2025/03/12
On February 28, 2025, at the 6th IP BASE AWARD ceremony held at Bellesalle Shiodome in Tokyo, Keio University's Office of Innovation and Entrepreneurship was awarded the Grand Prix in the Startup Supporter Category.
The IP BASE AWARD, hosted by the Japan Patent Office, recognizes individuals and organizations that have achieved outstanding results in supporting startups utilizing intellectual property (IP). It was launched in fiscal year 2019 and this marks its sixth iteration.
During the announcement of the awards for the Startup Supporter Category, Keio University's Office of Innovation and Entrepreneurship was named the Grand Prix winner. Nobuaki Shindo, Head of the Office of Innovation and Entrepreneurship, accepted the certificate and trophy on stage as the representative.
This award highly recognized the initiatives of the "Keio Startup Incubation Program (KSIP)*" developed by Keio University's Office of Innovation and Entrepreneurship. The deciding factor for the award was the comprehensive support provided, which includes not only business-oriented patent application assistance, customer research, business planning, and fundraising, but also extends to the challenging task of finding management personnel, a common issue in commercialization.
In his acceptance speech, Head Shindo expressed his gratitude for the support from the many stakeholders who have sustained their efforts. He also stated their commitment to continue fostering innovation through the social implementation of university research outcomes and to further develop the university-launched startup ecosystem.
*About the Keio Startup Incubation Program (KSIP)
This program is a university-wide incubation program that supports the founding and growth of deep-tech startups. It targets groups led by faculty, staff, and students aiming to commercialize university research outcomes.
KSIP primarily offers the following support:
1. Personalized, Hands-on Support
Provides customized support tailored to each research seed. Specifically, it offers a startup toolkit, mentoring for setting and achieving team goals, team participation from a pool of business talent, and opportunities for expert consultation and idea validation.
2. A Community for Entrepreneurs to Connect and Share Knowledge and Experiences
Forms a community where researchers aiming to start a business can connect and share knowledge and experiences. In addition to in-person events, it utilizes a digital platform to provide a space for sharing and accumulating knowledge and success stories related to entrepreneurship.