Scrum Studio Unveils New HFX Acceleration Program to Host Global Startups in Hokkaido, Japan

SAN FRANCISCO, March 12, 2025 /PRNewswire/ -- Scrum Studio Inc. is excited to announce the launch of Hokkaido F Village X (HFX), an acceleration program designed to connect global startups with Hokkaido and support the local implementation of their technologies and strategic collaborations. HFX will connect startups with corporations, local government entities, and investors from Japan and around the world, to foster growth, solve societal challenges, and create new business opportunities.

HFX will take place in Hokkaido, the northernmost region of Japan, where they will work with the F VILLAGE, a mixed-use urban development project surrounding ES CON FIELD HOKKAIDO, the new ballpark and home of the HOKKAIDO NIPPONHAM FIGHTERS professional baseball team. This location offers a unique ecosystem for innovation, blending sports, entertainment, and technology in a dynamic environment.

Hokkaido, known for its natural beauty and growing investments in sectors like data centers, semiconductors, and renewable energy, provides an ideal setting for this program. Despite its many assets, Hokkaido faces challenges such as an aging population and the need for new industry creation. HFX aims to address these challenges by bringing best-in-class innovative solutions from around the world to Hokkaido and the F VILLAGE.

"This new program presents an incredible opportunity for startups to expand into a dynamic and rapidly evolving region of Japan," said Michael Yan of Scrum Ventures and Managing Director of HFX. "F VILLAGE, home to the HOKKAIDO NIPPONHAM FIGHTERS—one of Japan's most celebrated baseball teams and the first professional baseball team of MLB superstar Shohei Ohtani—provides a unique environment for innovation. Our goal is to select startups whose solutions can be directly implemented within F VILLAGE, leveraging its status as a new development for rapid deployment, as well as to other regions in Hokkaido. Unlike older cities with legacy infrastructure, F VILLAGE offers a blank canvas for pioneering solutions, including cutting-edge infrastructure that might be challenging to implement elsewhere. Our ultimate hope and vision is that success in F VILLAGE can be replicated throughout Hokkaido to improve lives in local communities and help to solve some of Hokkaido's challenges."

Scrum Studio will manage HFX, partnering with Fighters Sports & Entertainment (FSE), the operators of ES CON FIELD HOKKAIDO. The program will focus on implementing cutting-edge technologies within the F VILLAGE and other municipalities in Hokkaido, targeting areas such as well-being, mobility, entertainment, sustainability, and food and agriculture. In addition, Scrum Ventures will leverage its extensive experience and expertise in localizing global solutions to the Japanese market to create successful integrations. Early HFX corporate partners that are eager to collaborate with innovative startups include Yamato Holdings, Japan's largest parcel delivery company, and JTB Corporation, Japan's largest travel agency.

Applications are now open for interested startups.

About Scrum Studio, Inc.

Scrum Studio, Inc. is an open innovation platform formed to bridge the gap between iconic Japanese corporations with startups from around the world. The platform focuses on three pillars to create new business opportunities: acceleration, incubation, and connection. See additional vertical studio programs here: https://scrum.vc/studio/

About Scrum Ventures

Scrum Ventures is an early-stage venture firm based in San Francisco with a growing Tokyo office. With entrepreneurial expertise and a strong network in Japan, the firm actively supports portfolio companies' global growth and success.

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SOURCE Scrum Ventures