In collaboration with the Japan External Trade Organization (JETRO), the European Innovation Council (EIC) is inviting EIC-backed start-ups and scale-ups to apply for an EIC Multi-Corporate Day with five of the largest Japanese corporations and partners, including Dai Nippon Printing (DNP), JX Advanced Metals Corporation, Mitsubishi Heavy Industries, NEC, and Shimizu Corporation. This exclusive business acceleration initiative brought by the EIC Corporate Partnership Programme will offer the selected EIC-beneficiaries curated preparation and dedicated guidance to maximise their opportunities to do business in Japan, including an in-person programme in Tokyo and Osaka (6-9 October 2025).
APPLY by 30 June 2025
DNP, JX Advanced Metals Corporation, Mitsubishi Heavy Industries, NEC, and Shimizu Corporation are global industrial leaders in various fields, including digital technologies, advanced materials, sustainability, industry, space and construction sectors (see below for respective companies’ profiles). With a combined presence in over 60 countries and a total cumulated turnover exceeding €90 billion, these companies are committed to driving innovation and sustainability as they strengthen their ties between Europe and Japan.
Why apply?
The selected EIC-backed companies will get:
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Privileged access to high-level decision-makers within DNP, JX Advanced Metals Corporation, Mitsubishi Heavy Industries, NEC, Shimizu Corporation and JETRO.
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Personalised preparatory support, including sessions with DNP, JX Advanced Metals Corporation, Mitsubishi Heavy Industries, NEC, and Shimizu Corporation, a 1-to-1 session with business experts, high-quality feedback to adjust the pitch deck, pitch dry run, and business proposal review.
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Invitation to participate in a number of dedicated, exclusive high-level business activities in Osaka and Tokyo online, including networking, matching and pitching.
Who can apply?
This call is open ONLY for EIC-backed start-ups, scale-ups and SMEs.
DNP, JX Advanced Metals Corporation, Mitsubishi Heavy Industries, NEC, and Shimizu Corporation are looking for disruptive technologies and innovative solutions provided by EIC-backed start-ups, with a focus on global challenges in the following fields. Please find here the detailed breakdown of each of the focus areas and innovation priorities:
- Digital and emerging technologies
- Data and AI
- Photonics
- Semiconductors
- Quantum computing
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Sustainability and circular economy
- Climate-neutral and circular production
- Circular economy solutions
- Efficient use of resources and waste reduction
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Advanced materials and strategic value chains
- Advanced and alternative materials
- Resilient value chains development
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Space-based solutions and applications
- Global space-based infrastructures and services
- Earth observation and satellite-based technologies
- Telecommunication advancements and data applications
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Energy transition and decarbonisation
- Renewable energy supply chains
- Battery and hydrogen solutions
- Energy storage, grid efficiency, and sustainability
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Green building and sustainable construction
- Sustainable and energy-efficient construction
- Green building materials
- Smart and sustainable infrastructure
EIC-backed companies can apply here.
Please acknowledge that the information you provide on the application form will be shared with DNP, JX Advanced Metals Corporation, Mitsubishi Heavy Industries, NEC, and Shimizu Corporation, who will select the participants based on their business interests and strategic goals.
What happens after your application?
The EIC team will contact all selected applicants once the process is finished. However, this contact does not include feedback or recommendations for those not selected.
If selected, participants must be available for the entire duration of the programme, which includes the preparation phase (online training sessions, pitch checks, and business proposal reviews), the event days (in-person or online) on 6-9 October 2025 in Tokyo and Osaka (Japan), and follow-up activities. Selected companies must be represented by C-level executives. Additionally, selected participants will be responsible for arranging and covering their travel and accommodation costs.
All participants are expected to fill out a brief satisfaction survey shortly after the matchmaking opportunity and a business impact survey after six months. Failure to do so may lead to exclusion from future EIC Business Acceleration Services.
Cancellation policy
Cancellations will only be considered in duly documented cases of "force majeure". Unjustified cancellation can lead to exclusion from future EIC Business Acceleration Services business opportunities. For additional information, please refer to our Helpdesk (please choose "EIC Multi-Corporate Day with JETRO” as the subject).
About the EIC Corporate Partnership Programme
This call and service are part of the EIC Corporate Partnership Programme, an initiative of the EIC Business Acceleration Services supporting EIC-backed companies looking to scale by securing new customers and business partners. To date, more than 1,500 EIC-backed start-ups and scale-ups, together with over 2,500 high-level representatives from more than 100 large companies, have taken part in the programme, resulting in significant impacts on organisations, tracking progress, and closing deals, often within 6 months.
Stay up to date!
This opportunity is brought to you by the EIC Business Acceleration Services. To explore other opportunities to connect with the largest corporations in Europe, keep an eye on our events page.
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About JETRO
JETRO, or the Japan External Trade Organization, is a government-related organisation that works to promote mutual trade and investment between Japan and the rest of the world. Currently, JETRO is focusing on innovation creation through i) promoting foreign direct investment into Japan, ii) assisting startups in expanding their businesses overseas, and iii) promoting open innovation collaboration between Japanese and foreign entities, through our “J-Bridge” platform. This joint program is designed under the third pillar of our innovation creation activities.
About the Corporate partners
DNP has continued the challenge to create a better future for everyone. Operating in 43 countries and an anural revenue of €8.3 billion. DNP has pioneered a wide range of business areas by applying and developing technologies based on the printing process, creating indispensable value to daily lives across the globe.
JX Advanced Metals Group is a leading global supplier of advanced materials indispensable to the semiconductor, information and communication technology fields operating in 15 countries. Their materials find use cases in cutting-edge electronic devices such as AI data centres, smartphones, medical instruments, and electric vehicles, contributing to the development of a sustainable economy and society through innovation in materials.
Mitsubishi Heavy Industries (MHI) Group is one of the world’s leading industrial groups operating in over 60 countries, spanning energy, smart infrastructure, industrial machinery, aerospace, and defence. MHI Group combines cutting-edge technology with deep experience to deliver innovative, integrated solutions that help to realise a carbon-neutral world, improve the quality of life and ensure a safer world. The group has more than €27.39 billion in annual revenue and more than 100.000 employees around the globe.
NEC is a leading IT and network technologies company delivering integrated solutions for public and private sectors, with its strengths lying in world-class AI, security, and communications technologies. By leveraging these technologies and NEC BluStellar’s transformation practices, it creates social value through three core business areas: IT services that accelerate the digital transformation of society, social infrastructure that supports people’s daily lives, and emerging businesses that will generate social value in the future. The NEC Group remains committed to creating social value through the power of technology. Operating in more than 50 countries, NEC has more than 100.000 employees worldwide.
Shimizu Corporation was founded in 1804, and is one of Japan’s oldest and leading general contractors with deep expertise in architecture, civil engineering, and urban development. Through its innovation initiative, SHIMZ NEXT, Shimizu actively partners with startups worldwide to co-create solutions in sustainability, digital transformation, and the future of the built environment. Shimizu Corporation operates in Asia, the Middle East, Africa, Europe, and North America with an annual revenue of €11.44 billion and more than 22.000 employees worldwide.
DISCLAIMER: This information is provided in the interest of knowledge sharing and should not be interpreted as the official view of the European Commission, or any other organisation.