Time flies. I still vividly recall the late nights two months ago, when my co-founder in Tokyo and I in Toronto were finalising our application to the 500 Founders Academy. Despite the time difference, we synchronised our schedules, stayed up past midnight, and worked relentlessly to present our vision in the clearest, most compelling way possible.
Exactly a month later, on August 25, we received an email from Wakana-san with the news that we had been accepted into the 500 Founders Academy—an initiative by 500 Global in partnership with the City of Kobe. It was an exhilarating moment. As one of the world’s most renowned accelerators, 500 Global represented an opportunity to accelerate our venture under the guidance of top-tier mentors and subject-matter experts. But with that excitement came a dose of nerves. Would we keep pace with more experienced founders? Could we meet the expectations of a world-class programme?
Startups are complex. There are no shortcuts. And yet, this is not a complaint—it’s a testament to our motivation. We’ve committed ourselves to solving problems that matter. Planning experiments, testing hypotheses, and understanding market dynamics isn’t glamorous work, but it’s essential. Having access to the right people, like those in the 500 Global network, increases the odds of building something that matters.
Inside the 500 Founders Academy
The 500 Founders Academy is a four-week intensive designed to help early-stage startups sharpen their focus, test their assumptions, and move with speed. The programme covers core topics such as growth experiments, sales strategy, marketing metrics, and funding navigation.
Participants benefit from three key pillars:
- Weekly self-paced video modules;
- Live AMA (Ask Me Anything) sessions with experts;
- Community-building opportunities with fellow founders and Kobe city stakeholders.
This structure allowed us to absorb new concepts during the week and return to the AMA sessions with targeted questions—often focused not on theory, but practical application. The peer cohort, curated for quality and relevance, created a learning environment rich with diverse perspectives. In Slack, we exchanged tips, shared lessons learned, and scheduled virtual meetups that led to genuine connection and potential future collaboration.
Being surrounded by other founders who understand the startup grind added immeasurable value. Most were Japan-based, making this not just an accelerator, but a preview of what building a company in Kobe could look like. I came away with not only lessons, but also growing curiosity about relocating to Japan.
Kobe: Japan’s Next Startup-Friendly City
As a reminder to myself and to fellow founders, Kobe is one of the few Japanese cities offering dedicated startup visa support. And the ecosystem goes beyond that. With accelerator programmes like the 500 Kobe Accelerator, public innovation hubs like Urban Innovation Kobe, global partnerships such as the UNOPS S3i Innovation Centre, and financial vehicles like the Hyogo Kobe Startup Fund, the city is establishing itself as a launchpad for mission-driven startups.
In fact, Kobe offers up to ¥13 million (~CAD$150,000) in startup grants over a three-year period—an especially attractive incentive for foreign entrepreneurs. Additional support comes from mentor networks like Japan Innovation Dojo and the Kobe Startup Hub. The infrastructure, openness to global talent, and strategic funding made it clear: Kobe is serious about becoming a regional startup powerhouse.
In light of Tenatch’s future ambitions, I’ve already begun exploring visa pathways and legal processes to establish a stronger presence in the city. There’s more to be done—and Kobe seems like the right place to do it.
A Heartfelt Conclusion and New Beginning
As the programme ends, I want to express our deepest thanks to everyone who made this possible: Carrie and Wakana-san from 500 Global; Nishikawa-san and Iwashita-san from Kobe City; Joshua from the Kobe Startup Hub; and all the mentors and founders who made these four weeks so meaningful.
Thank you for believing in our startup before the world knew who we were. Thank you for creating a space where experimentation is encouraged and where failure is reframed as a step toward insight. Thank you for showing us what’s possible.
To all the entrepreneurs, creators, and members of the inaugural 500 Founders Academy: we wish you growth, resilience, and meaningful impact. This is not the end. It is a powerful new beginning—for Tenatch, for our community, and for the idea that cities like Kobe can become global launchpads for purpose-driven innovation.
We’ll be back. Until then, we build, we learn, and we dream forward.
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