FAQ

A. The 6 week program is designed for Japanese and international startup companies that want to learn from 500 Startups’ global team of mentors and network of entrepreneurs. The program is funded by the Kobe Government and sponsors.

A. No, there are not fees to participate in the program.

A. Simultaneous Japanese translation will be offered for all sessions, so English is not required.

A. The mentors are drawn from 500’s global team and network of entrepreneurs. Speakers are still being added, so the full list is not yet available.

The program will last for 6 weeks, with a 2 week break in the middle. Please note that participants in the program in Kobe, Japan will receive mentoring, growth hacking learnings, and access to 500 Startups’ extensive ecosystem without financial support or investment from the firm.
500 Startups may decide to invest in these companies during future rounds of financing.

A. The deadline to apply is July 1, 2016.

Applications are open until July 1, 2016. The program itself runs from August 1, 2016 to September 9, 2016, with a two-week break in the middle from August 11 to August 24.

The program is open to startups working both full and part time. Full time participants have access to an office 7 days a week and for the duration of the program to interact with the mentors around the clock. The part time participation is designed for teams that will spend 2 days a week at the Kobe pre-accelerator (for example, Wednesdays and Thursdays), which is ideal for teams based in other cities.

The program is designed for startup companies that are working full time. Part time participation in the program is available mainly for teams that are based in cities other than Kobe or have business reasons to be outside of the city.

There are no sessions on weekends.

You are welcome to remain in Kobe for the break to work on your company but can also travel during this time.

We are working on arranging reasonably priced dormitory style accommodation.

Applications are now open to Japanese and international startups in the seed stage. Funding is not provided, so companies must be able to procure outside funds.
*Startups related to following fields may be eligible for support from our sponsors and are strongly encouraged to join the program: FinTech, advanced mobility (i.e. next generation vehicles), sports, health, exercise, and social innovation.

The 500 Kobe Pre-Accelerator program is designed for start-ups at the seed or early-growth stage. Having a working product and necessary team members already is recommended. However, depending on your team, product, or service, we may select your team as early as the idea stage. Additionally, we may in some cases accept companies regardless of how long they have been established, their funding, or their investors and are open to both individuals and corporate teams.

Teams of all sizes can apply, from individuals to larger teams.

The applications will be reviewed by a team from 500 Startups in conjunction with the City of Kobe. Unfortunately, we will not be able to provide feedback to each team that applies.