Check our new program
in 2021
「500 Founder Academy」
500 Startups Kobe Accelerator
for COVID-19 Emerging Technology
Why COVID-19
Emerging Technology?
The spread of COVID-19 has not only taken a toll on human health, but has also wreaked havoc on economies and disrupted social life. This raises the need to develop solutions to mitigate the widespread consequences of the pandemic, including preventive health tools, accurate tracking of infections, remote medical care, remote work and study, and efficient food distribution, among others.
The fifth 500 KOBE accelerator program will focus on supporting startups in their quest to solve these pressing issues.
We believe that the technology that comes out of this program will set a new standard as we prepare for the post-pandemic world.
500 KOBE 2020 STARTUPS

AESOP Technology
- Country
- Taiwan
- Business model
- B2B
- HealthTech
AESOP Technology focusing on using innovative approach to reduce medication error and save unnecessary cost for healthcare provider/payors. Our first product, Medguard, which is a machine learning based prescription error prevention system based on 1.3 billion prectiptions, has 10X the accuracy of traditional rule-based AI for identifying medication errors. Medguard is currently been used in five teaching hospitals, and we just completed a validation research with one of the Harvard Medical School Teaching Hospital, which showed positive result. AESOP Technology is also a selected team at Harvard Innovation Labs and venture-backed by UC Berkeley Skydeck Accelerator. During the COVID-19 pandemic, we observed an increading number of medication errors in the hospitals, which might be due to the increase workload and stress on the physician side. We believe our technology is valuable to the patient and physician alike, especially during this pandemic.

Brain Navi Biotechnology Co., Ltd.
- Country
- Taiwan
- Business model
- Both
- HealthTech
- High Tech Medical Device
Brain Navi Biotechnology is a startup high tech medical device company from Taiwan. We have just finished the Beta stage last June. Brain Navi Biotechnology is mainly focusing on developing and researching innovative neurosurgical navigation system. With the outstanding doctors, researchers and developers in Taiwan to combine technical and clinical application experience, developing products driven by demand. By using NaoTrac, doctors can discuss the possible pros and cons to patient with AI, identify the position and anatomy with computer vision and the deliver the procedures delicately with robotic arms. Now, Brain Navi developed Nasal Swab Robot (NSR) to fight the COVID-19 with the world.

Chezuba
- Country
- India
- Business model
- Both
- Impact Tech
Chezuba is a global impact platform facilitating skilled professionals from 100+ countries to assist NGOs in 60+ countries through skill-based online volunteering

Dream Drive K.K.
- Country
- Japan
- Business model
- B2C
- Tourismtech
Dream Drive is building a hotel on wheels by converting vans unit driveable hotel rooms and building an ecosystem of places to explore and park in nature.

Health Sensei
- Country
- India
- Business model
- B2B
- Health Tech
Health Sensei is a single platform for doctors to remotely monitor patients in hospital ICUs, isolation wards and quarantined homes

Humaxa
- Country
- United States
- Business model
- B2B
- Future of Work
Humaxa's AI Assistant for the remote workforce chats with employees, predicts which actions will help them perform their best, and offers to initiate those actions.

Kalkul
- Country
- Japan
- Business model
- Both
- Audio Augmented Reality
Kalkul is an augmented audio company. We are enabling a new presence by blending your digital and physical world through spatial sound.

Langualess Inc.
- Country
- Japan
- Business model
- B2B
- PetTech
When you were little, did you ever think, "If only I could talk to my pet"? We are creating products that make such dreams come true. We have developed the world's first sensor that can easily capture the heartbeat of an animal even through its fur. We have developed an algorithm that analyzes their condition in real time, making the creatures happy and SOS. We have successfully delivered it to pet owners

LearningPal Inc.
- Country
- United States
- Business model
- B2B
- Enterprise Tech
LearningPal helps enterprises to reduce 80% of manual document processing with AI.

Meracle Pte Ltd
- Country
- Singapore
- Business model
- Both
- HealthTech
Meracle is a Medtech startup that seeks to improve the management of chronic respiratory conditions by increasing the efficiency of medication delivered into the lungs while tracking intake data to augment the assessment of treatment outcomes.

Osana Salud
- Country
- Argentina
- Business model
- B2C
- HealthTech
Osana provides affordable subscription based primary care (in-presence and virtual) in LATAM.

Pocket Passport, LLC
- Country
- Japan
- Business model
- Both
- EdTech
Pocket Passport: The teacher tool that inspires lifelong learning by making ordinary English lessons extraordinary. Effortlessly create lessons with drag-n-drop resources and help your students achieve English fluency with fast, fun learning experiences.

