#Japan #Tokyo #Nature-Positive #TOKYO SUTEAM #SUNDRED

SUNDRED's New Role in Shaping the Future of Startups in Tokyo

SUNDRED Co., Ltd., based in Shibuya, Tokyo, has been selected again as a partner for the Tokyo startup support initiative, “TOKYO SUTEAM.” This program aims to cultivate 100 new industries through collaboration among various sectors, including government, academia, and private businesses, promoting a “nature-positive” approach.

Tokyo's Startup Ecosystem

Founded in 2017, SUNDRED is focused on co-creating new industries while ensuring sustainable growth within the startup ecosystem. Utilizing its unique “new industry co-creation process,” SUNDRED will integrate interpreneurs—individuals equipped to cross boundaries and foster collaboration—into its projects aimed at achieving a nature-positive economy. The goal is to enhance the growth of scalable startups and nurture the talent required to support such growth.

In 2023, the Tokyo Metropolitan Government initiated the “Global Innovation with STARTUPS” strategy, which advocates for a tenfold increase in unicorn startups, entrepreneurial activities, and collaborative practices by 2025. As a part of this vision, SUNDRED's role will expand from October 2025 to February 2027, focusing on accelerating the growth of startups that can trigger the industrialization of nature-positive initiatives from the Tokyo Innovation Base, a hub for innovation and entrepreneurship.

Addressing Global Challenges

The world faces significant challenges, including climate change and biodiversity loss, which pose serious threats to economies heavily dependent on natural capital. The formal implementation of the Taskforce on Nature-related Financial Disclosures (TNFD) is a vital step towards transitioning to a nature-positive economy, positioning it at the forefront of financial and industrial policy globally. Notably, investments in nature-positive startups have been growing at an annual rate exceeding 20% in Europe, underscoring the immense economic potential of this space.

Japan's recent policies, including the Basic Policy on Gx and the National Biodiversity Strategy 2023-2030, have clarified the necessity for economic transformation based on natural capital. Despite this, the challenge remains: the number of nature-positive startups and the supporting infrastructure in Japan are significantly less developed compared to European and American counterparts, reflecting a pressing need for business know-how and support personnel in this area.

Opportunities for Tokyo

Tokyo stands as a leading startup hub, rich in resources and talent. The city's position allows for unique collaboration between businesses, governmental entities, research institutions, and the broader community, enabling the implementation of models that connect urban environments with regional and natural resources. This synergy can foster a wave of startups dedicated to nature-positive initiatives and promote the creation of a 'new industry' that intertwines policies, business, and finance, thereby establishing a robust co-created startup ecosystem.

Program Overview

The “Nature Governance Startup Program” has been devised with the aim of nurturing frontrunners of the nature-positive economy from Tokyo. Through this program, SUNDRED will pursue three primary objectives:
1. Discover and Support Nature-Positive Startups: Identify businesses that contribute positively to the environment.
2. Accelerate Proof of Concept (PoC) Initiatives: Collaborate with businesses, municipalities, and researchers to quickly develop and implement innovative solutions.
3. Foster Support Personnel: Train individuals who can assist startups and drive these initiatives forward through interdisciplinary collaboration.

By engaging diverse stakeholders across industry, government, academia, and civil society, the program will co-create agendas aimed at addressing urban challenges intertwined with the preservation, restoration, and development of natural capital, thereby supporting the growth of startups equipped to achieve these goals.

SUNDRED's commitment to this cause lies in its specialization in co-creating industries from a social agenda, having successfully supported various sectors like agriculture, wellbeing, and healthcare. Going forward, SUNDRED aims to leverage its capabilities to bridge the gap between natural capital and urban economic strategies, thereby enabling the development of globally scalable startups that emerge from Tokyo.

Conclusion

In summary, SUNDRED's initiatives align with Tokyo's broader objectives to solidify its status as a global center for innovative and sustainable practices in startup development. As the city charts its course toward a nature-positive future, partnerships that facilitate knowledge-sharing and collaborative growth will underpin the new industries that emerge from this vibrant ecosystem.

For more information about SUNDRED and its initiatives, visit SUNDRED's official website.

For details about TOKYO SUTEAM, check the official page TOKYO SUTEAM.