Stories of ICMG Group
Supporting the Global Expansion of Startups in Sendai and Tohoku | Now Accepting Applications for the Southeast Asia Expansion Program "STEP for ENTRY"
ICMG Co., Ltd. (Headquarters: Chiyoda-ku, Tokyo, Representative: Hitoshi Funahashi) began accepting applications on Wednesday, July 1, 2026, for "Sendai & Tohoku Expansion Program ~STEP for ENTRY~" (hereafter referred to as "STEP for ENTRY"), an overseas expansion support project commissioned by Sendai City.
This program targets startups based in Sendai and the Tohoku region that are aiming to expand into the Southeast Asian market. Approximately seven companies will be selected to participate in an on-site program in Singapore and Indonesia from Monday, November 2, to Friday, November 6, 2026. The application deadline is noon on Friday, July 17, 2026, and participation is free.
Selected companies will have the opportunity to connect with diverse stakeholders in Singapore and Indonesia—including local startups, venture capital firms, government agencies, operating companies, and universities. The goal is to generate concrete results such as sales channel development, business negotiations, fundraising, and technological alliances. A key feature of this program is that it is not a one-off event, but a comprehensive support program providing hands-on guidance from pre-departure to post-return.
This program is operated by a joint venture between ICMG Co., Ltd. and The 77 Bank, Ltd., commissioned by Sendai City.
From "It's Too Early" to "Acting Now": Why We Stand By Entrepreneurs Venturing from Sendai and Tohoku to Southeast Asia
The phrase "global expansion" may spark inspiration, but in the next moment, many unconsciously hit the brakes, thinking, "It's still too early for us." Entrepreneurs who have cultivated solid technologies and products likely know this hesitation all too well.
The "STEP for ENTRY" program we have launched is designed precisely for those who are standing just one step away from making that leap.
What You Lack to Go Global is Not Technological Capability
Sendai and Tohoku undeniably possess world-class research seeds and products. Yet, a distance remains between them and overseas markets, particularly the rapidly growing Southeast Asian market.
This distance is not caused by a lack of technological superiority. Rather, it is a lack of practical knowledge: live local information, reliable networks, and knowing how to take that "first step." Conversely, we believe that if these missing pieces are provided, Tohoku's startups are more than capable of competing on the global stage.
Global Expansion is Not a "Dot," but a Process of "Taking Root"
What ICMG has always focused on is a company's invisible value that doesn't appear on a balance sheet—namely, intellectual capital. The willpower residing in technology, vision, and the team. How do we connect these to the market and elevate them into tangible results? We have consistently confronted this question.
Global expansion shares the same structure. We view it not as a single "dot" like a one-time pitch or business meeting, but as a continuous process of taking root in the local soil, nurturing relationships, and building a sustainable business. This is exactly why we chose a hands-on "partnership" approach spanning from pre-departure to post-return, rather than hosting a single event.
STEP for ENTRY: On the Ground in Singapore and Indonesia
STEP for ENTRY is a practical program that will select approximately seven startups from Sendai and Tohoku aiming to enter the Southeast Asian market.
Selected companies will travel to Singapore and Indonesia in November 2026 to engage directly with a diverse range of local players.
- Pre-departure: Participants will undergo training to understand the market and business customs.
- On-site: Participants will conduct business hypothesis validation, individual matching, site visits of social implementation cases, and English pitch training.
The core of this program is for participants to bring back the tangible insights that can only be gained on the ground in the actual market. Participation is free, and we plan to provide a travel subsidy of up to 200,000 JPY per company.
Please note that your vision for global expansion does not need to be completely solidified at the time of application. We welcome participants starting from the stage of, "I am interested, but I don't know where to begin."
From Tohoku to the World: Partnering for That First Step
Through the co-creation of knowledge rooted in the local community and a network connected to the global front lines, we will build a solid foundation for Tohoku startups to step out into the world.
We will support your decision to "act now" on the ground as you take on the global challenge.
(Details from last year's program can be found here)
Application Details
- Application Deadline: Friday, July 17, 2026, at Noon (JST)
- How to Apply: Please apply via the entry form below. After document screening, results will be notified by early August 2026.
- Entry Form: https://logoform.jp/form/3PrJ/1583799
- Program Details (Sendai City Official Page): https://www.city.sendai.jp/startup-sogyo/globalhub.html
About ICMG Group
ICMG Group is a business co-creation partner for Japanese companies that delivers solid results through co-creation with diverse stakeholders by visualizing the invisible value of a company's intellectual capital that does not appear on the balance sheet.
For more than 25 years since its establishment, the Group has been providing services in Tokyo, Singapore, Bangalore, Abu Dhabi, Nairobi, San Francisco, Shanghai, and Stockholm, including intellectual capital evaluation, which is the source of corporate value, strategy development based on such evaluation, execution, leadership development, business investment, venture capital We are committed to creating results for Japanese companies by co-creating with our clients in a comprehensive manner, including M&A, UI/UX design, engineering, recruiting, and the establishment and management of joint ventures.
We have also established a joint venture in Singapore with Tokyo Electric Power Company and Chubu Electric Power Company to invest in renewable energy and next-generation infrastructure, and have entered into a partnership with the United Nations UNDP on SDG innovation. In venture capital, we have co-invested in India with top global VC firms such as Sequoia Capital, Google, and Tiger Global Management, etc. In 2023, ICMG Digital will accelerate innovation in society by connecting the paths and visions of the management of Japan's largest companies with the power of digital technology. ICMG Digital, which will accelerate innovation in society by connecting the paths and visions of the management of Japan's largest companies with the power of digital technology.
The core value of the ICMG Group, which has created such diverse value, lies in its Intellectual Capital Management, which has always visualized the invisible value of companies and organizations, envisioned their future vision (Purpose), and realized their value creation.