SenzeHub
- Country
- Singapore
- Business model
- Both
- HealthTech
SenzeHub vital signs solution is already deployed and monitors the well-being of multi-users on a large scale for early alerts

Sportip,Inc
- Country
- Japan
- Business model
- Both
- HealthTech
Sportipは動作解析AIを提供する筑波大学発ベンチャーです。Sportip Proは、フィットネスクラブ・整体向けに指導の効率化を図るサービスです。またコロナの状況を受け、オンラインで個人が適切な指導をAIとトレーナーから受けられるSportip Meetの提供も予定しています。幅広いトレーニングと有名なトレーナーから低価格で指導を受けられ、AIによるフォームサポートやランキングなどのコミュニティ機能も備えています。

Telemedizip
- Country
- Philippines
- Business model
- Both
- HealthTech
We are a telemedicine platform for healthcare facilities such as hospitals, clinics, and local government health centers. We are unique because we centralize and share medical records within entire facilities, as well as manage appointments for fleets of doctors and departments.

Yondo
- Country
- Australia
- Business model
- B2B
- Video Ecommerce
- Ed Tech
Yondo is an All-In-One Video Ecommerce Solution for Offering Live Online 1-to-1 and Group Video Sessions and Video On Demand and Online Video Courses

Zenu, Inc.
- Country
- Japan
- Business model
- B2B
- RestaurantTech
Zenu is a lightweight digital menu platform for F&B shops to utilize digital orders, payments and data analysis. Customers use their own phones to order take-out/ dine-in providing a contact-less and safer environment
Startups
Pandemic Solutions
- Telemedicine Support
- Disease testing solutions
- Emergency information transmission and false information detection
- Solutions for personal hygiene, disinfection and public safety
- Geo-tracking during a disaster
- Safe food supply and delivery technology etc.
Post-Pandemic Solutions
- Remote Work and e-Learning Support
- Online event management and operations
- Medical data sharing and privacy protection solution
- Health Management Support
- Automation and sensor technology etc.
ABOUT
THE PROGRAM

500 Startups
Kobe City has been partnering with San Francisco-based venture capital firm 500 Startups since 2016. It has supported 71 startups in total, providing mentorship and funding in excess of ¥10 billion. In light of COVID-19, the accelerator will host its fifth program virtually.
Our first, second and third programs have focused broadly on technology, and healthtech was the theme of our fourth program. This year the focus will be on startups and technologies that are tackling the many challenges that have become apparent in the disruption caused by COVID-19.
500 Startups is one of the world’s most active early-stage investment firms. Since its inception in Silicon Valley, 500 Startups has invested in over 2,400 companies across more than 75 countries. Through a eight-week practical program that includes one-on-one coaching from a global team of experts, we aim to build a thriving Japanese startup ecosystem in Kobe. This program welcomes startups from all over the world.

Online Program
Though participants were needed to stay in Kobe in the previous batches, all programs will be conducted online this year! You can participate from anywhere in the world.
We are creating our own program taking advantage of nature of the virtual program.
- Lecture videos created by 500 Startups for this program
- 1-on-1 online mentoring sessions considering a time difference
- Community building through video conference
OUR IMPACTS
- Total Applicants
- 833
- Total Participants
- 71
- Total Fundraising
- $110Million+
WHAT DO
STARTUPS GET
Knowledge
You'll get access to mentors from the 500 Startups global team and partners. Mentors will be available for 1:1 meetings and can share wisdom from the Silicon Valley entrepreneurial experience.
Lectures
Lectures from members of the 500 team and notable guests on marketing, monetization, product design and more.
Community
Work with your team as part of a carefully selected community of awesome startups!
MEET THE MENTORS

Ajay Chainani
Resident mentors
Ajay is a software engineer with years of experience helping to build and advise startups in the United States and Japan. He specializes in iOS development and has helped build multiple award winning mobile applications, including Spring, which was recognized by Apple as one of the “Best Apps of 2014” and Sonar, which launched at TechCrunch Disrupt NY 2011 and won second place in the Startup Battlefield Competition.

Marcus Sandberg
Resident mentors
Marcus has been involved in several 500 Startups programs around the world: Entrepreneur in Residence in Riyadh, Mentor in Mexico City, Industry Expert & Bootcamp Manager in Miami, and Accelerator Manager in Kobe last year. Prior to 500, Marcus founded Hexa/Proleads, a sales development platform for modern B2B sales teams. He went through 500 Startups in 2015 and the Alchemist Accelerator in 2016 in San Francisco. His startup was acquired in 2018.

Charu Sharma
Resident mentors
Charu Sharma is a Silicon Valley-based tech entrepreneur, startup investor and board member. In 2019, Charu was named the AI entrepreneur of the year by VentureBeat and a Top 10 Woman in Cloud by Sheryl Sandberg and Cloud-now. Charu has mentored 100+ startups worldwide on fundraising, product and growth, and runs an angel syndicate where she co-invests in startups with other LinkedIn/Microsoft alums and executives. Outside of tech, Charu enjoys writing and traveling.
OUTLINE
- Program
- All programs will be conducted online.
- Team
- 17 teams
SCHEDULE
- Application period
- 1st half of program
- Guided Coaching Period
- “KOBE Week”: From 8 October to 9 October
- 2nd half of program
- Online Demoday