Crossroads of Global Startups: Fukuoka City's Support and International Collaboration
22 October 2025
- Scaling Up
- Adopt
- Ignite
As the gateway to Asia, Fukuoka City in Japan is committed to supporting both foreign entrepreneurs entering the city and local startups aiming to expand globally, under its “Startup City Fukuoka” initiative.
In 2017, Fukuoka signed an MoU with Auckland to strengthen intercity collaboration in startup support. The city also introduced the “Startup Visa” program for the first time in Japan to assist foreign founders with residency and business setup. This session will highlight Fukuoka’s global startup support initiatives and explore new opportunities for collaboration with the City of Auckland.
Free
Shun Ono
Global Business Support/Advisor at Fukuoka Growth Next
Shun Ono is a strategic and entrepreneurial leader based in Fukuoka, Japan, with over a decade of international experience in business development, startup ecosystem building, and cross-border partnership creation across the U.S., Europe, and Asia.
He currently serves as Program Director at Fukuoka City’s Global Business Support and Project Leader at Zero-Ten Park, where he drives global expansion programs, investment pipelines, and ecosystem collaborations. Previously, he held leadership roles in energy technology, biotechnology, construction materials, and aerospace and precision manufacturing. Shun is fluent in English and Japanese, conversational in German, and frequently speaks at global startup and innovation forums.
Venue
Precinct Flex @ GridAKL
12 Madden Street
Wynyard Quarter
Auckland
Precinct Flex at 12 Madden Street is a stunning 5 Green Star-rated building offering coworking, private offices, meeting rooms, and event venues — all in the heart of Auckland’s vibrant Wynyard Quarter. Since opening in 2017, it’s been setting the benchmark for flexible workspaces — designed from the ground up to bring ambitious businesses and bright minds together in the heart of the Innovation Precinct.