japan desk
Bridging Innovation Between Japan and Boston
Japan Desk strives to connect Japanese innovators, founders, and organizations to the U.S. market, ensuring a richer, quicker, and smoother expansion experience. In partnership with Japanese government agencies and associations, we connect businesses across the innovation ecosystems of Japan and Boston. Our services include developing customized, hands-on programming, making strategic stakeholder introductions, and expanding professional networks.
Who We Serve
Japanese Startups & Entrepreneurs
The CIC Japan Desk offers programs and services to support international founders from Japan to give access to the US market and help them confidently expand their business overseas with the support of CIC’s world class innovation network and community.
Education Institutions & Corporate Delegations
The CIC Japan Desk offers tours of CIC tailored to a Japanese audience to introduce visitors to CIC’s world-class innovation network, community, and Japan-focused programs. Tours can be conducted in Japanese.
Government Agencies & Industry Associations
We design and implement programs and events to support entrepreneurs and startups from Japan to enter the U.S. market through Boston and Cambridge’s Kendall Square. The focus and content of the programs can be customized to these groups’ needs.
Calling All U.S. Market Experts & Speakers
To help us craft world-class programs to assist in our collaboration with Japan’s innovation community, we are always looking to grow our professional network of experts, mentors, and speakers. Please contact us if you’re interested in helping Japan Desk!
It’s rewarding to help international entrepreneurs navigate business culture in the U.S. …my area of focus, which is on partnering, co-development, and licensing activities with U.S. collaborators, involves agreement structures and deal negotiations that are often quite different elsewhere.
Joel Berniac, MEng, PhD, MBA | President & Founder | BioFuturis, LLC
We help startups and entrepreneurs from Japan connect with the U.S. market with the help of key Japan and Boston-based partners.
Japan Desk is helping Japanese companies to make great strides… They provide tons of support for our communication and PR activities with local companies, and have a good understanding of Japanese customs, removing any friction caused by cultural differences. They help to guarantee that your work in the United States will be fulfilling and enjoyable.
Moriyoshi Maeda | Clinical Research Manager | FUJIFILM Pharmaceuticals U.S.A., Inc.
Dive deeper into the impact of Japan Desk
CIC Japan Desk Year in Review — 2024-2025
We invite you to read our 2024-2025 CIC Japan Desk Year in Review report.
Empowering Innovators: TAKTOPIA’s Mission to Cultivate Entrepreneurship Among Japanese Students
Since 2023, TAKTOPIA has worked closely with CIC Japan Desk to enhance Japanese students’ understanding of the Boston-area innovation ecosystem through hands-on workshops at CIC Cambridge.
CIC Japan Desk Year in Review — 2024-2025
We invite you to read our 2024-2025 CIC Japan Desk Year in Review report.
Interested in learning more about Japan Desk?
Contact us at japandesk@cic.com