Sign Up And Receive Our Latest Updates!
.svg){kind=small}
For Universities
With a proven track record building university innovation ecosystems – including founding acclaimed startup programs, one of which is the #1 ranked university for entrepreneurship in APAC – IDJ is uniquely positioned to empower academia.
We’ve been entrusted to train top Japanese universities in global best practices for mentoring student entrepreneurs, and we help you cultivate an entrepreneurial campus by connecting your students and researchers with industry mentors, venture funding, and international opportunities.
What we offer
Business Development ManagerS as a service in Japan
We act as an extension of your university’s business development team within Japan, helping bridge research and commercial interests with the Japanese innovation ecosystem.
- Represent your university on the ground to explore market opportunities for IP, startups, and licensing.
- Engage with corporates, research institutions, and investors through direct outreach and networking.
- Support communication, project development, and partnership negotiations in Japanese.
- Raise your institution’s profile via speaking engagements and ecosystem events.
Embedding Talent into your Startup Program Team
We embed bilingual innovation professionals directly into university incubators or entrepreneurship teams to build stronger ties with Japan and co-develop international programs.
- Provide ongoing support for strategic planning, community building, and operational coordination.
- Bridge cultural and communication gaps with Japanese stakeholders.
- Facilitate partnership-building with local startups, corporates, and universities.
- Co-design and pilot program formats suited to global collaboration.
Global Entrepreneurship programs
We design and deliver cross-border entrepreneurship programs that give students and researchers immersive experiences in global startup ecosystems.
- Provide opportunities for participants to develop entrepreneurial skills and know-how through the creation of industry-government-academia collaboration that may be used to start a startup or work in an innovative organisation.
- Provide high quality contents, guidance and mentorship that reflect what is really happening in industry and the startup ecosystem.
- Programs include, Innovation site & corporate visits, Innovation Challenges, networking events with local founders and students, and cultural experiences
Consulting on setting up on-campus startup and entrepreneurship programs
We support universities in designing and launching startup and entrepreneurship programs that activate talent, foster innovation culture, and connect academic research with real-world impact. From early-stage concept to implementation, we offer strategic and operational guidance tailored to your institution’s goals.
- Program design and curriculum development for startup education and incubation
- Student and faculty engagement strategies that drive participation and impact
- Industry, government, and investor engagement planning to build ecosystem connectivity and relevance
- Support in establishing physical and virtual innovation hubs on campus
- Metrics and framework design to track outcomes and growth
Deeptech / university research based startup outbound global programs
We deliver tailored global readiness programs for universities and research institutions to support deeptech and research-based startup teams. Our programs help participants refine their business ideas, strengthen their global communication skills, and prepare for international market entry.
- Facilitated workshops on pitch development, commercialization strategy, and global innovation trends
- Expert-led sessions with real-time feedback to prepare teams for international investors and partners
- Exposure to global startup ecosystems and standards for research commercialization
We have designed and delivered successful programs for students including incubators, accelerators, startup studios and grant funds for student entrepreneurs, including developing the most successful programs for university startups in Australia resulting in the largest number of startups funded in one university over a ten year period.
We have worked with large and prestigious consortiums of entrepreneurship focused universities in Japan, such as KSAC and have a deep understanding of how to mentor student entrepreneurs in Japan via our work with Tokyo Institute of Technology and Kyushu University.
WHY US?
Case Studies
"私は2016年にジョシュたちが運営するプログラムに参加しましたが、ジョシュは私が学び、成長し、日本人としての自分の文化的背景と再びつながるための素晴らしい機会を提供してくれました。私は人生の非常に早い段階で、自分のスタートアップビジネスを作りたいと思っていましたが、それが何なのかはわかりませんでした。しかし、このプログラムとジョシュの素晴らしい指導によって、私はついに自分の好奇心と何かに取り組む情熱を見つけることができました。"