ASICS Accepting New Applications for Asics Accelerator Program to Promote New Business Creation With Startups
ASICS has begun to accept new applications for the ASICS Accelerator Program, its business partnership collaborative accelerator program for startups. The ASICS Accelerator Program is managed jointly by ASICS Corporation and ASICS Ventures Corporation. The program, which solicits proposals from startups, is in its fourth time, following the TENKAN-TEN™ program held twice primarily in Europe and the ASICS Accelerator Program held last year mainly in Japan.
The theme of ASICS Accelerator Program’s search this year is ASICS’ founding philosophy, Sound Mind, Sound Body™. ASICS is soliciting ideas for products and services that will use the company’s technology and brand to contribute to improving people’s health conditions from both mind and body perspective and realize fulfilling lifestyles for more people as well as create new value.
Applications from potential candidates will be solicited from October 13 through November 16, and after a first (written application) and second round (interview) of screening, startups will be selected to participate in Demo Day. Selected startups will consult with ASICS mentors to improve the thoroughness of their business partnership plans up until Demo Day. Demo Day will be held in February next year, and ASICS management will evaluate the presentations of each startup before making a final decision on partnering. Then demonstrations will be held together with the selected startups and business partnership plans with the selected startups realized.
Four business collaboration proposals were made as a result of last year’s ASICS Accelerator Program, as products, services, and content that would contribute to commercial opportunities in 2020 were solicited and test marketed. ASICS jointly developed the EVORIDE™ ORPHE smartshoe, which offers feedback on changes in foot movement in real time, together with Grand Prize winner no new folk studio, Inc. Advance order sales of the EVORIDE ORPHE began in July, with in-store sales scheduled to begin at some owned stores and the ASICS Online Store from December.
As society and the environment undergo rapid changes, is critical that ASICS both bolster its in-house research and development and also actively seek promising expertise from outside in order to be able to offer products, services, and an environment that contribute to improving more people’s health conditions from both mind and body perspective. ASICS Group wishes to achieve sustainable growth by partnering with startups that would create value, and developing new businesses.
Outline of ASICS Accelerator Program
Program name
ASICS Accelerator Program
Application period
October 13, 2020 – November 16, 2020
Theme
「Sound Mind, Sound Body」
Ideas for products and services that use ASICS’ technology and brand to contribute to improving people’s health conditions from both mind and body perspective and realize fulfilling lifestyles for more people, as well as create new value.
Examples
・Ideas for supporting sports / health during the coronavirus pandemic
・Ideas to support environments in which athletes can concentrate during competition
・Products / services that allow all people to enjoy sports and healthful lifestyles apart from their current situations
・Products / services that improve mindfulness
Eligibility standards
Companies less than 10 years old, with incorporation completed, product service completed, and service development goals defined as of the time of program.
ASICS Accelerator Program official site: https://corp.asics.com/en/ventures/accelerator_program/
Explanatory meeting
An explanatory meeting regarding the program will be held for startups with CIC Tokyo and Venture Café Tokyo. We will announce the details later on the ASICS Accelerator Program official site.
● CIC Tokyo
Date:October 26, 18:30~
Location:CIC Tokyo
Toranomon Hills Business Tower, 15th-16th Floors
Toranomon 1-17-1, Minato-ku, Tokyo
*Online participation is allowed
Official site: https://jp.cic.com/
ASICS has a partnership with CIC Tokyo in the sports and entertainment field and plans to use this partnership to expand its network with startups and create new value.
● Venture Café Tokyo
Date:Undecided
Location: Online
Official site: https://venturecafetokyo.org/
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