What Web3 Salon does

Web3 Salon is a privately held initiative, founded in 2025 and headquartered at JETRO Headquarters in Tokyo, that connects Japanese Web3, blockchain, AI, DeFi, and NFT startups with global venture capital and institutional investors. It is jointly backed by the Japan External Trade Organization (JETRO) and Asia Web3 Alliance Japan, giving it quasi-governmental and industry-consortium affiliation unusual for a private accelerator. The organization serves both sides of its curated market: Japanese startups seeking international capital and visibility, and overseas VCs and institutional investors seeking pipeline into Japan's Web3 sector.

The platform's core products are Web3 Salon – VC Connect (an invite-only pitch event series hosted at JETRO's 7th-floor venue and certified under Japan FinTech Week), the Web3 VC Group (a network of 100+ investors and corporate VCs with 150+ mentors and 40+ workshops), and the Japan Financial Infrastructure Innovation Program (JFIIP), a venture studio-led national accelerator launched in December 2025 with Ripple Labs, Mizuho Bank, SMBC Nikko Securities, Securitize Japan, and HIRAC FUND, focused on enterprise-grade digital finance solutions on the XRP Ledger. Supporting infrastructure includes Lu.ma for event registration, LinkedIn/X for community engagement, and an email newsletter; there is no proprietary software, API, or SDK.

The business model is non-transactional: participation is free for both startups and investors, and revenue is not publicly disclosed. Capital inflows are sponsor and grant-style rather than product revenue — most notably a USD $1,000,000 strategic partnership with Taisu Ventures announced in March 2025, plus a USD $30,000 JFIIP prize pool. With 1–10 employees, Web3 Salon operates as a public-private partnership platform whose growth is driven by institutional sponsorship and event throughput rather than commercial product sales.

Name

Web3 Salon

Legal name

Web3 Salon

Website

https://web3salon.or.jp

Company type

Private

Founded year

2025

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1–10 employees

Short description

Web3 Salon is a JETRO-backed Tokyo initiative that connects Japanese Web3, blockchain, and fintech startups with global venture capital through invite-only pitch events, an investor VC Group, and the JFIIP accelerator built with Ripple and major Japanese financial institutions.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Headquarters

HQ city

Akasaka

HQ country

Japan

HQ region

Asia

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Operations, Personnel, Marketing or Sales, Technology or R&D

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels1 record

Marketing channels4 records

Core offering

Web3 Salon is an invite-only platform that connects Japanese Web3, blockchain, AI, DeFi, and NFT startups with global venture capitalists and institutional investors through curated pitch events held at JETRO Headquarters in Tokyo. It operates the Web3 VC Group investor network and runs the Japan Financial Infrastructure Innovation Program (JFIIP), a venture studio-led accelerator that provides mentorship, institutional partner access, and grant funding to startups building regulated digital finance solutions on the XRP Ledger.

Product overview

Web3 Salon is a multi-faceted platform and accelerator operated in partnership with JETRO and Asia Web3 Alliance Japan. The core offering consists of Web3 Salon – VC Connect, an invite-only platform connecting Japanese Web3 startups with global investors through pitch events and networking. This is complemented by the Japan Financial Infrastructure Innovation Program (JFIIP), a venture studio-led accelerator focused on XRP Ledger-based fintech solutions. The platform also operates a Web3 VC Group for investor networking and has established a strategic partnership with Taisu Ventures committing $1 million to fund Japanese Web3 startups. The ecosystem collectively supports 100+ investors/CVCs, 150+ professional mentors, and 40+ workshops, positioning Japan as a global blockchain hub.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• Japan Financial Infrastructure Innovation Program (JFIIP): A venture studio-led national acceleration initiative designed to empower next-generation Web3 and FinTech startups to build regulated, enterprise-grade digital finance solutions on the XRP Ledger.

