Forge Accelerator Cohort 2

About

A structured accelerator program designed for hardware startups, providing prototyping support, mentorship, and access to investors, aimed at moving startups from prototype to production readiness while leveraging Japan's manufacturing strengths.

Benefits

• 🛠️ Up to ¥2,000,000 in Prototyping Support
  Co-funding for prototyping costs to accelerate production readiness.
• 🧠Masterclasses & Mentorship
  Access to sessions with seasoned founders and industry experts covering various essential topics.
• 🤝Investor & Partner Matching
  Introductions to aligned investors and corporate partners interested in collaboration.
• 📍Tokyo Workspace
  Access to co-working and fabrication spaces in central Tokyo for meetings and development.
• 🌐PoC Opportunities
  Support for piloting products in real-world environments with corporate partners.

Eligibility Criteria

• Open to hardware startups at the prototype stage or beyond
• Must be based in Tokyo or willing to explore Tokyo as a market
• Seed stage or later with a technical owner responsible for product development
• A core team member must engage regularly throughout the program
• Must define a PoC hypothesis and success metrics during the prep phase

Participation Commitments

• Must engage in regular check-ins and design reviews throughout the program
• Participation in masterclasses and mentoring sessions is required
• A core team member must be available for onsite sessions as needed
• Progression to PoC is subject to partner approval and team/product readiness.

Target Sector

Focused on hardware startups and manufacturing technologies

Target Location

Open to startups based in Tokyo or those exploring the Tokyo market