Launch of 'LAUNCH ASIA' to Support Southeast Asian Expansion from Singapore; Expansion of Scope and Extension of Deadline for 'LAUNCH UK' Announced.

UTokyo IPC and Hakuhodo have launched 'LAUNCH ASIA' as part of their 'Go Abroad To Scale (GATS)' program, which accelerates the commercialization of Japanese deep-tech startups, focusing on market validation in Southeast Asia via Singapore. Simultaneously, 'LAUNCH UK,' which supports business hypothesis building for the UK and European markets, has added MedTech to its target areas and extended its application deadline to June 30. 'LAUNCH ASIA' collaborates with NUS Enterprise, the innovation arm of the National University of Singapore, to provide end-to-end support for Japanese deep-tech startups and researchers. This includes hypothesis validation, MVP improvement, meetings with local companies, and on-site validation in Singapore. The program features 4 months of 2-on-1 mentoring and a one-week 'MVP Business Validation Boot Camp' in Singapore in January 2027. 'LAUNCH UK' utilizes methodologies from Imperial College London to help deep-tech ventures scientifically and logically address commercialization risks. The program now covers Physical AI/Robotics, Climate Tech, and MedTech. It has been redesigned to include a one-week intensive stay in London, a two-week online program, and six months of online mentoring. The application deadline for LAUNCH UK has been extended to June 30, 2026.