News
2026/04/01
[Recruitment Announcement] GTIE GAP Fund Future Recruitment Schedule (FY 2026 and Beyond)
Purpose and Objectives
Greater Tokyo Innovation Ecosystem (hereinafter “GTIE”) is implementing a research and development program (GTIE GAP Fund) to create university-spun-off ventures that target global markets based on innovative technology seeds from universities and other institutions (*) participating in the GTIE platform, as well as university-spun-off ventures with high social impact that contribute to the achievement of the SDGs. This program is administered by the lead organization of GTIE—Joint Startup Creation Organizations (SU Creation Joint Organizations), to create university-spun-off startups targeting global markets and those with high social impact that contribute to the achievement of the SDGs.
1. Eligibility
Research projects (GAP Fund) aimed at bridging the gap between research outcomes from academic institutions and commercialization by refining business models, producing prototypes, acquiring data (experimental results, computational results) for hypothesis verification, and conducting market validation in Japan and the United States.
• Projects aimed at research not intended for commercialization, or those involving corporate operations or preparatory work (such as company registration), are not eligible.
2. GAP Fund Overview
(1) Planned Application Categories
1) Overseas Market Development (Practical)
2) Explore Course (2 years)
3) Explore Course (3 years)
4) Entry Course
5) Increased Enrollment
(2) Research and Development Period
The following period from the date of selection
1) Overseas Market Development: Up to approximately one year
2) Explore Course (2 years): Up to approximately 2 years
3) Explore Course (3 years): Up to approximately 3 years
4) Entry Course: Up to 1 year
5) Additional Funding: Based on the remaining periods for items 2) and 3)
• “Selection Date” refers to the date on which the project proposal was submitted to JST and approved, not the date on which GTIE notifies applicants of the selection results.
• For multi-year courses, stage-gate reviews will be conducted annually.
(3) Research and Development Funding (GAP Fund)
Per project
1) Overseas Market Development: Maximum of 28 million yen
2) Explore (2 years): Maximum 60 million yen (30 million yen in the first year)
3) Explore (3 years): Up to 60 million yen (15 million yen in the first year)
4) Entry Course: Up to 5 million yen
5) Additional Funding: Total maximum of 100 million yen (the difference between this amount and the Explore grant amount)
(4) Eligibility Requirements
・For items 1) through 3) and 5),
① Researchers affiliated with institutions serving as lead organizations on the GTIE platform or as SU-creation partner organizations
② Researchers falling under category ① above who are eligible to apply jointly with a commercialization promotion organization (VC)
・For item 4), researchers and graduate students affiliated with institutions that are either lead organizations or SU creation partner organizations within the GTIE platform
*Lead Institutions and SU Creation Partner Institutions
The University of Tokyo, Waseda University, Tokyo University of Science, University of Tsukuba,Chiba University, Tokyo University of Agriculture and Technology, Yokohama City University, Kanagawa Prefectural University of Health and Welfare, Keio University, Tokyo Metropolitan University, Shibaura Institute of Technology, Tokyo University of Science, Ibaraki University, The University of Electro-Communications, Tokai University, RIKEN, Yokohama National University, National Institute of Advanced Industrial Science and Technology (AIST), Tokyo Denki University, Kogakuin University
(5) Application Schedule (Tentative)
| Course Name | Application Start Date | Screening (Scheduled Interviews) |
Selection (within GTIE) |
Start of Research (JST Approval) |
| 1) Practical Overseas Market Development | December | Late February of the following year | Late February of the following year | April of the following year |
| 2) Explore (2 years) | Late November | Late January of the following year | Early February of the following year | The following April |
| 3) Explore (3rd year) | Same as above | Same as above | Same as above | Same as above |
| Late May | July/August | July/August | October | |
| 4) Entry Course | Early September | November | November | January of the following year |
| Early March | May | May | July | |
| 5) Additional Subscription Offer | January | February/March | February/March | July |
• The above enrollment periods are tentatively scheduled for April 2026 through March 2028.
•The above is tentative and subject to change.