Asian market. Preliminary briefing and individual consultation sessions: A briefing session on the program will be held. In addition to an explanation of the project, companies selected in the previous year, or alumni, are scheduled to speak about their actual overseas expansion experiences and examples of how they used the program. Applicants considering applying may also receive advice from mentors with extensive overseas expansion experience through individual consultation sessions. Details and registration are available on the official website: https://okinawa-startup-ecosystem.jp/ryukyu-launchpad-2026. Zero One Booster operates under the corporate philosophy of “changing the world through the power of business creation.” It develops open innovation programs that promote collaboration between major corporations and venture companies, systems and open-call programs that promote internal new business creation, secondment-based business development programs, and other initiatives. It also operates Yurakucho “SAAI” Wonder Working Community, a working community that helps individuals turn ideas into reality; 01Booster Studio, which supports entrepreneurship from zero; and InnoScouter, a cloud service for managing startup collaboration. Through its group company 01Booster Capital, it also conducts venture investments and supports business creation from multiple angles.