EU Business Hub

What EU Business Hub does

EU Business Hub is an initiative funded by the European Union and operated under the European Commission's Service for Foreign Policy Instruments (FPI), headquartered in Brussels, Belgium. The programme's stated purpose is to strengthen the presence of EU small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) and startups in Japan — and by extension the Republic of Korea — with a sectoral focus on green/low-carbon technologies and digital solutions, and a later extension into healthcare and medical equipment. It does so by organizing 5-day business missions in which approximately 50 EU companies per mission exhibit under the EU pavilion at major Japanese trade fairs such as Semicon Japan, Smart Energy Week, Japan IT Week, and World Health Expo, and participate in dedicated B2B matchmaking events, seminars, study tours/site visits, and networking receptions.

The underlying platform is a multilingual (English, Korean, Japanese) web-based portal that handles company registration, expression of interest, and account management, operated by Deloitte as primary contractor with Eurochambres, EMECA, and DT Global as implementation subcontractors. The product surface combines four named components: the overall programme, the business missions themselves, a day-long B2B matchmaking event, and a networking reception.

The business model is non-commercial. EU Business Hub is grant-funded by the EU budget, participation is free of charge for both EU and Japanese companies, and the entity reports no revenue-generating products or pricing tiers. Marketing and distribution rely on the programme website, LinkedIn, X/Twitter, YouTube, email newsletters, and physical presence at trade fairs; implementation leverage comes from Eurochambres' pan-European chamber network and EMECA's exhibition-industry expertise. The organisation is a government programme rather than a corporate entity and has no equity, shareholders, or external investment.

Name

EU Business Hub

Legal name

EU Business Hub

Website

https://japan.eubusinesshub.eu

Company type

Private

Founded year

2024

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

EU Business Hub is an EU-funded programme under the European Commission's FPI that connects EU SMEs and startups with Japanese companies through 5-day business missions, trade fair exhibitions, and B2B matchmaking in green, digital, and healthcare sectors.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

International Trade Promotion Services

NAICS

Convention and Trade Show Organizers (561920), Convention and Trade Show Organizers (56192)

akta.pro primary industry

Industry-Specific B2B Trade Show Organizers (THAHABAB)

Keywords

• EU-Japan business missions
• B2B matchmaking services
• International trade promotion
• Trade fair exhibition services
• Cross-border partnership facilitation

Headquarters

HQ city

Brussels

HQ country

Belgium

HQ region

Europe

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Operations, Personnel, Marketing or Sales, Infrastructure, Others

Revenue model

1. EU Government Funding: The EU Business Hub is a programme funded by the European Union. It is offered free of charge to EU companies and Japanese companies seeking partnerships. No commercial revenue is generated.

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels1 record

Marketing channels6 records

Core offering

EU Business Hub is an EU-funded programme that organizes five-day business missions for EU SMEs and startups to Japan, combining exhibition space at major Japanese trade fairs (Semicon Japan, Smart Energy Week, Japan IT Week, World Health Expo) under the EU pavilion with dedicated B2B matchmaking events, seminars, networking receptions, and site visits. The programme targets green/low-carbon technologies and digital solutions sectors and is offered free of charge to participants.

Product overview

EU Business Hub is a single, unified programme funded by the European Union that strengthens EU companies' presence in Japan, particularly in green and digital sectors. The programme operates through organized business missions that combine exhibition participation at major trade fairs with B2B matchmaking events, briefings, site visits, and networking receptions. Key mission types include Semicon Japan (semiconductor industry), Smart Energy Week (energy sector), Japan IT Week (digital solutions), and World Health Expo (healthcare), spanning from 2024 to 2027.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• EU Business Hub Programme A four-year EU-funded programme (2024-2027) that strengthens EU SMEs' presence in Japan through 10 organized business missions, exhibition participation under the EU pavilion, B2B matchmaking, and partnership development focused on green/low-carbon and digital solutions sectors.
• Business Missions Five-day structured business missions to Japan that allow EU SMEs to exhibit at major Japanese trade fairs (Semicon Japan, Smart Energy Week, Japan IT Week, World Health Expo), participate in B2B matchmaking events, seminars, site visits, and networking receptions. Each mission features approximately 50 progressive EU companies.

