Borderless Japan x Koriyama City to Begin Accepting Applications for the Second Cohort of the Social Entrepreneur Acceleration Support Program "KORIYAMA IMPACT STARTUP NEXT" from July 3rd

Borderless Japan Co., Ltd. (Headquarters: Fukuoka City, Fukuoka Prefecture, CEO: Kazunari Taguchi, hereinafter "the Company") has been selected as the operator for the "Fiscal Year 2026 Social Entrepreneur Acceleration Support Program Outsourcing" implemented by Koriyama City.

The Company and Koriyama City will begin accepting applications for the second cohort of the "KORIYAMA IMPACT STARTUP NEXT" program (hereinafter "KIN"), which supports entrepreneurs in the Koriyama広域圏* aiming to solve social issues while achieving business growth, from July 3, 2026 (Fri).

Application Period: July 3, 2026 (Fri) - August 2, 2026 (Sun)

Special Website

Application Form

In the first cohort last year, six groups were selected and supported in developing businesses that tackle diverse social issues, such as creating a network of people connected to regions for young people, supporting career development for women with children, creating purpose in life for the elderly, and providing services to prevent caregiver burnout.

This year, for the second cohort, we will recruit a diverse range of entrepreneurs, including individuals preparing to start a business, managers aiming to expand existing businesses, those in charge of new businesses after business succession, managers challenging second ventures, intrapreneurs, and those planning to relocate from outside the city.

In addition to mentorship and matching opportunities in the Tokyo metropolitan area, we will newly establish a community with the first cohort participants, aiming to foster the next generation of social entrepreneurs from the Koriyama広域圏.

*1 Constituent municipalities of the Koriyama広域圏: Koriyama City, Sukagawa City, Nihonmatsu City, Tamura City, Motomiya City, Otama Village, Kagamiishi Town, Ten'ei Village, Bandai Town, Inawashiro Town, Ishikawa Town, Tamagawa Village, Hirata Village, Asakawa Town, Furudona Town, Miharu Town, Ono Town

Challenges Born from the First Cohort

In the first cohort of KIN, six groups were selected and provided with hands-on support from business development to business growth. Selected participants are tackling diverse social issues such as the following: (Examples of program outcomes from the first cohort participants) ・Business to create a network of people connected to regions for young people ・Career support business for women with children ・Business to create purpose in life for the elderly ・Service to prevent caregiver burnout

For program outcomes and the challenges faced by participants, please refer to the currently available Impact Report.

Impact Report

[Held on July 17th] A special recruitment event featuring first cohort entrepreneurs and mentors will be held in Koriyama City.

The event will consist of two parts: a workshop to learn how to launch a social business and a talk session sharing real-life challenges.

To coincide with the start of KIN's second cohort recruitment, a special recruitment event will be held on July 17, 2026 (Fri).

The first part will be a workshop explaining the concept and creation of a "social concept," which is the core of a social business. Participants will be able to experience a part of the program.

The second part will feature Sho Okawa, Representative Director of FindValue Inc., a first cohort participant, and Nao Mihara, Representative Director of Smile Baton Inc., who will serve as a mentor this term.

They will speak realistically from their respective perspectives as an entrepreneur and a mentor about how they overcame the "lonely decision-making" that many entrepreneurs face while aiming to balance social issue resolution and business growth, and the role mentorship played.

Furthermore, in the latter half of the second part, a program briefing for KIN's second cohort and a Q&A session will be held.

Event Overview "How Does Mentorship Benefit Social Entrepreneurship?

~Graduated Entrepreneurs x Mentors Discuss the Power of Mentorship in Overcoming Lonely Decisions~"

[Date and Time] July 17, 2026 (Fri) 17:00 - 20:30

Part 1: 17:00 - 18:40

Part 2: 19:00 - 20:30

*Participation in only one part is also possible.

