Growth Strategy Fund Startup Creation Support Project (F/S Support)

This is the F/S (Feasibility Study) Support track of the Growth Strategy Fund Startup Creation Support Project, operated by the Ishikawa Industrial Promotion Organization (ISICO). It supports startups expected to drive Ishikawa Prefecture's future economy by commercializing innovative technologies, including university research seeds, and bringing them to social implementation. Unlike conventional incremental founding, the program targets startups pursuing rapid global growth through novel technology or business models. Eligible applicants must (a) plan to register a business or head/branch office in Ishikawa within 3 years after the recruitment fiscal year (by 31 March 2030), OR (b) as of 1 April 2026 be within 5 years of founding, already registered in Ishikawa, and qualify as an SME under the Small and Medium Enterprise Basic Act. So-called deemed-large enterprises (>50% owned by one large company, etc.) are excluded. Applicants must have no compliance issues and no ties to anti-social forces; minors require legal guardian consent. Eligible projects are one of: (1) market research, (2) patent research, (3) proof-of-concept, or (4) prototype development. Eligible expenses include raw materials, travel, honoraria, machinery/equipment, IP acquisition, outsourcing, analysis, office expenses, survey/marketing, consignment, and other expenses approved by the chairman. Consumption tax, bank transfer fees, rent/utilities, in-house personnel costs, and franchise fees are NOT eligible. The subsidy rate is a fixed-rate subsidy (up to 10/10 of eligible expenses), with a maximum amount of JPY 1,000,000 (rounded down to the nearest 1,000 yen). Project duration is within 1 year of the grant decision (multi-fiscal-year permitted). Application period: 20 April 2026 (Mon) to 16:00 on 12 June 2026 (Fri). Document review in early July, adoption decisions in mid-August (approx. 5 projects). Submission is by mail or post only (no FAX). Within the same fiscal year, applicants may only apply to either F/S Support or Acceleration Support, not both.