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We use many financial services in our day-to-day life, using e-money to take trains, withdrawing money from ATMs at convenience stores, or taking out life or auto insurance. If you have interests in investing, you may also be investing in stocks or investment trust funds.

Have you ever felt that it would be even better if it was just a little more convenient, or that?

In addition, financial institutions that provide their respective financial services are constantly striving to improve their services and streamline their operations.

For the “Financial Innovation Category”, Tokyo residents and businesses are invited to submit any dissatisfaction they feel, or requests they have regarding the BtoB or BtoC services in Tokyo, or services they wish. Tokyo Metropolitan Government will choose the theme to be resolved from these applications, and ask domestic and foreign financial companies offering relevant solutions to apply for.

From the applicants, the best three examples will be chosen by 2 judging processes and awarded. The first, second and third prize winner receive 10M JPY, 5M JPY, 3M JPY, respectively.

In addition to the award for the top three winners, “Special Award” may be given for outstanding initiatives.

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SCHEDULE

Submission of resolutions

First Judgement

Start of the Support Program

Final Judgement

Award Ceremony


Call for
Solution
Providers

ENTRY

The “Financial Innovation Category” of the Tokyo Financial Award invites financial businesses to apply for “Solutions” to “Themes to be solved” which are based on the needs and challenges related to financial services which were submitted by residents and businesses in Tokyo.

The solutions submitted by applicants are examined in terms of consistency with the theme, innovativeness in technology and business model, and feasibility, among other factors.

We will provide support programs to approximately 15 applicants in Japan and from overseas in order to help them brush up their work for the purpose of commercialization.

After the program, we will conduct a final screening and announce the top three applicants at the award ceremony.
10 million yen, 5 million yen, 3 million yen will be awarded as prize money respectively to first place, second place, and third place applicants.

We look forward to receiving applicants from many businesses.

Deadline for
submission
Thursday, July 31, 2025, 11:59 p.m. (Japan Standard Time)
How to
apply
For the first application* for the Tokyo Financial Award 2025, please apply from this application form. For those who have applied for the Sustainability Category 2025, please apply from this application form (for the second and subsequent applications. (You do not need to re-enter your company information, etc.)
* If you have already applied in previous years, please use this form for your first application this year.
Please click here to see the FAQs.
Application
Guidelines
Please download the application guidelines here.
List of
themes to
be solved
Here is a list of themes in each area for which we are accepting applications.

Support
Program

The following benefits will be granted to the businesses selected in the first-stage screening. Please refer to the application guidelines for the timing and other details.


Benefits:

1. Introductory seminar: The seminar will provide explanations on the FinTech market, laws and regulations, and commercial customs in Japan, TMG’s policies to attract foreign companies, and more.
2. Mentoring and business meetings: Mentors will hold business meetings for participating businesses to brush up their services or products. For domestic companies, support will be provided for sending information overseas, if necessary.
3. Business plan development support: Support for business plan development will be provided by mentors, etc., to participating businesses.
4. Opportunities to participate in networking events: Networking events with companies supporting this project will be held.
5. Networking events with companies supporting this project will be held. Provision of business matching opportunities: Business matching opportunities for joint research/development, sales tie-ups, etc. with companies in Tokyo will be provided.
6. Support for disclosing information in English: Support will be provided for the disclosure of corporate information (financial statements, IR materials, etc.) in English.
7. Feedback on screening contents: Feedback on the screening contents will be provided to enable the applicants to brush up and realize their proposal.
8. Participation in the Demo Day and award ceremony
9. Follow-up program: “Business Development Center TOKYO”* will continue to support the advancement to Tokyo, including the procedures required to establish an office in Tokyo.
10. Priority to be invited to speak at events hosted by the TMG, etc.: Businesses that are selected for the final screening may be asked to speak at events hosted by the TMG, etc. on a preferential basis.


Mentors(planned)

FUJII TatsutoGeneral Manager, Digital Transformation, Mizuho Financial Group, Inc.
OYAMA KojiPh.D.Center for Research and Development Strategy Japan Science and Technology Agency Fellow/Environment and Energy Unit
Mark MakdadMoneytree KK Director
MINE AramChief Web3 Officer, Gaiax Co. Ltd. / Board Member, Japan Blockchain Association (JBA) / RepHolder, Japan DAO Association
MUNEKUNI ShuJERA Ventures Partner
KOHNOSE NoritakaDeputy-Director General of Fintech Division, Digital Agency, Government of Japan
SAITO SoSo & Sato Law Office Representative Attorney
DOI FumiyoPartner / Attorney at Law, Atsumi & Sakai
ZHOU XiVentures Analyst, Plug and Play Japan
OGYU YasuyukiPartner, Strategic Impact Unit, Blockchain Business Leader, EY Strategy and Consulting Co., Ltd.
SUZUKI KeneiDirector, Strategic Impact Unit, EY Strategy and Consulting Co., Ltd.

* List from those whose appointment has been confirmed. To be updated in due course.



Business Matching Partner Companies

  • Seven Bank, Ltd.

    Seven Bank, Ltd.

  • Daiwa Securities Group Inc.

    Daiwa Securities Group Inc.

  • Mitsui Sumitomo Insurance Company, Limited

    Mitsui Sumitomo Insurance Company, Limited

  • Global Brain Corporation

    Global Brain Corporation

  • WiL, LLC

    WiL, LLC

* Listed sequentially. Scheduled to be updated in the future


Selection
Committee

Committee Chair

YAMAOKA HiromiBoard Member and Chief Sustainability Officer, Future Corporation / Special Advisor for International Finance, Tokyo Metropolitan Government


Committee Members

OE KayoPresident and CEO, Office Libertas
MASUJIMA MasakazuPartner, Mori Hamada & Matsumoto
Chang LiDirector, Fintech Association of Japan / Nippon Life X Chief Manager, Nippon Life Insurance Company



* List from those whose appointment has been confirmed.
To be updated in due course.