The Austrian Federal Government also did some networking for startups as part of an Asia trip. In Japan, a new partnership was signed between the Global Incubator Network Austria, GIN for short, and the Japanese startup hub EdgeOf. The GIN is led by aws and FFG and is intended to help startups with various programs and partnerships in internationalization. So far, GIN is active alongside Japan in Israel, Hong Kong, Singapore, South Korea and China.
“GIN Austria and EdgeOf will provide networking for the two ecosystems under the cooperation agreement. This will make it easier for Austrian startups to internationalize to Japan”, says Minister of Economic Affairs Margarete Schramböck. The partnership was sealed by a “Memorandum of Understanding” – such was already signed in 2018 with Tokyo itself.
In Japan’s startup district Shibuya
EdgeOf itself was founded in 2018 and has moved into an eight-story building with a hip roof terrace in the startup district of Shibuya. The self-proclaimed “GameChanger Studio” primarily helps foreign start-ups set up a branch in Japan. Companies that use the “Company Builder” can also use sound and video studios and a show kitchen there. The EdgeOf has often had high state visits, including from Sweden.
The word of the founder
“Cooperation between Asia and Austria makes a significant contribution to strengthening Austria as a business location. Not least because of the large number of large companies, Japan is a lucrative market for startups, which is particularly convincing in the high-tech industry”, says Managing Director Bernhard Sagmeister. However, Japan is also a very difficult, closed market – the new partnership with EdgeOf could ease market entry for Austrian startups.
Also published on Medium.