FY2026 Yamanashi Regional Issue-Solving Startup Support Grant

1) Overview: The Yamanashi Regional Issue-Solving Startup Support Grant (FY2026, R8) supports entrepreneurs and second-stage founders launching innovation-led businesses in Yamanashi Prefecture that address regional challenges (revitalization, town-making, depopulation, mobility for the disadvantaged, child-rearing, environment, social welfare, tourism, etc.). Around 13 projects are planned for adoption. The secretariat is Machi-no-toolbox (Tsuru City). First-round entries due 11 June 2026 17:00. 2) Eligibility: Two tracks. (A) New founders who file an individual business notification or incorporate (KK, GK, gomei, goshi, NPO, cooperative, etc.) between 1 April 2026 and 31 December 2026. (B) Successors or second-founders running socially-oriented Society 5.0 businesses during the same window. Applicants in both tracks must reside in Yamanashi or plan to do so by project completion, register the business in Yamanashi, be free of litigation/compliance issues, have no ties to anti-social forces, and complete a prior consultation with a Chamber of Commerce, JFC or equivalent. Large enterprises and deemed-large enterprises are excluded. 3) Eligible expenses: Personnel (directly engaged employees only — excludes representatives and officers), store/office rent, equipment (unit price >= JPY 50k, generally < JPY 500k), raw materials, leases, IP-related fees, honoraria, travel (capped lodging rates), outsourcing, consignment (websites generally < JPY 500k), marketing research, PR. Only expenses contracted on/after grant decision and paid within the project period qualify. New construction, building-structure works, vehicles, real estate, consumables, utilities, communications fees, etc. are out of scope. 4) Rate / cap / schedule: Subsidy rate 1/2 or less; cap JPY 2,000,000. Project period: grant-decision date through 31 December 2026. Timeline: 11 Jun entry deadline → 17 Jun document review → 26 Jun online presentation review → 29 Jun–4 Jul candidate hearings → 12 Jul grant decision & mentoring kickoff → 31 Dec completion → 8 Jan 2027 performance report → mid-Jan/mid-Feb final inspection and reimbursement (paid retrospectively). Required documents: Form 1 application, business plan (Annex 1-(1)), anti-social-forces pledge (1-(2)), residency pledge (1-(3)), residence certificate, checklist (Annex 2), and entity proofs. Submit by form or postal mail only (no walk-in, no email). Bonus scoring for Linear Yamanashi Vision domains (clean energy, life science, smart agri, etc.), advanced tech (AI/IoT/VR/drone/blockchain), tourism focus, land-operator businesses, and relocations from other prefectures.