ASICS held the DEMO DAY for the ASICS Accelerator Program, its business partnership accelerator program for startups, on February 22nd, 2021 at the ASICS Japan headquarters in Tokyo.
The theme for applications for this program was “Sound Mind, Sound Body™”, and application enrollment began from October 2020.
In accordance with its long-term strategy VISION2030, ASICS solicited ideas from startups for products and services that will use its technology and brand to contribute to improving both mental and physical personal health, improve lifestyle fulfillment for more people, and also create new value.
Eight finalists made their final pitch to the Jury on DEMO DAY, with the finalists selected through 2 rounds of screening steps - the first written and the second interview sessions, after which they spent approximately one and a half months working with the ASICS team to brush up their business collaboration proposals.
On DEMO DAY, the four ASICS executives selected four collaboration proposals, based on overall assessments of “vision” and “feasibility”.
ASICS and the selected startups will together conduct test-marketing and demonstrations and also draft business partnership plans.
The four selected startups and their proposals are outlined below.
＜Grand Prize＞
Japan HealthCare Co., Ltd. (Headquarters: Tokyo, Representative and Doctor: Daichi Okabe)
Proposal: Kids Foot Health Checkup for Your Smartphone
URL : https://jp-hc.com/
＜Award of Excellence＞
Paronym Inc. (Headquarters: Tokyo, Representative: Michio Kobayashi)
Proposal: Creating a platform to provide personalized contents by utilizing TIG and connecting customer data
URL : https://www.paronym.jp/en/
SensinGoodLab. (Headquarters: Tokyo, CEO: Wataru Chino)
*Corporate registration planned for April 2021
Proposal: Development of navigation shoes for the visually impaired and deployment of services using location-based data
URL : https://www.facebook.com/senshigoodlab
Backtech Inc. (Headquarters: Kyoto, Representative: Naoto Fukutani)
Proposal: Connect with ASICS HEALTH CARE CHECK Program to provide the function of “execution of fitness and support mental health”
URL : https://www.backtech.co.jp/
〇Other participants
Ghoonuts Inc. (Headquarters: Kyoto, Representative: Nobuhiro Tsushi)
Proposal: Achieve a more fulfilling sports life and daily life by stimulating the brain
MindFi (Headquarters: Singapore, CEO: Bjorn Lee）
Proposal: Running performance improvement with mental training and creation of mental designed lifestyle
BONX Inc. (Headquarters: Tokyo, Representative: Takahiro Miyasaka)
Proposal: BONX enables runners to enjoy chatting while running, and ASICS and BONX promotes this style of new running for runners
Existo S.r.l. (Headquarters: Italy, CEO: Vincenzo Russi)
Proposal: Co-develop customized training plan for people with upper limb impairment and create well-being lifestyle through sports
One of the strategies in ASICS’s 2023 Medium-term Management Plan is to realize a sustainable society through our business activities. ASICS aims to support the physical and mental health of people around the world as well as sport-friendly environments.
The business activities of the four finalist companies are considered appropriate for a rapidly changing society and environment, and ASICS is confident that the proposed collaborations will support the creation of lifestyles that are fulfilling both mentally and physically.
ASICS wishes to achieve sustainable growth by partnering with startups that would create value, and developing new businesses.
＜ASICS Accelerator Program official site＞
https://corp.asics.com/en/ventures/accelerator_program
＜ASICS HEALTH CARE CHECK official site＞
https://ahcc.asics.com/