for Startups Releases 'Awareness Survey on Startup Companies'

for Startups, Inc. (Head Office: Minato-ku, Tokyo; Representative Director CEO: Yuichiro Shimizui; Representative Director COO: Yukiko Tsunoda; hereinafter, for Startups), which promotes growth industry support businesses, has announced the results of its 'Awareness Survey on Startup Companies' conducted among workers in the Tokyo metropolitan area (Tokyo and three surrounding prefectures). This report also discloses average annual salary data for individuals who transitioned to startup companies with the support of our human capital services.

[Summary of Results]

Regarding the image of startup companies, individuals with higher annual incomes tend to have a stronger image. The largest disparity was seen in 'necessary for Japan's future,' with 50.6% for those earning 8 million JPY or more annually, compared to 40.5% for those earning less than 8 million JPY.

Key aspects with significant differences in the image of working at a startup company include 'completeness of welfare benefits,' 'management stability,' and 'career prospects.'

Regarding interest in startup companies, there was a difference of over 30 percentage points between individuals with and without startup work experience in the statement 'opportunities to see and hear information about startup companies have increased.'

The average annual salary for those who joined a startup company with our support is 8.5 million JPY. This is approximately 3.72 million JPY higher than the average annual salary in Japan (*1) and approximately 1.48 million JPY higher than the average annual salary for those working at large companies in Tokyo (*2).

*1 Quoted from 'FY2024 Survey of Actual Status of Private Sector Salaries' by the National Tax Agency. *2 Quoted from 'Basic Survey on Wage Structure' by the Ministry of Health, Labour and Welfare.

Image of Startup Companies

Regarding the 'Image of startup companies,' we compared the percentage of respondents who selected 'applies' or 'somewhat applies,' dividing the subjects by an annual income of 8 million JPY. The highest image ratio for those earning less than 8 million JPY was 'many companies aiming for rapid growth' at 40.5%, while for those earning 8 million JPY or more, it was 'necessary for Japan's future' at 50.6%.

The largest discrepancy was observed in 'necessary for Japan's future,' with 50.6% of those earning 8 million JPY or more exceeding half, whereas only 40.5% of those earning less than 8 million JPY selected this, resulting in a 10.1% difference. Furthermore, for 'many companies aiming to go public,' 39.3% of those earning 8 million JPY or more selected this, surpassing the other group (32.5%) by 6.8%.

It can be interpreted that individuals with annual incomes of 8 million JPY or more tend to view startups more positively, not merely as emerging companies, but as entities responsible for solving social issues and driving Japan's economic growth.

Image of Working at a Startup Company

When asking white-collar workers about their intention to change jobs to a startup, the combined percentage of 'applies' and 'somewhat applies' responses remained at 16.2%. This suggests that a psychological barrier to changing jobs to a startup still exists.

Regarding the image of working at a startup, we surveyed both individuals with and without startup work experience, and found that experienced individuals evaluate the reality more highly than the stereotypical impressions of 'unstable management and low pay' held by non-experienced individuals. For 'management stability' (non-experienced 14.2% / experienced 33.5%), 'completeness of welfare benefits' (non-experienced 19.0% / experienced 39.6%), 'high salary levels' (non-experienced 27.2% / experienced 40.5%). Furthermore, 'good work-life balance' also showed a significant difference, with experienced individuals (33.4%) far exceeding non-experienced individuals (25.7%), indicating a perception gap regarding work style flexibility.

Interest in Startup Companies

Comparing interest in startup companies between those with and without startup work experience, 'opportunities to see and hear information about startup companies have increased' showed a difference of over 30 percentage points, with experienced individuals scoring higher.

Additionally, the percentage of respondents who answered 'know about the startup industry' was 38.3% for experienced workers, compared to only 10.0% for non-experienced workers. This 28.3% difference, along with a large disconnect in opportunities to access information (experienced 47.2% / non-experienced 16.9%), suggests a 'perception gap' caused by the presence or absence of startup experience.

Average Annual Salary Data for Those Who Joined Startup Companies with Our Support

Based on our human resource support track record data, we examined the annual income of individuals who changed jobs to startup companies. It was revealed that the income increased by 870,000 JPY from 7.63 million JPY in 2020 to 8.5 million JPY in 2024.

Furthermore, a comparison of survey results from the National Tax Agency and the Ministry of Health, Labour and Welfare showed that the average annual salary for those who joined startup companies with our support in 2024 exceeded the average annual salary for all of Japan by 3.72 million JPY, and the average annual salary for those working at large companies in Tokyo by 1.48 million JPY.