Named customers3 records

Segments2 records

Ideal customer profiles2 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Partnerships

Five partnerships are on record, tiered core and flagship.

• DeloittecoreImplementation/ SI/ Consulting PartnerDeloitte is the primary contractor for the EU Business Hub, contracted by the European Commission's Service for Foreign Policy Instruments (FPI). Deloitte and its partners implement the programme, including data processing and platform management. Deloitte has access to personal data of registered companies for the purpose of programme administration.
• EurochambrescoreImplementation/ SI/ Consulting PartnerEurochambres (European Chambers of Commerce) is a partner/subcontractor of Deloitte in implementing the EU Business Hub programme. Eurochambres brings its network of European chambers of commerce to facilitate SME participation in the business missions.
• EMECAcoreImplementation/ SI/ Consulting PartnerEMECA (European Major Exhibitions and Conventions Association) is a partner/subcontractor of Deloitte, providing expertise and connections in the trade fair and exhibition sector to support EU pavilion operations at major Japanese trade events.
• DT GlobalcoreImplementation/ SI/ Consulting PartnerDT Global is a partner/subcontractor of Deloitte implementing the EU Business Hub programme. As a global development and consulting firm, DT Global supports programme delivery and operations.
• European Commission (Service for Foreign Policy Instruments — FPI)flagshipStrategic or Co-development PartnerThe EU Business Hub is an initiative funded by the European Union and managed by the European Commission's Service for Foreign Policy Instruments (FPI). FPI acts as the Data Controller, overseeing the programme's mission to strengthen EU companies' presence in Japan, particularly in green and digital sectors, and promote cooperation with Japanese companies.

Scale indicators2 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Direct peers

• Business France: French national trade promotion agency that supports SMEs in international expansion, including Japan-focused missions. Comparable as a government-affiliated trade-promotion entity running B2B matchmaking events abroad.
• Italian Trade Agency (ICE): Italy's governmental agency for trade promotion, organizing trade fairs, missions, and B2B matchmaking for Italian SMEs entering foreign markets including Japan. Highly comparable as a state-backed trade-promotion operator.
• Enterprise Europe Network: EU-wide network helping SMEs find international partners and access new markets, with strong Asia-Pacific activity. Shares EU institutional backing, SME audience, and B2B matchmaking focus with EU Business Hub.
• EU-Japan Centre for Industrial Cooperation: Established EU-funded entity that similarly facilitates EU-Japan business cooperation, training, and SME matchmaking. Directly comparable mission, target audience, and institutional backing, making it the closest analogue to EU Business Hub.
• JETRO (Japan External Trade Organization): Japan's governmental trade and investment promotion agency that organizes business matching between Japanese companies and overseas counterparts. Highly comparable in mission (cross-border B2B matchmaking) and event-driven format, with mirrored geographic focus.

Broad incumbents

• Messe Frankfurt: One of the world's largest trade-fair organizers, with significant presence in Asia including Japan. Comparable as a broader incumbent operating large-scale industry exhibitions that EU SMEs attend, and an indirect supplier/partner to EU Business Hub's mission format.
• Koelnmesse: Major German trade-fair organizer running large-scale industry exhibitions worldwide, including in Asia. Operates in the same exhibition/matchmaking infrastructure layer that EU Business Hub depends on, but at much larger scale and across multiple sectors.
• Reed Exhibitions: Global events organizer producing many of the trade shows (e.g., in energy, electronics, healthcare) that EU Business Hub uses as distribution channels. Comparable as an incumbent in the B2B trade-fair space, though primarily commercially driven.

Market position

Strengths4 records

Weaknesses4 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/EUBusinessHub
• YouTubeyoutube.com/channel/UCG9A2ICLx8u5zRRCUBXW-2g
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/eu-business-hub-japan-and-republic-of-korea
• Facebookfacebook.com/eu.business.hub

Compliance1 record

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

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M&A

Investments

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Frequently asked questions about EU Business Hub