This event organised by STOA together with the Japanese STS forum, aims to look into one of the key questions facing the economic competitiveness of both EU and Japan: how to bridge a strong research ecosystem with successful commercialisation of innovations through globally competitive start-ups. Featuring stakeholders from both regions, the goal is to identify key challenges, opportunities, and strategies that can support the growth of deep-tech start-ups and deepen EU-Japan cooperation.
The first panel will examine the challenges faced by deep-tech start-ups in scaling and expanding internationally. Speakers from Europe and Japan will share their perspectives on how to tackle structural barriers including access to finance, regulatory differences, market entry constraints, and talent mobility across regions. The session will also consider how start-ups position themselves in an increasingly complex geopolitically landscape.
The second panel will shift focus to funding mechanisms and strategies that enable start-ups to scale beyond domestic markets. Drawing on practical experiences, various stakeholders will share insights into the approaches that support scaling start-ups, including funding strategies, ecosystem development, and policy frameworks. The discussion will touch on the importance of fostering a supportive ecosystem for start-ups to thrive, including collaboration between academia and industry, and identify actionable pathways for strengthening EU-Japan cooperation.