MASP (Michinoku Academia Startup Platform) is a consortium led by Tohoku University that promotes the formation of a startup ecosystem by accelerating the creation of startups from academia through the cooperation of universities and technical colleges in Tohoku and Niigata, local governments, companies, VCs, financial institutions, etc.

MASP has been selected by the Japan Science and Technology Agency (JST) to support the formation of a start-up ecosystem for the START Program (Program for Creating STart ups from Advanced Research and Technology) since FY2022, 10 universities have been working across the board to support entrepreneurial activities through the Michinoku GAP Fund, develop human resources for entrepreneurship, improve the entrepreneurial environment, and create a startup ecosystem.

From FY2023, the number of universities participating in the consortium has expanded to 22 (8 national universities, 5 public universities, 2 private universities, and 7 technical colleges), and support for startup creation is being radically strengthened through the Michinoku GAP Fund. Under the theme of “DEEP & DIVERSE,” we aim to transform Tohoku and Niigata from problem-prone regions to problem-solving regions, and to build a startup ecosystem that will transform the world.