India, Japan to launch startup investment platform modelled on Shark Tank

Commerce and Industry Minister Piyush Goyal on Wednesday unveiled plans for an India-Japan startup investment initiative, drawing inspiration from the popular 'Shark Tank' format to deepen entrepreneurial ties between the two nations.

Addressing a roundtable discussion on startups, Goyal suggested establishing regular virtual pitching sessions that would allow Indian startups to showcase their ideas to Japanese investors while providing Japanese startups with access to the Indian market and business partners.

"In this world of global connectivity through digital platforms, we can organise more and more pitching sessions where Indian startups pitch for Japanese investments and Japanese startups pitch for partners in India," the minister said.

Goyal emphasised that leveraging existing digital connectivity through virtual platforms would enable seamless interaction between entrepreneurs across the two countries, removing geographical barriers and facilitating greater collaboration.

The proposal reflects efforts to strengthen economic ties between India and Japan, two major Asian economies with growing startup ecosystems. Such initiatives are expected to foster knowledge exchange, facilitate cross-border investments, and create new avenues for technology and business partnerships.