TOKYO — One of Japan’s largest startup support centers, built by SoftBank Group’s telecommunications unit in central Aichi prefecture, is due to be fully operational on Thursday as an incubator for new industries and to strengthen legacy automotive businesses.
Roughly 500 startups and 200 supporting entities, including local heavyweight Toyota Motor, are present at Station Ai, a seven-story building in Nagoya. The facility is positioned to take advantage of the region’s strong manufacturing base and nurture businesses that can drive growth in the world’s fourth-largest economy.