#Japan #Global Startups #Scrum Ventures #Hokkaido #Hokkaido F Village X

Applications Now Open for Hokkaido F Village X Year 2

In a move aimed at bolstering innovation and entrepreneurship, Scrum Ventures, a prominent venture capital firm based in San Francisco and Tokyo, has officially opened applications for the second year of the Hokkaido F Village X (HFX) program. Designed to foster the growth of global startups, HFX connects participants with local Japanese corporate partners, regional governments, universities, and operators within the Hokkaido region. This initiative provides startups the opportunity to transition from proof of concept to full implementation in Japan.

Overview of Hokkaido F Village X

Hokkaido's F Village serves as a living lab for innovation, situated at the heart of the region’s sports and entertainment sector. This unique environment allows participating startups to test their technologies in high-visibility, real-world settings, providing valuable feedback and insights. The Hokkaido area is also seeing increased investment in key sectors such as semiconductors, data centers, and renewable energy. This makes it an ideal landscape for startups eager to scale their solutions while addressing the challenges faced by the region, such as an aging population and rural depopulation.

Highlights from Year One

The inaugural year of HFX attracted an impressive 300 applications from 29 countries, ultimately selecting 11 innovative startups. Out of these, 10 successful business partnerships were formed, with multiple startups advancing to full deployment of their solutions. The successful outcomes from this program have earned it a notable Net Promoter Score (NPS) of 90, with participants praising the rapid transition from pilot projects to full-scale implementation. As expressed by Kevin Bratcher, President and COO of Nature Coatings, the direct connections facilitated by Scrum were crucial to their success, opening doors that would have otherwise taken a significant amount of time to access.

Kazuma Anzai, Manager at Tech Magic, emphasized the unique advantages provided by HFX, stating that the robust network of partners across various sectors allowed his team to pitch diverse use cases simultaneously, unlocking vast opportunities.

Year Two Offerings

For its second iteration, HFX aims to welcome approximately 10 startups. Selected participants will enjoy several key benefits, including:

• - Real-world deployment opportunities at the Hokkaido Ballpark F Village and throughout the Hokkaido region.
• - Direct access to a network of corporate partners, municipal governments, universities, and regional operators.
• - Media coverage potential from leading outlets such as NHK, Nikkei, and Yomiuri Newspaper.
• - Consideration for investment opportunities from Scrum Ventures itself.
• - A well-defined pathway to not only enter the Japanese market but also expand globally.

The program is scheduled to run from August 2026 to February 2027, culminating in the highly anticipated HFX Demo Day 2027.

Who Should Apply

Startups operating in domains such as Sports & Stadium Technology, AgriFood, Mobility, Sustainability, and Wellbeing are encouraged to apply. The application window will remain open until May 2026, presenting a prime opportunity for startups to leverage Hokkaido's resources and networks.

For those interested, applications can be submitted through the following link: Apply Here.

To learn more about the program, visit HFX Official Site.

About Scrum Ventures

Scrum Ventures is an early-stage venture capital firm that has supported more than 140 startups across industries such as AI, robotics, climate technology, healthcare, and sports entertainment. Beyond capital investment, Scrum Ventures also offers complete business development support, making them a key player in establishing meaningful business connections and strategic partnerships.

About Scrum Studio

Operating under Scrum Ventures, Scrum Studio specializes in creating business co-creation opportunities between global startups and Japanese corporations and municipalities. Programs like Hokkaido F Village X aim to facilitate these partnerships from concept development to commercial realization, helping international startups efficiently navigate the Japanese market landscape.

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