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Kyoto International Entrepreneurship Contest for University Students

2025

December 12(FRI),13(SAT),14(SUN), 2025,

Kyoto, Japan

The Executive Committee of International Entrepreneurship Contest for University Students

1.Main Purpose

The Kyoto International Entrepreneurship Contest is a business plan competition for multinational university students. It will be held on December 12(FRI),13(SAT),14(SUN) 2025, Kyoto, Japan. It will be the 10th competition and the 1st was held in Kyoto in May, 2018. We will invite overseas university students and hold a contest here in Kyoto with Japanese university students. We believe that the spirit of innovation is vital to the development of young minds.  This contest will not only provide a platform for cutting-edge business ideas, but also bring great opportunities of investment with the support of excellent business partners.

Kyoto is a world-renowned city for its cultural heritage sites, traditional arts, and delicious cuisine.  At the same time, Kyoto is also one of the key economic and academic centers in Japan.  It is home to the headquarters of leading Japanese multinational corporations and manufacturers including Nintendo, Omron and Kyocera, as well as top ranking universities including Kyoto University, Doshisha University, and Ritsumeikan University. All of these factors contribute signicantly to the city’s economy, making it the perfect place for flourishing exciting ideas and new capital ventures.

 Kyoto is also facing various challenges nowadays, such as aging society, low birthrate, conflicts with globalization, and cultural heritage issues.  However, reversely such challenges provide huge opportunities for the long term development of Kyoto. We hope this contest will inspire energetic and creative young minds to bring new innovative ideas to the development of Kyoto, and contribute to the solutions to social problems. 

 In the era of change and challenge, especially with respect to human society and technological developement,we encourage the young generation to use the International Entrepreneurship Contest 2025 as a platform for their voices, and show this world a better future with the spirits of collaboration, unity, innovation and integrity.
 

2. Institutional Framework(2024 results)

Host

Education Development Allians

 

Organizer

KANU NIPPON

Global Education Service Co., Ltd

IKUTA Global Co., Ltd.

 

Co-organizer

Kyoto Prefecture, Kyoto City

Kyoto Chamber of Commerce and Industry

Japan External Trade Organization(JETRO)

Organization for Small & Medium Enterprises and Regional Innovation, Kinki Japan

Kyoto Chiesangyo Sozonomori

Kyoto Research Park

Kyoto University Original Co., Ltd

 

Supporter

Kyoto Industrial Support Organization 21

Kyoto Association of Corporate Executives

Kyoto Shisaku Net

KISEIREN

Global Consolidated Research Institute for Science Wisdom, Waseda University

 

Sponsors

The Bank of Kyoto, Ltd.

The Kyoto Shinkin Bank

Murata Machinery, Ltd.

IKUTA Manufacturing Equipment Corporation

Rentong Corporation

Zhejiang Gabriel Biotechnology co .,Ltd

3. Entry Requirements

The projects shall be creative and present relatively mature product prototypes or service modes.  The content of the business plan must be closely related to the future development of society in the real world. The entries shall include one or more of the following topics:

①Technology, media, telecommunication

②Health, biomedicine

③Environmental improvement, new energy

④Traditional culture, cultural creativity

There is no limitation to the type of business model or industry.  However, any plans that are contrary to public policy or deemed morally unacceptable will not permitted.

 

 

4. Qualification of Participants

Students must participate as a team. Participating team members must be college, university, or graduate students, or vocational school students in their fourth or fifth year.  Each team must have no less than 4 members, and up to a maximum of 8 members.

 

5. Rules of the Contest

Entries will first be selected based on the initial profile submission.  Qualifying teams will be invited to compete in the preliminary and final contest in Kyoto.

   

Language

Initial profile submission: English

Presentation: English (including question and answer session)

 

Presentation

Time Limits

10 minutes for the presentation

10 minutes for the question and answer (Q&A) session

Prepare your presentation by PowerPoint.

The presentation shall be delivered by every team member or a representative.  During the Q&A session, you may consult with your team members before answering each question. PowerPoint and all the details about this contest should be sent by email on December 5 , 2025.

 

6. Schedule

Registration Deadline: October 10, 2025

 

Qualifying teams based on the initial profile selection will be notified by email on October 15, 2025

The schedule for the contest on December 12(FRI),13(SAT), 14(SUN).


★December 12th    Pre-event information session
★December 13th    Presentation Guidance from Experts
★December 14th    Presentation and awards ceremony
   ※Accommodation in Kyoto will be provided by the organizing committee for those who passed the document screening. (Only for those living outside the Kinki region)
   ※Please bear the transportation costs individually

 

7.Awarding Criteria

8. Registration Guidelines

Complete the Specified Form (link below) in English, convert it to PDF format (file size must be less than 3Mb), and

email the PDF file to: info@kyoto.academy

The subject of the email and name of the PDF file shall follow the examples below.

Subject:                [IECO2025] University Name

PDF file name:     [IECO2025] University Name_Title of Business Plan

※Reference material: Within 5 pages.

 

Provisional RegistrationDeadline : October 10, 2025

9. Awards

Grand Prize  300,000yen

Sponsored Award 200,000yen
Sponsored Award 100,000yen

The award-winning projects will receive an award certificate. Excellent business plans have the opportunity to receive angel investment.

10. Disclaimers​

The proposed business plan is the intellectual property right of the proposing team.

 

The proposed business plan must be the original work of the proposing team.  Any consequences arising from intellectual property rights infringement shall be the responsibility of the relevant individual or team.  If the work of an individual or a team is considered to have violated other’s intellectual property rights, the team will be disqualified, and all awards will be rescinded.

 

Summaries of business plans will be featured on the internet. Therefore, in order to protect personal intellectual property, a formal patent application can be made in advance if necessary. In addition, if the business plan is based on new technology or commodity, please confirm whether there are any similar products or technologies in the market in advance to avoid any possible intellectual property rights infringement issues.

Please note that organizers have the right to publish business plans of each team participating in the competition.

The submitted business plan and related materials will not be returned. Please prepare your backup in advance.

 

Only those who have passed the document screening will be contacted by the registered e-mail address or by phone.

In principle, if you have to be absent due to unavoidable reasons, please contact us.

※This event will be held under the requirements for holding the event according to the national and local governments.

®​ie Education

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