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Commendation Ceremony Held for the Nippon Startup Awards 2024
SmartHR, Inc., a startup developing cloud-based human-resource software, wins the Prime Minister's Award
July 22, 2024
On July 22, 2024, the Ministry of Economy, Trade and Industry (METI) held a commendation ceremony for the Nippon Startup Awards 2024 at the Prime Minister's Office. Through this awards program, the Government of Japan has been honoring outstanding startups for their development of new, positive-impact businesses that may provide role models for people in the next generation. In the 2024 awards program, SmartHR, Inc., a startup upholding well-working as its theme and developing cloud-based software for the management of human resources and labor affairs, was selected as the winner of the Prime Minister’s Award. In total, ten startups were recognized as the award winners this year, including TIER IV, Inc., a startup undertaking business by leveraging open-source software for autonomous driving technology and selected as the winner of the METI Minister’s Award. Following the end of the ceremony, Prime Minister Kishida and other ministers visited some booths showcased by the winning startups to hear explanations on their products and services.
1. Details of the commendation ceremony
At the ceremony, Prime Minister Kishida delivered his remarks and then the ministers of the related ministries presented the winning startups with certificates of commendation. In addition, the METI and other related ministers heard explanations about the products and services of the winning startups and offered their praises and encouragement to the business owners of the startups.
2. Winners of the Nippon Startup Awards
| Prime Minister’s Award (Nippon Startup Award) |
SmartHR, Inc. |
| METI Minister’s Award (Nippon Startup Excellence Award) |
TIER IV, Inc. |
| MAFF Minister’s Award (Agriculture Startup Award) |
FRD Japan Co., Ltd. |
| MEXT Minister’s Award (University-Oriented Startup Award) |
Chordia Therapeutics Inc. |
| MHLW Minister’s Award (Health and Welfare Startup Award) |
Kakehashi Inc. |
| MLIT Minister’s Award (Land, Infrastructure, Transport and Tourism Startup Award) |
Global Mobility Service, Inc. |
| MIC Minister’s Award (Information and Communications Startup Award) |
ELEMENTS, Inc. |
| Special Jury Award | YOUTRUST, Inc. |
| Special Jury Award | PuREC Co., Ltd. |
| Special Jury Award | AnyMind Group Inc. |
3. Outline of the awards program
This awards program aims to honor outstanding startups for their creation of new businesses with a socially positive impact that may provide role models for people in the next generation. By doing this, it raises public awareness of the importance of proactively taking on challenges and disseminates evaluation results about entrepreneurs, thereby encouraging people throughout society to take on new challenges. Launched in 2015 as the Nippon Venture Awards, this awards program was renamed in 2022.
Related Material
Division in Charge
Startup Promotion Office, Innovation and Startup Promotion Division, Innovation and Environment Policy Bureau
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