Products and services

• Web3 Salon – VC Connect An invite-only matchmaking platform that connects Japanese Web3 startups with global venture capitalists and investors, enabling startups to pitch projects for funding and partnerships. Designed for early-stage Web3, blockchain, AI, DeFi, and NFT startups seeking international exposure.
• Japan Financial Infrastructure Innovation Program (JFIIP) A venture studio-led national acceleration program that empowers next-generation Web3 and FinTech startups to build regulated, enterprise-grade digital finance solutions on the XRP Ledger, providing hands-on mentorship, institutional partner access, and grant funding.
• Web3 VC Group A networking community bringing together Japanese and global venture capitalists, institutional investors, and Web3 startups to foster collaboration and investment opportunities across blockchain, AI, DeFi, and NFTs.
• Web3 Salon Pitch Events Live, in-person events held at JETRO Headquarters in Tokyo featuring curated startup pitch sessions, panel discussions, FireChat conversations, and networking opportunities with industry leaders and institutional investors.

Quantifiable outcome

• Funding pool of USD $1 million committed through Taisu Ventures partnership for Japanese Web3 startups.
• +1 more outcomes

Segments1 record

Ideal customer profiles2 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Partnerships

Six partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• Japan External Trade Organization (JETRO)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerJETRO is the primary institutional backer of Web3 Salon, providing government affiliation, venue access (JETRO Headquarters, 7th Floor, Tokyo), and organizational support. Web3 Salon operates as a JETRO-backed initiative to position Japan as a global Web3 leader.
• Ripple LabscoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerRipple Labs is a main partner in the Japan Financial Infrastructure Innovation Program (JFIIP), providing technical, business, and funding support. The program empowers Japanese startups to build regulated, enterprise-grade digital finance solutions on the XRP Ledger, with Ripple providing fast-track access to its grant ecosystem.
• Asia Web3 Alliance JapancoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerAsia Web3 Alliance Japan co-organizes the Japan Financial Infrastructure Innovation Program (JFIIP) alongside Web3 Salon and JETRO, advancing blockchain adoption, policy advocacy, and ecosystem development in Japan by connecting startups, investors, and regulators.
• Mizuho BankminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerMizuho Bank provides mentorship to JFIIP startups, offering banking industry expertise and guidance on enterprise requirements and real-world use cases for compliant financial infrastructure on the XRP Ledger.
• SMBC Nikko SecuritiesminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerSMBC Nikko Securities provides mentorship to JFIIP startups, contributing securities industry expertise to help startups develop enterprise-ready financial solutions and prepare for institutional adoption.
• Securitize JapanminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerSecuritize Japan provides mentorship to JFIIP startups, offering expertise in security tokenization and compliance frameworks for digital asset solutions built on the XRP Ledger.

Scale indicators7 records

Recent moves5 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Direct peers

• Outlier Ventures: Outlier Ventures is a leading global Web3 accelerator and venture builder focused on early-stage token-based projects. It runs cohort-based programs similar to Web3 Salon's JFIIP and VC Connect, providing funding, mentorship, and investor introductions to Web3 founders.
• Alliance DAO: Alliance DAO is a Web3-native accelerator and venture DAO that runs cohort-based programs for crypto startups, providing mentorship, capital, and community. It is directly comparable to Web3 Salon as a cohort-driven Web3 founder support platform.
• Binance Labs: Binance Labs is the venture and incubation arm of Binance, running a global Web3 accelerator that funds and mentors early-stage blockchain startups. It is directly comparable to Web3 Salon as a Web3-native accelerator connecting founders to capital, mentors, and ecosystem resources.
• a16z Crypto Startup School (CSS): a16z Crypto Startup School is Andreessen Horowitz's accelerator program for early-stage crypto/Web3 startups, providing mentorship, community, and investor introductions. It is directly comparable to Web3 Salon's role as a Web3 founder accelerator and deal-flow conduit.

Broad incumbents

• Techstars: Techstars is a global accelerator network running multiple industry-specific programs including Web3-related cohorts. It is comparable to Web3 Salon as a broader accelerator with structured programs, mentorship, and investor networks, though it serves a much wider range of industries.
• Plug and Play:

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/Web3Salon
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/web3-salon-jetro

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles1 record

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 Web3 Salon