If you are a hardware startup in New York, apply to learn high-quality manufacturing in Japan

--

FabFoundry updated details of our first batch (Summer 2016) for Monozukuri Bootcamp, a newly introduced accelerating program that brings access to high-quality manufacturing expertise to hardware startups.

If you are a hardware startup looking for better manufacturing, please apply to the program by June 10th. In the week of May 30th, we plan to host a meeting in New York for questions and answers.

Program in New York and Japan

The term Monozukuri means “making things” in Japanese, but the Monozukuri concept has more more meaning than making things The concept has been distributed around the world by “made in Japan” products, which are well-known for distinguished quality. The Monozukuri Bootcamp program is for startups to access resources to incorporate the spirit of Monozukuri manufacturing from experts not only in Japan but around the world.

Beginning in July, the program for the first batch is composed of two integrated activities in Japan and New York — Manufacturing Bootcamp in Kyoto and Product Exhibition in New York. The whole program is still in the proof-of-concept stage, but we are sure this program will bring hardware startups tremendous findings for a success. The program includes:

  • Hardware Boot Camp in Japan. From early July through late August, selected teams will be located in Kyoto, Japan, to refine products with prototype experts. Makers Boot Camp, a leading hardware accelerator in Japan, will coordinate all the assistance needed for manufacturing design for participating teams.
  • Product Exhibition in New York. After the boot camp in Japan, the teams will come back to New York and market their products for direct feedback from not only advisors but real sophisticated people in New York at the Monozukuri Exhibition, where they can make interactive demos of their products and get direct feedback.
  • Two Demo Days, in Japan and New York. During the stay in Kyoto, the participating teams are eligible to join the Demo Day for Makers Boot Camp’s local startups, in order to get connected with investors and strategic partners in Japan. The second Demo Day will take place in New York City in the end of the Monozukuri Exhibition.

Collaborating with Communities in NYC

FabFoundry always collaborates with existing communities, as we always want to be a part of the startup ecosystem for improvement and sustainability. For this initiative, we are collaborating with local communities in New York as well as in Japan to make the program happen and sustain.

As a beginning, we started working with the team for IBM’s Global Entrepreneur Program to get more local communities involved in our initiative.

The Program for Summer 2016 has three steps:

  • May and June: We accept applications until June 6th. Before we make the final decision, we plan to have Co-working Day in the week of May 30th, co-hosted by IBM, in New York City. Please feel free to contact to us for further information as necessary.
  • July and August: The selected teams will go to Japan before or after the July 4th holiday. Makers Boot Camp will be providing one-to-one customized mentorship to local startups. The teams from New York can benefit not only from hands-on sessions with manufacturing experts but also from meet up with local entrepreneurs. The Demo Day for the program is scheduled for beginning of August and the teams from New York are welcome to join it, in order to network with local investors and strategic partners.
  • September and October: The teams will go back to New York and prepare for the Monozukuri Exhibition, an open space to demo their product and get direct feedback from the real market including mentors and investors. In the end of the exhibition. the Demo Day is scheduled to connect with local investors and strategic partners.

You can apply even if you participate in another accelerator! The FAQ is also available on the Monozukuri Bootcamp page including the link to the application form.

We will update of the program, so please follow us on Medium, Twitter and/or Facebook!

--

--

Founding Partner@Monozukuri Ventures (fka FabFoundry), Ex-exec@Six Apart, Chief@Movable Type & Staff Editor@Nikkei. MBA@Carnegie Mellon & BS@University of Tokyo