Business
Tokyo Financial Award 2024: Announcement of Applicants Selected in the First Stage Screening for the Financial Innovation Category Support Program
With the aim to grow Tokyo into an “Innovation and Finance Hub in Asia,” the Tokyo Metropolitan Government (TMG) is working on initiatives to transform the city into the leading city for sustainable finance and the city where global startups are born.
For this fiscal year’s Tokyo Financial Award Financial Innovation Category*, the TMG accepted applications from a record 136 companies. The following is a list of the 16 companies that have passed the first stage screening and will move on to participate in our Support Program.
*A business plan contest that recognizes ideas making use of the latest financial technology to offer solutions for the societal issues facing Tokyo residents and society at large
1. Companies selected in first-stage screening (listed in alphabetical order, juridical personalities omitted)
| Company name | Services details (to succeed in) |
|---|---|
| Descartes Underwriting (France) |
Provides companies and public-sector organizations with parametric insurance* dedicated to natural disasters and extreme weather *A type of insurance in which clients are swiftly indemnified with pre-determined benefits, following the triggering of a pre-defined event |
| Egregium | Develops a robo-advisor service that takes full advantage of AI and algorithms for investment management, allowing clients to make investments that align with their life plans and objectives |
| Everimpact (France) | Provides a one-stop platform that enables monitoring, reporting and analysis of GHG emissions by cities and businesses |
| Fivot | Utilizes a proprietary credit model to predict the outlook of a startup’s business. The company applies this model to develop a new service that pays for business expenses on behalf of companies, and collects these expenses in installments at a later date |
| GarageBank | Develops a proprietary screening system powered by machine learning to provide a service that allows clients to easily obtain appraisal for and sell their assets, including electronic or brand-name items, via a smart phone application |
| GeNiE | Provides a service that allows retailers and other businesses to effortlessly embed lending functions into the sales of their products and expand their overall sales |
| Graphen (US) | Utilizes AI-powered digital humans that mimic the experience of human intelligence in customer service and back office roles in banks and other financial institutions |
| Infcurion | Provides a service that allows companies to make a deferred payment in various methods of inter-company transactions, thereby improving overall cash flow and business efficiency |
| Japan GX Group | Supports companies to promote GX as well as promotes carbon neutral and nature-positive initiatives within Japan by developing and managing markets for carbon credits trading and providing major companies with GX consulting |
| Lifenet insurance | Utilizes the MyNumber system to streamline the insurance underwriting process and to completely eliminate unpaid benefits |
| MILIZE | Provides an AI-powered service that can swiftly offer an appraisal for artwork without any human involvement by assessing data of previous transactions, thereby stimulating activity in the art market |
| Mitsui & Co. Digital Asset Management | Offers a service that uses digital securities to allow users to invest in alternative assets including real estate through a systematic investment plan, proving further avenues for investment |
| Ownership | Develops a system that enables the issuer of digital securities to provide investors with unique security tokens and bolsters relationships between issuers and investors |
| Trust | Develops and provides an AI-powered service to demystify the specifications of antiquated and complex legacy banking systems and to support update those systems to the latest systems. Enables financial institutions to reduce their technical burden and lead time up to system updates |
| Wattcrowd (UK) | Provides unique opportunities for individuals to purchase solar panels for profit. Individuals can lease the solar panels back to the company to receive returns and gain new investment opportunities for their portfolio. |
| WeavAir (Singapore) | Provides banks and asset management businesses with tools to analyze global real-time environmental data, such as GHG emissions and climate-event risks, by utilizing systems that combine predictive networks of satellites and drones |
2. Schedule
Companies selected in the first-stage screening will refine and elaborate their business ideas through the Award’s Support Program (including mentorship, business matching, overseas PR and communication).
Awards will be granted to the top three companies selected in the subsequent final screening. The details regarding the award ceremony will be announced at a later date.
Please see the Tokyo Financial Award website (https://www.finaward.metro.tokyo.lg.jp/) for details.
For Inquiries
Strategic Projects Section, Strategy Promotion Division, Office for Startup and Global Financial City Strategy
TEL:03-5320-6274
e-mail:S1130103(at)section.metro.tokyo.jp
*The email address above has been modified to prevent spam emails. Please change the (at) to the @ symbol before mailing.
Recommended for You
Tokyo “SusHi” Night in New York
November 14, 2024
New Year Countdown 2026: Tokyo Dazzling With Light, Sound and Projection Mapping
December 26, 2025
Tokyo 2025 Deaflympics Paves the Path to an ‘Inclusive Society’
December 26, 2025
Tokyo and the WBA Sign MOU on OpenRoaming Wi-Fi Partnership
January 28, 2026
Making Tokyo's Public Wi-Fi Seamless with OpenRoaming
January 26, 2026
Year-End Jumbo Lottery Draw
December 31, 2025
Forum: ‘Governor, This is How I Want to Change Tokyo!’
December 25, 2025
Tokyo Municipality DX Connect Day 2025
December 24, 2025
Invitations Open for the Tokyo-London Financial Seminar 2026
December 19, 2025
Starting a Sustainable Wood-Fired Bakery in Tokyo
January 23, 2026