[Venue] co-ba koriyama (Address: 9-12 Midoricho, Koriyama City, Fukushima Prefecture)

[Participation Fee] Free

Click here to participate in the event

Apply via Peatix page

To Media Representatives

Individual interviews with first cohort entrepreneurs and mentors will be available on the day of the event.

Media representatives wishing to conduct interviews on themes related to social entrepreneurship, regional revitalization, creation of related populations, and education are requested to contact the secretariat.

What is KORIYAMA IMPACT STARTUP NEXT (KIN)?

KIN is a hands-on support program that aims to foster entrepreneurs who aim to solve social issues and achieve business growth, utilizing the "Koriyama広域圏," which consists of Koriyama City and 16 surrounding municipalities.

It targets a wide range of challenges, from the conceptual stage before starting a business to the growth of existing businesses, new business development, second ventures, and business succession, with the goal of creating social entrepreneurs who will become role models for the region.

Features of KIN 2nd Cohort

1 Comprehensive Hands-on Support Experienced entrepreneurs and experts will provide hands-on support from problem definition to business model construction, customer development, and monetization.

2 Opportunities for Communication to Gather Support Through matching events in the Tokyo metropolitan area and presentation sessions, we create touchpoints with investors, companies, and supporters, leading to business advancement.

3 Entrepreneur Community Building Through interaction and learning with first cohort participants, we foster connections with peers who continue to challenge themselves within the region, as well as networks with entrepreneurs outside the region by leveraging our company's network.

Recruitment Overview

[Target Applicants] 1 Individuals wishing to start a business or entrepreneurs with less than 10 years of experience, residing within the Koriyama広域圏. 2 Small and medium-sized enterprises with their main business office in the Koriyama広域圏, with less than 10 business terms after founding or business succession, or SMEs and intrapreneurs engaged in second ventures or new business development. 3 Individuals planning to relocate to Koriyama City and aiming to start a business within the city.

[Number of Selected Applicants] Approximately 5 individuals/groups

[Information Session / Individual Consultation Schedule] For those who register on the special website's entry form, we will send a URL to view an explanatory video about the program, a URL for booking individual consultations, and a URL for the application registration form. Individual consultations will be accepted continuously until the end of the application period.

[Selection Schedule] August 2 (Sun): Application Deadline Early August: First Screening (Document Review) Mid-August: Second Screening (Online Interview) Around August 20 (Thu): Selection Decision

[Application Method] Submit via the dedicated application form *The application form can be received by automatic reply after submitting the entry form from the special website.

KIN Special Website

[About Borderless Japan Co., Ltd.]

https://www.borderless-japan.com/

Founded in 2007 as a company that only engages in social businesses that solve social issues through business. It operates over 50 businesses in 15 countries worldwide, addressing various social issues such as poverty, environment, education, and gender. Sales are expected to reach 10.5 billion yen in fiscal year 2025. Its ecosystem for continuously creating social entrepreneurs has been recognized with awards such as the Good Design Award (Business Model Division, 2019), the "Company I Want to Cherish" Award (Special Jury Prize, 2019), and the CSA Award ~Company Creating "Next-Generation Human Resources" Recommended for 20s~. In October 2023, it announced its new purpose, "SWITCH to HOPE: Transforming Social Issues into Everyone's Hope," to advance the resolution of social issues to the next stage. It aims to create systems for more people to work together towards a better society.

Company Name: Borderless Japan Co., Ltd.

Location: Tenjin Futata Building 4F, 3-1-1 Tenjin, Chuo-ku, Fukuoka City, Social Venture PARK Fukuoka

Established: 2007

Representative: Kazunari Taguchi, Representative Director and CEO

Business Activities: Business development aimed at solving social problems (e.g., herbal tea business, leather goods business, crowdfunding business, social business school business)

About Koriyama City

Organization Name: Koriyama City

Representative: Takeo Shiine (Mayor)

Location: 1-23-7 Asahi, Koriyama City, Fukushima Prefecture

Department in Charge: Industrial Employment Policy Division