KERNEL: Where Research, Technology, and Business Converge. Creating an Era for Japanese Deep Tech Companies to Excel Globally

DEEPCORE Inc. (hereinafter "DEEPCORE") endorses "April Dream," an initiative to make April 1st a day for sharing dreams. This press release outlines the dream of "KERNEL," an incubation hub operated by DEEPCORE that supports entrepreneurs and engineers in the AI field.

"KERNEL" will accelerate the implementation of technologies that have not yet reached society by creating systematic encounters between researchers/engineers and entrepreneurs/management talent, and by supporting team-ups in the early stages of founding.

### The Dream of "KERNEL"

As AI accelerates the social implementation of technology, AI x Deep Tech is attracting significant attention. However, even the most excellent technology will not reach the world without a well-prepared founding team.

"KERNEL" aims to support encounters between researchers/engineers and entrepreneurs/management talent who previously had no point of contact. By shaping technology into business, we aim to create a state where startups that excel globally continue to be born.

To achieve this, "KERNEL" does not stop at being a simple venue for interaction. We provide consistent support from matching to founding team formation, entrepreneurship, and growth. The intersection of diverse human resources accelerates the social implementation of technology, and those results invite further challenges. We will build a place that serves as the starting point for such a cycle.

By supporting early-stage team-ups, we will create an ecosystem where Japan-born deep tech companies excel globally.

### Background

When "KERNEL" was launched in 2018, few people in Japan chose entrepreneurship as an option, and the shortage of startup talent was a major challenge. Aware that the total number of entrepreneurs needed to be increased, DEEPCORE worked on community formation in addition to investment. A place where highly motivated individuals gather and stimulate each other leads to new challenges. "KERNEL" was established as an incubation hub to support AI entrepreneurs and engineers and generate this chain reaction.

Today, the base of entrepreneurship is expanding. However, particularly in the deep tech field, structural challenges remain, such as cases where excellent technology does not lead to commercialization or where aspiring entrepreneurs cannot access technical seeds. One fundamental factor is the difficulty of team formation in the early stages. Not only is there a lack of encounters between researchers with technology and managers who can drive business, but there is also a lack of mechanisms to support team-ups after meeting. The importance of connecting technology with management and accompanying the organization-building process is higher than ever.

### About "KERNEL," the AI Incubation Hub

"KERNEL" is a membership-based incubation hub for AI entrepreneurs and engineers operated by DEEPCORE, which has a track record of investing in approximately 140 companies. Currently, about 800 people participate, including related communities. Its strength lies in being a cross-disciplinary venue for professionals in three areas with world-class expertise: AI engineers, researchers working on cutting-edge research, and serial entrepreneurs/management talent.

Through nearly eight years of operation, we have steadily accumulated support achievements alongside the scale of the community. There are cases where members who once attended KERNEL events now take the stage as entrepreneurs to support the next generation. This cycle of knowledge being returned within the community allows "KERNEL" to function as an ecosystem that continuously generates business creation, beyond being just a simple interaction space.

▼ "KERNEL" Website: https://deepcore.jp/kernel

### Main Initiatives Promoted by DEEPCORE

* **Selected for NEDO's "Management Personnel Securing Support Project for University-Born Startups"** DEEPCORE was selected as an implementation partner for the FY2025 "Management Personnel Securing Support Project (MPM)" conducted by the New Energy and Industrial Technology Development Organization (NEDO). We support commercialization by matching early-stage university-born startups and innovative technical seeds with diverse management talent candidates strong in business, product, and customer development. https://prtimes.jp/main/html/rd/p/000000034.000031481.html

▼ Project Details: https://deepcore.jp/kernel/eir

* **"SYNCLE," a Practical Program to Overcome Human and Organizational Barriers** We launched "SYNCLE," a program to turn the conflicts of entrepreneurs and startup organizations into a cycle of evolution. It was selected as a FY2025 cooperative project for "TOKYO SUTEAM," a startup support project hosted by the Tokyo Metropolitan Government. Co-developed by DEEPCORE and MIMIGURI, a firm strong in organizational and human resource development, this program helps overcome the "wall of isolation" and "wall of people/organization" during the founding phase through a peer-learning platform. https://prtimes.jp/main/html/rd/p/000000037.000031481.html

### About DEEPCORE

DEEPCORE is a venture capital firm specializing in AI and advanced technology fields, supporting entrepreneurs with the ambition to change the world through technology. We invest in pre-seed to early-stage startups across all industries, including healthcare, manufacturing, and logistics.

In addition to investment activities, we focus on supporting entrepreneurs by operating the "KERNEL" community. We also develop "LINKS by KERNEL" for recruitment support, the "SYNCLE" program to overcome organizational barriers, and matching businesses for technical seeds and management talent, all to support the growth and business creation of startups.

### Company Overview

Company Name: DEEPCORE Inc. CEO: Katsumasa Niki Headquarters: Design Place α 3F/4F, 4-1-4 Hongo, Bunkyo-ku, Tokyo URL: https://deepcore.jp