Osaka's SIO BASIC Startup Program Expands to Three Annual Cohorts in 2026

Government-backed foundational training shifts from 3-month format to three 3-day intensive workshops targeting social-impact entrepreneurs aged 18–40 across Kansai.

OSAKA — The Osaka Business Development Agency will run its flagship startup foundational program SIO BASIC three times in 2026, compressing the previous 3-month curriculum into three-day intensive workshops held in September, November, and February.

Each cohort takes 15 participants aged 18–40 with social-impact business ideas. The program, co-hosted by Osaka Prefecture and supported by the Osaka Startup Ecosystem Consortium, covers problem validation, business model design, and pitch development. Gou Goda, founder of Zero One Booster, leads the instructor lineup. Sessions run over three non-consecutive days per cohort, all on Saturdays or Sundays.

• Cohort 1: Applications close September 14; workshops September 27, October 10, October 17
• Cohort 2: Applications close November 2; workshops November 14, 29, December 5
• Cohort 3: Applications close January 25, 2027; workshops February 6, 20, 27

Eligibility requires a Kansai university affiliation or Kansai base of operations. The Bureau states post-program individual counseling and referrals to advanced support tracks will continue. Fees are not disclosed.

Why it matters: SIO BASIC is the region’s primary government pipeline for converting idea-stage founders into fundable companies. Expanding from one cohort to three lowers timing barriers for participants while maintaining small class size for mentor access. First cohort applications close September 14.