Acceleration Program
Pioneering the future with new technology
Summary
The QREC Acceleration Program aims to promote innovation at Kyushu University by helping graduate students and post-doctoral researchers to rapidly implement (i.e. accelerate) their technology ideas into society. The program supports the acquisition of a PoC (Proof of Concept: verification of a project before it enters prototype development) in a short period of 7 weeks. Furthermore, for teams that wish to continue their projects after the program is over, we will support them in connecting to Kyushu University’s GAP Fund*¹, obtaining other public funds, and obtaining external funding as the next step in their social implementation.
*¹The fund will encourage the creation of university-launched ventures by providing universities with relatively small amounts of funds for prototype development and other activities to bridge the gap between technology and commercialization.
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Eligibility for Application
- Teams of 2-4 members led by a graduate student or post-doctoral researcher from Kyushu University (undergraduate students may also participate as team members).
- Teams that have technical ideas that they would like to challenge for social implementation
- A team that can commit to and participate in an 7-week program that includes a total of 7 in-person sessions
If adopted
- Support by a companion mentor.Providing weekly online mentoring and other companionship support by experienced mentors
- Spot assistance through an QREC Mentors.Provides spot assistance from a total of more than 15 experts in six areas (customer, technology, business, IP, team, and financing)
- Grants are provided.Up to 300,000 yen per team will be paid in accordance with Kyushu University’s accounting regulations (payment method to be adjusted)
- Offers a workshop and community space.Provides a workshop for MVP production and a community space for 24-hour work and meetings
- Next Steps Connection Support.Support for connection to public support such as Kyushu University’s GAP Fund, Fukuoka Unexplored, IPA Unexplored*², NEDO’s NEP*³, and other private sector support
*²The Information-technology Promotion Agency, Japan (IPA), is implementing the “Unexplored IT Human Resources Discovery and Development Project”.
https://www.ipa.go.jp/jinzai/mitou/it/index.html
*³The New Energy and Industrial Technology Development Organization (NEDO) is implementing the “Project to Discover Talent and Foster Entrepreneurship in the Deep Tech Field / Project to Discover Talent and Foster Entrepreneurship in the Deep Tech Field.
https://www.nedo.go.jp/koubo/CA2_100449.html
Schedule
Each Session will be conducted face-to-face (ToP & QREC Workshop, 7th floor, Center No. 5 Building, Ito Campus, Kyushu University)
*Please note that the schedule below is subject to change. Please be forewarned.
Prior briefing
Wednesday, November 13, 19:00-20:00 @ face-to-face (Center Bldg. 6, 2F BasE)
Wednesday, November 13, 19:00-20:00 @ Online
Thursday, November 21, 18:00-19:00 @ Online
Thursday, November 28, 18:00-19:00 @ Online
Applicant Application Period
Monday, November 4 – Monday, December 2, 17:00
interview screening
Friday, December 6, 14:00-16:00
Notification of Results
Wednesday, December 11
Adopters’ Briefing Session
Thursday, January 30, 2025, 18:00-20:00 [online (Zoom)].
Pre-Session
Thursday, February 13, 2025, 18:00-19:30 [Online (Zoom)].
Session1
Kick-off / Making prototype
(Prototype Development Camp Day 1)
Monday, February 17, 2025, 10:00-17:00
Zuibaiji-en Plan to stay overnight
Session2
Hypothesis testing / Potential customer interviews
(Prototype Development Camp Day 2)
Tuesday, February 18, 2025, 10:00-15:00
Session3
Prepare for interim review
Thursday, February 20, 2025, 18:00 – 20:00
Session4
Interim review
Thursday, February 27, 2025, 18:00 – 20:00
Session5
Thinking about commercialization from the customer’s point of view
Thursday, March 6, 2025, 18:00 – 20:00
Session6
Obtain resources
Thursday, March 13, 2025, 18:00 – 20:00
Session7
Final review
Thursday, March 20, 2025, 15:00-18:30
Session8
Follow up Session
Thursday, March 27, 2025, 18:00-20:00 [online (Zoom)].
