Origgin Ventures, a venture co-creation firm from Singapore, has launched Origgin Ventures Japan in Fukuoka to expand deep-tech commercialization activities.

The new initiative aims to connect research and startups between Japan and Southeast Asia by supporting commercialization of university and corporate technologies.

Origgin signed two memoranda of understanding with Japanese partners to support joint projects and strengthen the ecosystem.

The firm announced plans to act as co-general partners with Interuniversity Ventures to launch a US$30 million fund focused on Japanese university spin-offs, particularly from university R&D.

Origgin is collaborating with GxPartners on corporate venture co-creation, including proof-of-concept projects, pilot testing, and commercialization of in-house technologies.

The launch event in Fukuoka included leaders from industry, government, academia, and venture capital, highlighting a focus on cross-border collaboration.

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🔗 Source: Origgin

🧠 Food for thought

1️⃣ Regional Japanese cities are emerging as strategic startup hubs beyond Tokyo

Origgin’s choice of Fukuoka over Tokyo reflects a broader trend of regional cities positioning themselves as innovation centers.

Fukuoka has declared itself a “startup city” and has supported the founding of nearly 1,000 companies through dedicated initiatives 2. The city government actively promotes international collaboration, as evidenced by Director Reiji Matsuura’s opening remarks emphasizing Fukuoka’s emergence as a global innovation hub 1.

This regional approach addresses Japan’s demographic challenges while creating concentrated startup ecosystems outside the traditional Tokyo-Osaka corridor.

Cities like Kobe and Nagoya are also implementing targeted strategies. Kobe focuses on medical technology and AI through its Innovation Community, while Nagoya’s STATION Ai aims to support over 700 startups 2.

The regional strategy allows international firms like Origgin to establish operations with potentially lower costs while accessing strong local government support and university partnerships.

2️⃣ Cross-border investment flows between Japan and Southeast Asia are accelerating

Origgin’s $30 million fund represents growing capital movement between Japan and Southeast Asia, particularly in deep tech sectors.

Japanese funding into Southeast Asian fintech alone reached approximately $1.4 billion in 2022, showing significant capital outflow from Japan seeking regional opportunities 3. Meanwhile, deep tech investment globally has doubled over the past decade and now accounts for 20% of venture capital funding in 2023 4.

This bilateral flow addresses complementary needs: Southeast Asian startups require capital and market access, while Japanese investors seek higher growth opportunities outside their mature domestic market.

Origgin’s focus on university spin-offs specifically targets Japan’s strong research capabilities while providing pathways to Southeast Asian markets where these technologies can scale more rapidly.

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