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NEDO Deep-Tech Startups Support Program

DTSU reimburses two-thirds of eligible costs in STS and PCA and normally one-half in DMP. Phase ceilings are JPY 300 million for STS, raised to JPY 500 million with a qualifying commercialisation-alliance or overseas-validation plan; JPY 500 million for PCA, raised to JPY 1 billion under the same condition; and JPY 2.5 billion for DMP. The cumulative stage-gated ceiling is JPY 3 billion over up to six years. · New Energy and Industrial Technology Development Organization · deadline 2026-09-08

NEDO Deep-Tech Startups Support Program is a grant programme from New Energy and Industrial Technology Development Organization for Deep-tech startups incorporated in Japan and meeting the selected phase's technology, financing, and commercialisation rules Current lifecycle: upcoming; next verified deadline 2026-09-08. Real economics: DTSU reimburses two-thirds of eligible costs in STS and PCA and normally one-half in DMP. Phase ceilings are JPY 300 million for STS, raised to JPY 500 million with a qualifying commercialisation-alliance or overseas-validation plan; JPY 500 million for PCA, raised to JPY 1 billion under the same condition; and JPY 2.5 billion for DMP. The cumulative stage-gated ceiling is JPY 3 billion over up to six years..

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Key facts

FunderNew Energy and Industrial Technology Development Organization
AmountDTSU reimburses two-thirds of eligible costs in STS and PCA and normally one-half in DMP. Phase ceilings are JPY 300 million for STS, raised to JPY 500 million with a qualifying commercialisation-alliance or overseas-validation plan; JPY 500 million for PCA, raised to JPY 1 billion under the same condition; and JPY 2.5 billion for DMP. The cumulative stage-gated ceiling is JPY 3 billion over up to six years.
Deadline2026-09-08
Decision timeThe published tenth-call schedule places second-stage review from 30 November to 18 December 2026, selection notification around mid-January 2027 and grant decisions from March 2027 onward. From the 8 September deadline to the scheduled mid-January selection is about 129 days; contracting and payment eligibility begin later.
EligibilityA Japan-based, unlisted and independent deep-tech SME pursuing research-intensive technology with substantial technical and commercial risk, satisfying company-age, SME, taxable-income, R&D-intensity and phase-specific financing tests. STS applicants need qualifying private investment generally equal to at least one-third of eligible costs; the selected STS, PCA or DMP plan must fit that phase's maturity, milestones and commercialisation route.
RestrictionsRecipients follow NEDO's grant accounting manuals, document personnel, equipment, subcontracting, travel and other eligible costs, accept progress and milestone monitoring, obtain approval for material changes, and complete final cost settlement. Stage-gate projects may stop without the next phase; post-project patent, commercialisation and outcome surveys, research-security, integrity and export-control duties also apply. Funds cover approved R&D personnel, materials, equipment and depreciation, outsourcing or joint research, travel and directly necessary project costs incurred after the grant start. Unapproved, pre-award, unrelated or double-funded costs are excluded. The reviewed public call corpus requires patent reporting and project-specific joint-research agreements but does not state a complete universal background/foreground-IP allocation.
Statusupcoming

Always confirm on the official page before applying — dates and terms change.

Application process

  1. Choose DTSU rather than GX and select the single STS, PCA or DMP phase that matches the project
  2. Use the optional NEDO pre-application consultation before 2 September where useful
  3. Prepare the prescribed proposal, budget, financing, company and compliance files
  4. Submit through J-Grants during the 3–8 September intake window, or use the special web route only for a permitted pre-incorporation STS team
  5. Pass eligibility and external written technical, market, business, finance and implementation review
  6. Attend an executive interview or panel presentation if NEDO requests one
  7. Receive the selection notice after the internal committee process
  8. Complete budget review and the formal grant application before NEDO issues the grant decision
  9. Deliver phase milestones, expenditure reports and monitoring evidence, including any stage-gate review
  10. Complete final settlement and post-project commercialisation, patent and outcome follow-up

Background

New Energy and Industrial Technology Development Organization operates NEDO Deep-Tech Startups Support Program. This pass separates direct cash, repayable finance, credits, incentives and umbrella programs so later ranking does not compare unlike instruments. The ninth combined DTSU/GX call received 99 proposals and selected 10 projects, including five stage-gate continuations The eighth combined call received 100 proposals and selected 15 projects, including two stage-gate continuations NEDO's FY2026 DTSU budget is approximately JPY 18 billion and the programme supports staged projects up to JPY 3 billion over six years

