Rakuten Announces Accelerator Program, powered by Techstars

Rakuten Announces Accelerator Program, powered by Techstars

Global
accelerator program to leverage Rakuten Viber messaging platform

as
theme for 2018.

Singapore, Dec 13, 2017 –
Rakuten, Inc., a global innovation leader headquartered in Tokyo, and Techstars,
a worldwide network aimed at helping entrepreneurs succeed, announced today the
launch of Rakuten Accelerator powered by Techstars. The three-month
mentorship-driven Rakuten Accelerator is aimed at providing innovative startup
companies from around the world the chance to shape the future of “Messaging as
a Platform” for new technologies. It includes initial funding and three months
of immersed mentorship.

The
inaugural class of approximately 10 startups of this accelerator program will focus
on disrupting and revolutionizing how businesses and consumers use messaging to
conduct business and stay connected. Areas considered for the program include: AI
including chat bot, chat commerce, mobile wallet and cryptocurrency, ad tech,
VR and AR solutions, voice recognition, image recognition, translation, content
such as music and sports, chat based IoT, and enterprise integrated messaging. Rakuten
Accelerator powered by Techstars will be hosted in Singapore, the location of
Rakuten’s Asia Regional Head Office.

Hiroshi Takasawa, head of Rakuten’s investment arm, Rakuten Capital
and newly appointed CEO, Rakuten Asia, will be one of the key executives
collaborating on the global team setting the direction of the Rakuten
Accelerator program.
Since joining Rakuten in 2005, Takasawa has been actively leading several
Fintech businesses, including venture and private equity investments and contributed
to merger and acquisition deals and post-merger integration processes. Prior to
holding executive positions at Rakuten Inc, Rakuten Securities and Rakuten Life
Insurance, he also worked for Nomura Securities in Tokyo and New York.

“We’re
thrilled at the opportunity to share our business and technical expertise with
the disruptive innovators of the future,” said Takasawa. “Together with
Techstars, an organization with a remarkable track record for developing startup
talent, I am very optimistic that we can strengthen the Rakuten global ecosystem
and advance the culture of open innovation.”

Selected
participants will receive a US$120,000 investment, access to the Techstars
Network of over 5,000 founders, alumni, and mentors, and 400 perks worth over US$1
million to develop their ideas, along with mentor support from top executives
and leaders from Rakuten’s E-Commerce, Fintech, Digital Content,
Communications, and Research and Development teams.

Participants
in Rakuten Accelerator will also have access to resources from across Rakuten’s
global ecosystem of more than 70 services, including Rakuten Viber messaging
and voice platform. With hundreds of millions of users around the world, Viber
also recently become the official communication channel of FC Barcelona,
Official Instant Messaging and Calling App Partner of the Golden State Warriors
and an official platform for the National Basketball Association.

Just
under 1,200 startups have graduated from Techstars Accelerator Programs across
the world, including Sphero, SendGrid, and Temasek-backed ClassPass. On average
companies who pass through a Techstars Accelerator Program go on to raise over
US$2 million in outside funding. 

David
Brown, Co-founder and Co-CEO of Techstars said: “Partnering with global tech
powerhouse Rakuten to bring a Techstars Accelerator Program to Singapore is a
major milestone for us. This accelerator will be the first for Techstars in an
Asian city, and ranks Singapore alongside other worldwide startup hubs like
Boulder, New York, London, and Berlin. We are delighted to be able to offer an
Asian accelerator, and give founders across the region the opportunity to join
our worldwide network made up of tens of thousands of community leaders,
founders, mentors, and investors.”

Applications
for Rakuten Accelerator powered by Techstars open on January 8, 2018 and the
program kicks-off in July in Singapore where selected finalists will join
mentors to develop their businesses and technologies. The program will conclude
with a demo day in October where each company will have the opportunity to showcase
their businesses and meet industry leaders and investors from around the world.

About Rakuten

Rakuten,
Inc. (TSE: 4755) is a global leader in internet services that empower
individuals, communities, businesses and society. Founded in Tokyo in 1997 as
an online marketplace, Rakuten has expanded to offer services in e-commerce,
fintech, digital content and communications to more than 1 billion members
around the world. Since 2012, Rakuten has ranked in the top 30 of Forbes
Magazine’s annual “World’s Most Innovative Companies” list. The
Rakuten Group has over 14,000 employees, and operations in 29 countries and
regions. For more information visit http://global.rakuten.com/corp/.

About Techstars

Techstars
helps entrepreneurs succeed. Through the Techstars Worldwide Entrepreneur
Network, founders and their teams connect with other entrepreneurs, experts,
mentors, alumni, investors, community leaders, and corporate partners who will
help their companies grow. Techstars operates four divisions: Techstars Startup
Programs, Techstars Mentorship-Driven Accelerator Programs, Techstars Corporate
Innovation Partnerships, and the Techstars Venture Capital Fund. Techstars
Mentorship-Driven Accelerator Programs help founders do more faster and
Techstars Startup Programs inspire, educate and connect entrepreneurs.
Techstars Venture Capital Fund invests in the most innovative and disruptive
Techstars companies to fuel their success. Techstars Corporate Innovation
Partnerships helps brands supercharge growth by accelerating innovation and
cultural transformation. Techstars accelerator portfolio includes more than
1,000 companies with a market cap of $9.6 billion. For more information, visit www.techstars.com.