Call for Applications for the 15th Term of "FASTAR," an Acceleration Program Supporting Startups Nationwide, Has Begun

The Organization for Small & Medium Enterprises and Regional Innovation, Japan (SMRJ; President: Tadashi Miyakawa; Headquarters: Minato-ku, Tokyo) announced today that it has begun accepting applications for the 15th term of its 2026 acceleration program "FASTAR," which supports the growth acceleration of startups. FASTAR's vision is "to transform the challenges of ambitious startups into brilliance." It is a program that supports the business growth of startups and individuals aiming to become unicorn companies or regional core companies, with an eye on IPOs or M&As, by providing expert mentoring for approximately one year. The application Q&A session (also a seminar) will be held online from 5:00 PM on Tuesday, May 12. ■ Application Overview 1. Application Conditions ・Generally, within 5 years of founding (founded after April 1, 2021) or pre-founding. However, for companies requiring time for research and development, such as life sciences (pharmaceuticals, regenerative medicine products, medical devices, etc., excluding cosmetics and in vitro diagnostic medical devices that do not require clinical trials) and deep tech, an exception is made to allow applications up to 10 years from founding (founded after April 1, 2016). ・Target company stage: pre-seed, seed, or early-stage companies. ※ For details, please refer to the "Application Guidelines." 2. Eligible for Support Startups or individuals planning to start a business who aim to solve global or regional social issues, or transform existing industries, and face the following challenges: ・Want to formulate or brush up a business plan ・Want to demonstrate products/services or develop sales channels ・Looking for fundraising sources ・Aiming to commercialize research and development results ・Considering capital policy or organizational structure development plans 3. Application Period Thursday, April 30, 2026 – Friday, June 12, 2026, 12:00 PM 4. How to Apply Please confirm the "Application Guidelines" and "FASTAR Program Participation Terms" on the page below, then apply via the application form. ・FASTAR Website: https://fastar.smrj.go.jp/program/15/ ・Application Form: https://service.smrj.go.jp/cas/customer/apply/d108cdab82794ceea8686cf101f7d3c9 ■ Application Q&A Session (and Seminar) Date and Time: Tuesday, May 12, 5:00 PM – 6:00 PM, Online (Zoom) Session Content: We will hold a Q&A session for the FASTAR application briefing video. Those considering applying are encouraged to participate. Application Method: https://forms.gle/cCvyTiRBscENdgqd8 Support Methods ・SMRJ experts will serve as dedicated partners, providing continuous mentoring for approximately one year to support business strategy and management issue resolution, and assist in brushing up business plans. ・On-demand mentoring by external mentors will address intellectual property, legal, and financial issues through expert advice. ・Support events will be held to provide knowledge necessary for startup growth. ・Utilizing support menus from SMRJ and other public support organizations, we will support the promotion of research and development, partner search for demonstration experiments and test marketing, and PoC verification. ・We will provide neutral support for capital policy and organizational formation. ・We will create opportunities for fundraising and business alliances, such as providing pitch opportunities to VCs and large corporations, and individual matching. ■ Past Achievements Since fiscal year 2019, 14 programs have been implemented. 200 companies aiming for growth in fields such as biotech/medical devices, AI/IT services, robotics, and environmental energy have been selected. Companies from the 1st to 8th terms have cumulatively raised approximately 10.6 billion JPY. This is a growth acceleration program for startups and individuals aiming for IPOs or M&As, where dedicated experts provide hands-on support to brush up business plans for fundraising and business alliances. https://fastar.smrj.go.jp Furthermore, for fiscal year 2026, a part of FASTAR's operations has been entrusted to Deloitte Touche Tohmatsu LLC. SMRJ is a policy implementation agency whose purpose is to contribute to the development of Japan's economy by promoting innovation and regional economic revitalization for small and medium-sized enterprises, small businesses, and startups aiming for autonomous development and continuity of their businesses. To solve management challenges for SMEs aiming for sustainable growth in response to changes in the business environment, SMRJ provides direct hands-on support, human resource development, operation of mutual aid systems, various financial supports, and business opportunities, while also cooperating to improve the support capabilities of related SME support organizations.