公益財団法人しまね産業振興財団

What 公益財団法人しまね産業振興財団 does

公益財団法人しまね産業振興財団 (Shimane Industrial Promotion Foundation) is a public interest incorporated foundation established in 1973 and reorganized into its current form in 1999 through the merger of the Shimane Prefecture SME Promotion Corporation and the Shimane Technology Promotion Association. It operates as Shimane Prefecture's designated core support institution (中核的支援機関) under the New Business Promotion Law and as the Prefecture SME Support Center under the SME Support Law, providing comprehensive industrial promotion services to small and medium enterprises (SMEs) within the prefecture. The foundation is headquartered at Techno Arc Shimane in Matsue City, with a regional office in Hamada (Iwami region) and operates multiple specialized centers including ITOC (IT Innovation Center), the Shimane Overseas Business Support Center, and the Professional Human Resources Strategy Base.

The foundation delivers services across a full business lifecycle through seven divisions: Startup and Human Resources Support, Management Support, New Business Support, Sales Channel Support, ITOC, and the Iwami Office, supplemented by the Yorozu Support Headquarters (よろず支援拠点) one-stop consultation service. Core service offerings include free expert dispatch programs (covering honoraria and travel), subsidy and grant application support across approximately 15+ annual programs (covering overseas expansion, IT utilization, decarbonization, ISO certification, web-based sales channels, and DX), exhibition and business matching support (notably the Mechanical Components Technology Expo with 10-17 participating companies per event), startup incubation facilities, and overseas expansion advisory. Underlying technical assets include co-development involvement in mruby/c, an open-source lightweight Ruby implementation for microcontrollers and IoT (versions 1.2, 2.0, and 2.1 released in 2018-2020), and ITOC's specialized training in embedded systems, IoT, and AI for SMEs.

The foundation's revenue model is fundamentally non-commercial: it is primarily funded through national and prefectural government subsidies and commissioned projects, with supplementary revenue from supporting (sponsor) membership fees paid by approximately 20+ partner organizations including Shimane Bank, San-in Godo Bank, JA Shimane, Chugoku Electric Power Shimane, regional credit unions, and the Shimane Credit Guarantee Association. Services to SMEs are provided free of charge or at subsidized rates. The foundation has no parent company, is not publicly listed, and does not raise equity capital; its growth is governed by its public-benefit mandate rather than commercial returns, making it functionally a quasi-governmental economic development agency rather than a market-rate enterprise.

Name

公益財団法人しまね産業振興財団

Legal name

公益財団法人しまね産業振興財団

Website

https://joho-shimane.or.jp

Company type

Private

Founded year

1971

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1–10 employees

Short description

The Shimane Industrial Promotion Foundation (公益財団法人しまね産業振興財団) is a publicly mandated Japanese foundation providing free industrial promotion services — expert dispatch, grants, exhibitions, startup incubation, and overseas expansion support — to SMEs in Shimane Prefecture, funded primarily by government subsidies.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Public-sector SME business support services

NAICS

Professional Organizations (81392), Civic and Social Organizations (813410)

SIC

Services-Membership Organizations (8600)

akta.pro primary industry

Trade, Industry & Economic Development Administration (BPAIAAAL)

akta.pro secondary industries

Economic Growth, Livelihoods & Private Sector Development (BPADAEAE), Investment Promotion & FDI Facilitation (BPADAMAD)

Keywords

• SME business support
• Industrial promotion services
• Expert dispatch programs
• Subsidy grant consulting
• Startup incubation facilities

Headquarters

HQ city

Matsue

HQ country

Japan

HQ region

Asia

Offices3 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Others, Marketing or Sales, Infrastructure

Revenue model

1. Government Subsidies and Commissioned Projects: The foundation operates as a public organization primarily funded through national and prefectural government subsidies, commissioned projects, and administrative grants. Services to businesses are provided free or at minimal cost.
2. Supporting Membership Fees: The foundation accepts supporting (sponsor) members from businesses and organizations who pay membership fees to support the foundation's activities. These include major banks, credit unions, JA groups, and local companies.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels4 records

Marketing channels6 records

Core offering

As a public interest foundation designated by Shimane Prefecture, the organization delivers free or subsidized industrial promotion services to SMEs, including expert dispatch consulting, subsidies and grant application support, exhibition and business matching events, startup incubation, IT/DX support (through ITOC), and overseas expansion advisory. It operates multiple specialized divisions and centers covering the full business lifecycle from startup to global expansion, financed through government subsidies, commissioned projects, and supporting membership fees.

