◯Overview
The program was founded keeping in mind the idea that “there should always be a hub where university students can work on product development”. Todai SFP is a program designed to support students who develop products through numerous trial-and-errors by providing financial support with no strings attached and space for product development.
◯Things the Program Provides
・Environment for product development at HONGO TECH GARAGE (Check this website for specific tools offered)
・Counseling
・Aids with clouds environments
・Competitive and like-minded friends
・Funds during the program (Approximately ￥30,000-300,000)
◯Target audience and Conditions for Application
The conditions that the ideas by the applying teams must meet are as follows:
・Must include a tech element
・Must have a novelty that no one has ever heard of before.
・Must have a concrete idea of the users who will use the product.
・Must be able to create a prototype within a certain period of time.
(It does not matter whether the idea is commercially viable or not, or whether it is in line with current trends.)
・Must have not yet started a business with the proposed concept
The detailed requirements for teams are as follows
・Have at least one engineer.
・The project leader must be a current student at the University of Tokyo (undergraduate, master's, or doctoral).
・The project leader must be a current student at the University of Tokyo (undergraduate, master's, doctoral).
◯Activity
Use of the HONGO TECH GARAGE (Possible under the COVID-19 situation depending on the circumstance)
Weekly meeting
Counseling every two weeks
Participation in mid-term presentation and final presentation (At least one person per team) (Done online during COVID, done in-person pre-COVID)
◯Application Process
Selection through application documents and interview (Next round of selection is summer of 2022)
In 2021, the application deadline was 7/6
Interview consists of a 5 minute explanation of the project and a 15 minute conversation. (About 20 minutes in total)
Explanatory documents such as sketches and prototypes are not mandatory but will be helpful
