Plug and Play Japan

What Plug and Play Japan does

Plug and Play Japan is the Japanese operating affiliate of Plug and Play Tech Center, a global startup accelerator and corporate innovation platform. Founded in 2017 and headquartered in Shibuya, Tokyo, the entity runs with a 77-person headcount and serves as the in-country interface between the global Plug and Play ecosystem — comprising startups, corporate partners, and investors — and the Japanese market. Its functional role within that ecosystem is consistent with Plug and Play's broader model: curating and running accelerator cohorts, brokering startup–corporate pilots and partnerships, and facilitating early-stage investment activity in Japan.

No detail on specific accelerator verticals, cohort counts, fund vehicles, corporate partner logos, or program economics is present in the supplied source material. Likewise, the technical platform underlying program operations, the composition of the investment vehicle, and the breadth of verticals covered (fintech, insurtech, mobility, retail, etc.) are not disclosed. Headcount of 77 versus a 2017 founding date suggests a deliberate local build-out rather than a token rep-office structure, but the entity's specific footprint within Japan — regional programs, office locations beyond Shibuya, or industry specialization — is not specified.

On revenue mechanics, no direct data is available. Typical Plug and Play subsidiary economics derive from a mix of corporate sponsorship for accelerator programs, equity participation in accelerated startups, and fee-based services to corporate partners; whether Plug and Play Japan operates a parallel local fund, how program fees are structured, or what portion of revenue is recognized locally versus at the parent is not disclosed. The source corpus contains no customer logos, no partnership announcements, no leadership bios, no patent or trademark activity, no funding-round data, no M&A history, and no AI/ML product surface — significant data gaps for any investment-grade assessment of the Japanese subsidiary specifically.

Name

Plug and Play Japan

Website

https://japan.plugandplaytechcenter.com

Company type

Private

Headcount range

51–100 employees

Short description

Plug and Play Japan is the Tokyo-based Japanese affiliate of Plug and Play Tech Center, operating a 77-person startup accelerator and corporate innovation platform connecting Japanese startups, corporates, and investors within the global Plug and Play ecosystem.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales

Core offering

Plug and Play Japan is a Tokyo-based technology innovation entity operating as part of the global Plug and Play Tech Center network. Founded in 2017, the firm runs startup acceleration and innovation programs connecting startups, corporations, and investors within the Japanese market. Its operations are anchored in Shibuya, Tokyo and supported by a team of 77 employees.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Technology focussed Yes

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Recent moves1 record

Expansion highlights2 records

Broad incumbents

• Y Combinator: The largest global accelerator; a broad incumbent in the same category that Japanese founders increasingly apply to, indirectly defining competitive benchmarks for Plug and Play Japan's program value.

Direct peers

• SOSV: Multi-stage global accelerator running vertical-specific programs (e.g., HAX for hardware, IndieBio); a comparable operating model with cohort-based founder support and corporate-sponsor engagement.
• Techstars: Global early-stage accelerator with an active Japan presence; runs multi-cohort programs anchored by corporate sponsors — the same operating model as Plug and Play Japan.
• Wayra (Telefónica): Corporate-backed global innovation platform with multiple country hubs; a direct analogue to Plug and Play's corporate-sponsor-led accelerator model.
• Antler: Global founder-fellowship and early-stage investor with a dedicated Japan program (Antler Japan); competes for the same founder pool and corporate partnerships in Tokyo.
• MassChallenge: Global zero-equity accelerator with corporate-sponsored programs; competes for the same 'non-dilutive program + corporate sponsor' value proposition as Plug and Play.
• Startupbootcamp: Global accelerator network running vertical-specific programs with corporate partners; competes for founder deal flow and corporate innovation budgets in Japan-adjacent APAC markets.
• 500 Global (formerly 500 Startups): Global accelerator and seed investor with Japan operations; targets the same early-stage Japanese startup ecosystem with cohort-based programs and corporate partnerships.

Regional players

• Mitsubishi UFJ Capital: Japan-based venture arm of MUFG with accelerator and seed investment activity; competes for both founders and corporate open-innovation mandates in the Japanese market.
• KDDI Mugen Lab: Domestic Japanese corporate accelerator run by KDDI; a key regional competitor targeting Japanese founders with telecom-sector corporate sponsor value-add.

Market position

Strengths4 records

Weaknesses4 records

Competitive moat3 records

Key risks4 records

Key highlights4 records

Customer concentration

• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/plugandplayjapan

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Plug and Play Japan