Program Description

The Israel Innovation Authority together with Japanese research institute – ATR (Advanced Telecommunications Research Institute International) who are leading the creation of an ecosystem in Keihanna Science City, invite Israeli companies to apply for Keihanna Global Acceleration Program Plus Batch 14.4.

Keihanna Acceleration Program Plus (KGAP+) is organized by Advanced Telecommunications Research Institute International (ATR), a leading institute driving the innovation ecosystem in Keihanna Science City, located between Kyoto, Osaka, and Nara in Japan.

Launched in 2019, the program provides tailored mentoring, pitch events, B2B meetings, and market insights to help startups from around the world find business partners and expand into the Japanese market. To date, KGAP+ has supported 210 startups from 25 countries across 16 sectors, with an average of 8.8 potential partners introduced per startup and 65% achieving positive progress toward PoC, pilot testing, or collaboration.

Startups are expected to have a PoC-level product or service and a strong motivation to enter Japan and may apply through global partner organizations.

Keihanna Science City is emerging as the “Post-Expo City,” set to carry on the legacy of Expo 2025 Osaka, Kansai.  To learn more about the program, visit its website. This initiative offers selected Israeli companies a one-of-a-kind opportunity to participate in a webinar and present their technology to leading companies and entities from Japan and other global partners. Winners of this webinar will be able to participate in the Keihanna Global Acceleration Program Plus Batch 14.

Funding

• Hands-on support to startups in a friendly city in Kyoto, Japan
• Securing partners for PoC or pilots
• Expand business in the Japanese market according to their needs

Criteria

• Participation is open to companies of all technological sectors who are currently in the stage of Pilot/PoC.
• ATR will review all the applications and will choose 8-10 companies to participate in the next stage – the Pitch event.
• The Criteria follow the specific needs of ATR and their partners.
• We will inform all the applicants about the results by January 8, 2026, and all the finalists by January 18, 2026.

Precondition

• Participation is open to companies of all technological sectors who are currently in the stage of Pilot/PoC
• Applicants must be performing R&D activities, registered in Israel, and the companies should operate in Israel

Application Process

• Submission deadline for the application form is December 20th, 2025.
• Please submit your application ASAP here.
• Please expect to receive an update by January 8, 2026.
• The pitch event will take place on January 13, 2026. ·
• Accelerator opening: January 19, 2026 (online).

Please note: The Israel Innovation Authority is not a party to the decision-making process. For more information, please check this link.

Note: 

The Innovation Authority reserves the sole discretion to change any of the dates listed in this call for proposals, by a notice to be published on the Authority’s website – on the call for proposals page, including postponing any of the dates, as long as it has not yet passed.  

It is the responsibility of the proposers to update from time to time the Innovation Authority’s website, regarding date postponements, or updates, changes, notices, or clarifications that will be in connection with the competitive process.