During the period of national isolation (1641-1859), the Netherlands was the only Western country allowed to trade with Japan, through Dejima — a small artificial island in Nagasaki. Dejima served as a window to the world, bringing not only goods but also knowledge, science, and technology.
This year, as we celebrate 425 years of friendship between Japan and the Netherlands, the Embassy of the Kingdom of the Netherlands will act as a modern-day “Dejima” for sustainability. StartNL Japan will bring together starups from the Netherlands focused on the circular economy. They will engage with so-called “Dejima teams” — small, independent teams within Japanese companies tasked with driving innovation and collaboration across sectors, inspired by the historic spirit of Dejima. Through pitches and panel discussions, we will exchange perspectives on sustainability and further explore areas of collaboration.
Dejima Team
The Dejima Team works with more than 100 “Dejima organizations” — innovation teams embedded within large corporates. These teams are tasked with exploring entirely new business opportunities, often outside their company’s core activities, and are backed with corporate funding and support.
Their approach is inspired by the historic island of Deshima, a Dutch trading post established in Japan in the 17th century. At a time when Japan was largely closed off from the outside world, Deshima served as a rare gateway for the exchange of new ideas, technologies, and products — shaping innovation in both countries. In the spirit of the original Deshima, we aim to connect Dutch startups with Dejima organizations to ignite new ideas and foster impactful collaborations.
Programme
- 15:30 Doors open
- 15:45 Opening
- Introduction
- Presentation on NL startup ecosystem by StartNL Japan
- Presentation on Dejima by Dejima Team
- Pitches and Panel discussion by NL startups and Dejima organizations
Confirmed speakers include Capsula, Circularise, Equinox Ocean Turbines, Hyer Power, SeaHiker, TouchWind, Zavhy and others - 17:55 Networking reception
- 19:15 End
Interested in joining? Please register by clicking on this link
— The StartNL Team: Sonoko, Sosha & Sean