Asics selected four startups’ collaboration proposals at its demo day, based on vision and feasibility. The theme for applications for the program was “Sound Mind, Sound Body.”

Application enrollment began in October 2020 and the event took place on February 22, 2021 at the Asics Japan headquarters in Tokyo.

Eight finalists made their final pitch on Demo Day, with the finalists selected through two rounds of screening steps with the first written and the second interview sessions, after which they spent approximately one and a half months working with the Asics team to complete their business collaboration proposals. On Demo Day, 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:

Grand Prize
Japan HealthCare Co., Ltd. (Headquarters: Tokyo, Representative and Doctor: Daichi Okabe)
Proposal: Kids Foot Health Checkup for Your Smartphone. More information here.

Award of Excellence
•Paronym Inc. (Headquarters: Tokyo, Representative: Michio Kobayashi)
Proposal: Creating a platform to provide personalized content using TIG and connecting customer data. More information here.

•SensinGoodLab. (Headquarters: Tokyo, CEO: Wataru Chino)
Proposal: Development of navigation shoes for the visually impaired and deployment of services using location-based data. More information here.

•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”. More information here.

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 mentally designed lifestyle.

•BONX Inc. (Headquarters: Tokyo, Representative: Takahiro Miyasaka)
Proposal: BONX enables runners to talk while running, and Asics and BONX promote this new form of running for runners.

Existo S.r.l. (Headquarters: Italy, CEO: Vincenzo Russi)
Proposal: Co-develop a customized training plan for people with upper limb impairment and create a well-being lifestyle through sports.

Photo courtesy Asics