How the application really works

Choose DTSU rather than GX and select the single STS, PCA or DMP phase that matches the project → Use the optional NEDO pre-application consultation before 2 September where useful → Prepare the prescribed proposal, budget, financing, company and compliance files → Submit through J-Grants during the 3–8 September intake window, or use the special web route only for a permitted pre-incorporation STS team → Pass eligibility and external written technical, market, business, finance and implementation review → Attend an executive interview or panel presentation if NEDO requests one → Receive the selection notice after the internal committee process → Complete budget review and the formal grant application before NEDO issues the grant decision → Deliver phase milestones, expenditure reports and monitoring evidence, including any stage-gate review → Complete final settlement and post-project commercialisation, patent and outcome follow-up

Tips

Watch out for

Track record

The ninth combined DTSU/GX call received 99 proposals and selected 10 implementation projects, including five stage-gate continuations: a gross 10.1% project incidence. Because new applications and stage gates are combined, this is not a clean new-applicant acceptance rate or a promise for the tenth call.

Frequently asked questions

Is this actionable now?
upcoming. Next verified deadline: 2026-09-08.
What is the real economic value?
DTSU reimburses two-thirds of eligible costs in STS and PCA and normally one-half in DMP. Phase ceilings are JPY 300 million for STS, raised to JPY 500 million with a qualifying commercialisation-alliance or overseas-validation plan; JPY 500 million for PCA, raised to JPY 1 billion under the same condition; and JPY 2.5 billion for DMP. The cumulative stage-gated ceiling is JPY 3 billion over up to six years.
Who is eligible?
A Japan-based, unlisted and independent deep-tech SME pursuing research-intensive technology with substantial technical and commercial risk, satisfying company-age, SME, taxable-income, R&D-intensity and phase-specific financing tests. STS applicants need qualifying private investment generally equal to at least one-third of eligible costs; the selected STS, PCA or DMP plan must fit that phase's maturity, milestones and commercialisation route.
How does selection work?
Choose DTSU rather than GX and select the single STS, PCA or DMP phase that matches the project; Use the optional NEDO pre-application consultation before 2 September where useful; Prepare the prescribed proposal, budget, financing, company and compliance files; Submit through J-Grants during the 3–8 September intake window, or use the special web route only for a permitted pre-incorporation STS team; Pass eligibility and external written technical, market, business, finance and implementation review; Attend an executive interview or panel presentation if NEDO requests one; Receive the selection notice after the internal committee process; Complete budget review and the formal grant application before NEDO issues the grant decision; Deliver phase milestones, expenditure reports and monitoring evidence, including any stage-gate review; Complete final settlement and post-project commercialisation, patent and outcome follow-up. The published tenth-call schedule places second-stage review from 30 November to 18 December 2026, selection notification around mid-January 2027 and grant decisions from March 2027 onward. From the 8 September deadline to the scheduled mid-January selection is about 129 days; contracting and payment eligibility begin later.
What burden and restrictions apply?
Recipients follow NEDO's grant accounting manuals, document personnel, equipment, subcontracting, travel and other eligible costs, accept progress and milestone monitoring, obtain approval for material changes, and complete final cost settlement. Stage-gate projects may stop without the next phase; post-project patent, commercialisation and outcome surveys, research-security, integrity and export-control duties also apply. Funds cover approved R&D personnel, materials, equipment and depreciation, outsourcing or joint research, travel and directly necessary project costs incurred after the grant start. Unapproved, pre-award, unrelated or double-funded costs are excluded. The reviewed public call corpus requires patent reporting and project-specific joint-research agreements but does not state a complete universal background/foreground-IP allocation.
What evidence exists?
The ninth combined DTSU/GX call received 99 proposals and selected 10 projects, including five stage-gate continuations The eighth combined call received 100 proposals and selected 15 projects, including two stage-gate continuations NEDO's FY2026 DTSU budget is approximately JPY 18 billion and the programme supports staged projects up to JPY 3 billion over six years The ninth combined DTSU/GX call received 99 proposals and selected 10 implementation projects, including five stage-gate continuations: a gross 10.1% project incidence. Because new applications and stage gates are combined, this is not a clean new-applicant acceptance rate or a promise for the tenth call.

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