Click here for the Summer 2024 (QSAP01) schedule.
Application Guidelines
Activities required
- Lead a team of 2 – 4 members, including the applicant, with a strong desire to implement the technical project in society.
- In principle, participate in regular weekly sessions with team members.
- Actively engage in activities centered on the cycle of “prototyping,” “interviewing potential customers,” and “team decision-making,” as recommended by the program.
- To start “prototyping” after the session in the first week for the social implementation of the technical project, and to continuously revise the prototype from the second week onward.
- For the social implementation of the technology project, “interviews with potential customers” shall be conducted after the second week session, and the team shall make decisions based on the information obtained from these interviews and revise the prototypes.
Review Criteria
Review at the time of adoption
- Is it technically novel and willing to try new things?
- Are the challenges and solutions well communicated to the judges?
- Do you have a hypothesis of the problem and solution that can be implemented in society during the 7-week program?
- Can you commit to and participate in an 8-week program that includes 7 in-person sessions?
midterm review
- Is it technically novel and willing to try new things?
- Are the challenges and solutions well communicated to the judges?
- Are the hypotheses of issues and solutions being verified through repeated interviews with approximately 20 potential customers and modifications to the MVP?
- Is progress being made in formulating issues and solutions?
final review
- Is it technically novel and willing to try new things?
- Are the challenges and solutions well communicated to the judges?
- Since the interim review, have the hypotheses of issues and solutions been verified through approximately 30 interviews with potential customers and repeated revisions of the MVP?
- Has a PoC for social implementation been obtained?
Number of adopted teams
Around 5 teams
Interruption of support
- After the interim review, the project support may be suspended upon agreement between the team and the judges. In that case, the project will no longer receive support from the following week
- If QREC determines that you have not committed and participated in the program, including in-person sessions, we may suspend support for the project with prior notice if no improvement is seen by 10 days after an email warning.
How to apply
Application period
Monday, November 4, 2024 9:00 – Monday, December 2, 2024 17:00
How to apply
Fill out the form below to submit your application.
Selection process
interview screening
Date: Friday, December 6, 14:00-16:00
Notification of Results：Wednesday, December 11
Remarks
After the completion of the Acceleration Program, we expect to connect to the following programs.
- PARKS 大学発新産業創出基金事業 スタートアップ・エコシステム共創プログラム【GAPファンドプログラム】
- 経済産業省「AKATSUKIプロジェクト」採択事業【福岡未踏的人材発掘・育成コンソーシアム】
- 独立行政法人情報処理推進機構（IPA）が実施する【未踏IT人材発掘・育成事業】
- 独立行政法人情報処理推進機構（IPA）が実施する【未踏アドバンスト事業】
- 国立研究開発法人新エネルギー・産業技術総合開発機構（NEDO）が実施する 「ディープテック分野での人材発掘・起業家育成事業／ディープテック分野での人材発掘・起業家育成事業」
- Projects related to ridesharing cannot be adopted due to legal restrictions.
*Please note that some of the above information is subject to change.
Contact Us
QREC Accelerator Program Office (in QREC office)
- TEL：
- 092-802-6060
Hours: Weekdays 9:00-17:00 *Except Saturdays, Sundays, national holidays, year-end and New Year holidays, etc. If you are in a hurry, please call us.
Please change ★ to @ in your e-mail address.
Past Adopters
Summer 2024(QSAP01) 2023(Pilot version)
Awards
●FY2024
The team adopted for the pilot version in 2023 has been selected for the [Unexplored Advanced Project].
The team selected for the 2023 pilot version won a double award at [Maker Faire Kyoto2024].
●FY2024
The team adopted for the pilot version in FY2023 has been selected for the [Fukuoka Consortium for Exploratory Human Resource Discovery and Development].