Product overview

公益財団法人しまね産業振興財団 is a public industrial promotion foundation providing comprehensive support services for SMEs in Shimane Prefecture. The organization operates through multiple specialized divisions including the ITOC (IT Innovation Center), Startup & Human Resources Support Division, Management Support Division, New Business Support Division, and Sales Channel Support Division. Key services include expert dispatch programs, subsidy application support, exhibition participation assistance, and the Yorozu Support Headquarters for one-stop business consulting. The foundation also operates incubation facilities including Techno Arc Shimane and Iwami Plateau (いわみぷらっと), and maintains the Shimane Overseas Business Support Center for international business expansion.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• ITOC（ITイノベーションセンター）: IT・ソフトウェア産業支援とIT人材育成に特化した専門組織
• いわみぷらっと
• しまね海外ビジネスサポートセンター
• テクノアークしまね
• 島根県よろず支援拠点

Products and services

• ITOC (IT Innovation Center) IT Innovation Center providing IT support, software development assistance, and digital transformation services for SMEs in Shimane Prefecture, including training in AI, IoT, embedded systems, and Ruby/mruby technologies.
• Expert Dispatch Service (専門家派遣事業) Dispatch of experts including certified business advisors, engineers, and IT specialists to support SME improvements in manufacturing, technology, management, and DX. Speaker honorariums and travel expenses are covered by the foundation.
• Subsidy and Grant Support (助成金・補助金サポート) Support services for applying to various subsidies and grants including IT utilization, overseas expansion, decarbonization, market development, ISO certification, and web-based sales channel expansion.
• Exhibition and Business Matching Support (展示会・商談会支援) Support for participation in specialized exhibitions like the Mechanical Components Technology Expo (機械要素技術展) and business matching events, including collective booth participation for SMEs.
• Yorozu Support Headquarters (よろず支援拠点) Comprehensive consultation service providing one-stop support for all business management concerns of SMEs, staffed by experienced advisors covering management, sales, finance, and operations.
• Shimane Overseas Business Support Center (しまね海外ビジネスサポートセンター) One-stop consultation center for trade and overseas business expansion, integrating support services for international business into the Shimane Prefecture Town and Village Promotion Center.
• Techno Arc Shimane (テクノアークしまね) Industrial support facility in Matsue housing various business support organizations and providing incubation spaces for startups and SMEs.
• Iwami-pla (いわみぷらっと) Incubation facility in Hamada City supporting local entrepreneurs and startups in the Iwami (western Shimane) region with rental offices and consultation services.
• Shimane Entrepreneur School (しまね起業家スクール) Entrepreneurship training program offering structured courses for aspiring and second-time entrepreneurs, with applications accepted for the 27th cohort in 2026.

Quantifiable outcome

• Organizes large-scale trade shows including the Mechanical Components Technology Expo with 10-17 exhibitors per event in Tokyo, Osaka, and Nagoya
• +2 more outcomes

Named customers4 records

Segments4 records

Ideal customer profiles4 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature1 record

Partnerships

Eight partnerships are on record, tiered minor, moderate and core.

