FY2026 Hiroshima Prefecture Hilly-and-Mountainous Area Problem-Solving Startup Support Grant

1) Project overview: Hiroshima Prefecture provides this grant to individuals who, using the prefecture's hilly-and-mountainous areas as their business field, undertake start-up, business succession, or 'second-foundation' projects aimed at solving regional issues. The scheme has two pillars: (a) a startup-support grant covering part of the costs of starting a business, and (b) hands-on 'companion-style' support such as help drafting business plans and management consultation. Eligible business fields are social-business categories in Hiroshima's hilly-and-mountainous areas: either start-ups that use digital technologies to solve regional issues, or business successions / second-foundations in Society 5.0-related high-value-added industries that leverage digital technology. Examples include unique product development using regional resources, and new businesses developing or selling AI/IoT products or services. 2) Target applicants: Applicants must satisfy all of the following: (1) live in Hiroshima Prefecture, or plan to move there by the project completion date (end of December); (2) between the public-call start date and the completion date, file an individual-business notification of opening or establish a corporation and become its representative (including business succession and second-foundation cases); (3) register the corporation or file the sole-proprietor opening notification in Hiroshima — except that, in business-succession or second-foundation cases, an out-of-prefecture registration is acceptable if the project is confirmed to be implemented in Hiroshima's hilly-and-mountainous areas. 3) Eligible expenses / subsidy content: A wide range of expenses are recognised: personnel costs, store rent, equipment costs, raw materials, lease fees, IP-related costs, honoraria, travel, outsourcing, commissioning, marketing-research costs, and PR costs, etc. The design covers the variety of costs typical of early-stage start-ups. The targeted business areas are digitally enabled social businesses solving regional issues, or Society 5.0-related high-value-added industries. Alongside the grant, the programme offers companion-style support (planning + consultation). 4) Subsidy rate / cap / schedule / application points: Cap = 2,000,000 yen; subsidy rate = within 1/2 of eligible expenses. Application periods: 1st deadline Friday, 26 June 2026; 2nd deadline Wednesday, 29 July 2026 (the second window may be cancelled depending on the 1st-round status). Details are on the secretariat website (operated by LTS Co., Ltd.). Contact (secretariat): LTS Co., Ltd., 080-4936-9408, pj_hiroshima-kigyoshien@lt-s.jp. Prefecture department: Hilly-and-Mountainous Area Promotion Division, 082-513-2636.