— About
About MakiChalleAbout MakiChalle
MakiChalle (Makinohara City Challenge Business Contest) is a regional open innovation event that invites business plans from Japan and abroad to develop their ventures by leveraging Makinohara City's regional resources.
— Mission
Our Mission & Vision
We invite business plans from startups across Japan and around the world that aim to grow their businesses alongside the community by leveraging Makinohara City's regional resources (industry and tourism). This is an acceleration program aimed at regional open innovation, evaluating business plans that include collaboration proposals with existing local companies (including government).
MakiChalle is not about the event itself — its purpose is to have startups actually collaborate with local businesses and develop their ventures after the event. Past editions have given birth to new businesses including M-Weddings (a wedding business through regional collaboration), Midwest Composites (successful prototyping of automotive parts using waste tea trees), and Shincom Agritech (converting abandoned tea gardens into lemon orchards).
Regional Open Innovation
We invite business plans that include collaboration proposals with designated local sponsor companies. Plans that contribute to regional industry and tourism development through business growth are welcome.
Global Scale
168 companies from 11 countries participated. Together with 31 sponsors including regional SMEs, the event has grown into an unprecedented global event from a regional city.
Post-Event Support
We hold meetings with nearly all finalists and semifinalists, with government officials and operating company attending collaboration candidate meetings. Over 30 companies received follow-up support in MakiChalle 2024.
Makinohara Incubation Center
Opened in September 2023. A shared office with accounting firm functions where you can receive free accounting and tax guidance, financial institution consultations, and expert advice. Makinohara City subsidizes part of the usage fees for MakiChalle applicant companies.
— History
Our Journey
1st MakiChalle
17 sponsors, 91 entries (10 from overseas). Grand Prize: S.Lab (Ukraine), Runner-up: Food Medic (Osaka).
2nd MakiChalle
23 sponsors, 131 entries (25 from overseas). Grand Prize: ParaLux (Fukuoka). ParaLux established M-Weddings Inc. with local partners and started a wedding business leveraging Makinohara's scenery.
3rd MakiChalle
27 sponsors, 149 entries (40 from overseas). Grand Prize: Midwest Composites (Malaysia). Midwest Composites succeeded in developing proprietary pellets blending kenaf and waste tea trees, completing a prototype of tea-based automotive interior parts at a Makinohara injection molding factory.
4th Edition — Largest Ever
31 sponsors, 168 entries (73 from overseas). Grand prize increased to 2 million yen to celebrate the city's 20th anniversary. Grand Prize: roly-poly Organics (Shizuoka).
5th MakiChalle
Now accepting entries.
— Organizers