Call for Participants: “GERMINATION REACTOR 2026”

—We are seeking candidates for leadership roles who can combine researchers’ knowledge to create businesses that change the world—

Lifeness Co., Ltd. has been selected by the New Energy and Industrial Technology Development Organization (NEDO), a national research and development corporation, for its fiscal year 2026 “Program to Support the Recruitment of Management Talent for University-Based Startups (MPM)"Following our selection for the Acceleration Track, we will launch 'GERMINATION REACTOR 2026,' a venture builder program designed to develop new business ventures in the deep tech sector in collaboration with researchers from universities and other institutions."

We are now taking on the challenge of creating businesses that address social issues by combining researchers’ technical skills and knowledge with our own ideas and experience.Management CandidatesWe are accepting applications. Both students and working professionals are welcome to apply.

Creating deep-tech startups requires not only outstanding research ideas but also people who can link that potential to societal needs and turn it into a viable business.

This program identifies researchers and research ideas with a strong desire to commercialize their work. Over the course of approximately four months, researchers and prospective business leaders engage in discussions on an equal footing from the earliest stages, combining their respective perspectives and knowledge to develop business hypotheses and build teams aimed at launching startups.

"I want to start a business, but it's hard to stand out with just my own ideas."
"I don't have any technological expertise myself, but I want to take on the challenge of commercializing deep tech."
"I want to combine my own skills and ideas with research findings from other fields to create new business ventures."

We look forward to having such people join us.

[Business Overview]

● Program Details

Participants will take part in a program consisting of six sessions over approximately four months, from the kickoff to the final project presentation.

1. Kickoff Program (Tokyo)

You will articulate the business initiatives you wish to pursue or the social issues you wish to address, and engage in discussions with participating researchers. Based on these discussions, you will then select the researcher with whom you will collaborate on the subsequent program.

2. Business Idea Development Program (4 sessions total; online)

We develop business ideas that contribute to solving social issues by leveraging the expertise and technological innovations possessed by researchers.

As a general rule, for every researcher, approximately three to four management candidates participate, and each considers different business ideas from their own perspective.

In addition to case studies presented by entrepreneurs who have actually launched businesses in the deep tech sector, the program features communicators, venture capitalists, and experts in business strategy, intellectual property strategy, and other fields who will provide support for business concept development.

3. Business Presentation Event (Tokyo)

We will present business ideas developed over the course of approximately four months. Together with experienced entrepreneurs, venture capitalists, and others, we will discuss the next steps toward commercialization, including startup operations, customer validation, and research and development. For teams with promising business plans, we will also consider providing funding after they launch their startups.

● Program Features

• Pre-select researchers and research ideas with a strong desire to commercialize
• Throughout the six-session program, researchers and aspiring business leaders will collaborate to develop business plans.
• Researchers and prospective business leaders engage in discussions as equals from the early stages to co-create new business hypotheses
• Introducing Real-Life Examples of Startup and Commercialization by Deep Tech Entrepreneurs
• Venture capitalists and experts in business strategy, intellectual property strategy, and other fields provide ongoing support throughout the commercialization process
• For teams with promising business plans, we will consider investing after they launch their startups.

[Program Schedule]

counter for games, rounds, etc.	Date and Time	Contents	Event Format
1st	Sunday, October 18, 2026 1:00 PM–5:30 PM	Kickoff / Articulating the direction of the business you wish to pursue; interacting and discussing with researchers	In-Person Event
2nd	Tuesday, November 10, 2026 6:30 p.m. to 9:00 p.m.	Visualizing Your Own Direction / Team Building and Vision Development	online
3rd	Tuesday, December 1, 2026 6:30 p.m. to 9:00 p.m.	Developing Business Concepts and Creating Business Roadmaps by Leveraging Researchers' Knowledge and Networks	online
4th	Tuesday, January 19, 2027 6:30 p.m. to 9:00 p.m.	Communication That Builds Empathy with Customers / Target Audience and Approach Design	online
5th	Tuesday, February 2, 2027 6:30 p.m. to 9:00 p.m.	Presentations That Move People / Creating Business Proposal Presentations	online
Episode 6	Sunday, February 21, 2027 1:00 PM–5:30 PM	Business Pitch Event / Discussions with Entrepreneurs, Venture Capitalists, and Others	In-Person Event

*The 1st and 6th sessions are scheduled to be held at Center of Garage (1-16-3 Yokogawa, Sumida Ward, Tokyo).
*Please note that the program content is subject to change.

[Researchers and Research Projects Scheduled to Participate]

In this program, we select researchers and research ideas from universities and other institutions that demonstrate a strong commitment to commercialization, and participants choose the researchers or research ideas with which they wish to collaborate on developing a business plan.

*Details regarding the research topics will be provided separately to those who have submitted an application.
*Following discussions with researchers during the Kickoff Program, you will select a researcher with whom to collaborate. If you are unable to find a match with a researcher or research topic of interest, you are welcome to withdraw from the program at that time.

[Eligibility]

Individuals—whether students or working professionals—who are interested in commercializing deep tech or starting a business and who meet one of the following criteria:

1. For those who have an idea they want to turn into a business but are struggling to differentiate it from others
2. Individuals who do not possess their own technological ideas but are interested in commercializing deep tech
3. Individuals who wish to combine their own research ideas and concepts with those of others to develop highly innovative solutions

Prior experience in entrepreneurship or research is not required. We welcome individuals who are eager to develop hypotheses alongside researchers and take the initiative to work toward commercialization.

● Capacity

About 24 people
*If we receive a large number of applications, we will conduct a selection process.

● Participation Fee

Free
*Please note that participants are responsible for their own transportation and communication expenses related to the program.

● Application Deadline

Friday, September 18, 2026, at 6:00 p.m.

● How to Enter

Applications for this year's management talent program are now closed.

 

[Information Session for Prospective Applicants]

We will be holding seminars and information sessions for those considering applying to this program, where participants can learn about entrepreneurship in the deep tech field and business creation in collaboration with researchers.

We will also explain how the program works, so if you’d like to get a better sense of what business creation with researchers entails before applying, please feel free to attend. Attendance at the information session is not a prerequisite for entering the program.

Date and Time	Venue	Details & Registration
Wednesday, September 2, 2026, 6:00 p.m. – 7:30 p.m.	Minato City Industrial Promotion Center (Tamachi)	Links
Tuesday, September 8, 2026, 1:00 p.m. – 3:00 p.m.	online	Links

 

[Reference: “Support Program for Securing Management Talent at University-Based Startups (MPM)”]

This NEDO initiative aims to identify individuals who aspire to start their own businesses or join startups as executives, and by facilitating matchmaking between these individuals and university-based technological innovations or university-spun-off startups, to diversify the channels for recruiting management talent for university-spun-off startups and thereby foster their creation and growth.

Lifeness Co., Ltd. was selected for this initiative beginning in fiscal year 2024 and has been working to identify and develop management talent and form management teams in collaboration with researchers. Building on these efforts, the company launched the venture builder program “GERMINATION REACTOR” in 2024 and has been developing a process for researchers and management talent to jointly conceptualize business ventures.

In fiscal year 2026, we will implement this program by leveraging our accumulated knowledge to enable researchers and business executives to collaborate as equals from the earliest stages to develop business hypotheses, and to rapidly form teams and make decisions aimed at commercialization.

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[Contact Information]

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Human Resources Development Division
Contact: Ishizawa and Nishiyama
メール：[email protected]