• 株式会社岩多屋minorOthers · 1 April 2025Supporting member of the foundation contributing to industrial promotion activities in Shimane Prefecture. Iwataya-net co., ltd.
• 協同組合島根県鐵工会minorOthers · 1 April 2025Supporting member - Iron and steel industry association in Shimane supporting the foundation's activities
• 石見食品株式会社minorOthers · 1 April 2025Supporting member - Iwami Foods company supporting regional industrial promotion
• 中国電力株式会社島根支社minorOthers · 1 April 2025Supporting member - Chugoku Electric Power Shimane branch supporting industrial energy needs
• 島根県農業協同組合出雲地区本部minorOthers · 1 April 2025Supporting member - JA Shimane Izumo district headquarters agricultural cooperative
• 島根大学材料エネルギー学部moderateStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 April 2025Joint research and technology commercialization partnership with university - companies can submit joint research proposals for new technology and material development
• Techno Arc ShimanecoreOthersIndustrial support facility located in Soft Business Park, Matsue - the foundation's headquarters is housed within this facility
• いわみぷらっと（石見産業支援センター）coreOthersIwami Industry Support Center in Hamada - houses the Iwami office and incubation facilities; multiple organizations collaborate for one-stop support

Scale indicators4 records

Recent moves20 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Broad incumbents

• Organization for Small & Medium Enterprises and Regional Innovation, JAPAN (SMRJ / 中小企業基盤整備機構): The national-level quasi-governmental body for SME support in Japan, operating nationwide programs in DX, overseas expansion, startup incubation, and facility management. It is the closest functional analog to SIPF but at national scale, setting the frameworks and subsidies that prefectural foundations like SIPF deliver locally.
• Japan External Trade Organization (JETRO): National government-related organization supporting Japanese SMEs in overseas expansion through market research, trade fairs, and consulting. Closely comparable to SIPF's Overseas Business Support Center functions but at global scale, and often a co-implementation partner for SIPF's international programs.
• Japan Chamber of Commerce and Industry (JCCI / 日本商工会議所): Nationwide network of local chambers providing SME support including consulting, training, and policy advocacy. Operates a parallel regional SME support infrastructure to SIPF and often coordinates with prefectural foundations on program delivery.

Direct peers

• 公益財団法人福岡県中小企業振興センター (Fukuoka SME Promotion Center): Fukuoka's prefectural SME support foundation providing grants, expert dispatch, exhibitions, and startup support under the same public interest incorporated foundation structure. Direct regional peer with overlapping service menu.
• 公益財団法人東京都中小企業振興公社 (Tokyo Metropolitan Industry Promotion Corporation): Public interest foundation providing one-stop SME support services in Tokyo—subsidies, expert dispatch, exhibitions, incubation, overseas support—under a similar legal and operational model to SIPF. Directly comparable as a prefectural/municipal peer running the same designated support institution model.
• 公益財団法人北海道中小企業総合支援センター (Hokkaido SME Comprehensive Support Center): Public interest foundation providing comprehensive SME support across Hokkaido under the same designated prefectural center model. Comparable structure, similar service portfolio (consulting, grants, expert dispatch, overseas), but in a different rural prefecture facing similar demographic challenges.
• 公益財団法人大阪産業局 (Osaka Business Development Agency): Osaka's designated core SME support foundation offering integrated consulting, grants, DX support, overseas expansion, and incubation. Highly comparable as a sister prefectural public interest foundation with the same designated status under Japan's SME support framework.

Emerging players

• Plug and Play Japan: Private accelerator operating corporate-backed startup programs in Japan, overlapping with SIPF's startup incubation and DX services but with venture investment angle. Represents the private-sector alternative that is increasingly competing for the same SME and founder mindshare.

Market position

Strengths4 records

Weaknesses4 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• YouTubeyoutube.com/channel/UCEyJ0ANIsLf2L2y9YzVFvlg
• Facebookfacebook.com/sipf2022
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/%E5%85%AC%E7%9B%8A%E8%B2%A1%E5%9B%A3%E6%B3%95%E4%BA%BA%E3%81%97%E3%81%BE%E3%81%AD%E7%94%A3%E6%A5%AD%E6%8C%AF%E8%88%88%E8%B2%A1%E5%9B%A3

Compliance2 records

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles5 records

Subsidiaries6 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

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M&A

Investments

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Frequently asked questions about 公益財団法人しまね産業振興財団