EU-Japan Cities Foster Startup Ecosystems

Under the EU’s International Urban and Regional Cooperation (IURC) programme, European and Asia-Pacific cities are strengthening cooperation through the Community of Practice on “Economy in Cities – Start-ups, Innovation Ecosystems and Branding.” The initiative brings together leading innovation hubs from Europe, including Grenoble Alpes Métropole, Warsaw, Espoo, Torino, Leuven, Bielsko-Biała, Tallinn and Cork, with Nagoya City serving as the lead Japanese city, alongside Melbourne in Australia and other non-EU partners.

The cooperation focuses on common challenges faced by deep tech ecosystems: attracting international investors and growth capital, fostering entrepreneurial and business talent, and strengthening technology transfer from universities and research institutions to commercial applications. Participating cities aim to exchange practical experience on how local and regional governments can support startups, scale-ups, innovation districts, and future-ready ecosystems. 
Nagoya contributes as a major industrial and deep-tech hub, building on its strengths in automotive, aerospace and robotics, as well as the Central Japan Startup Ecosystem Consortium, Nagoya University, STATION Ai, Nagoya Innovator’s Garage and other innovation platforms. The roadmap foresees online technical exchanges, joint seminars for startups, and the development of a collaborative network of technology events connecting Europe and Asia. 
Planned study visits will further deepen cooperation. A visit to Nagoya is envisaged for mid-December 2026, including exchanges with universities, innovation hubs and participation in TechGALA JAPAN. A reciprocal visit to Grenoble is planned for February 2027, with a focus on the city’s research-to-industry model, startup support structures and Tech&Fest.

Source: International Urban and Regional Cooperation Programme - IURC - Japan branch
https://www.iurc.eu/