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― Co-creating the “World’s Coolest” Cross-Border Startup Community ― Strengthening the connection between both countries’ startup ecosystems as a new model for equal public-private collaboration between Japan and Finland
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　Takagi Building Co., Ltd. (Headquarters: Nishi-Shimbashi, Minato-ku, Tokyo; President: Hidekuni Takagi ※”Takagi” is officially written with the character “高” with the “梯” radical) has signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with BusinessOulu, the employment and industrial promotion agency of Oulu, Finland. This collaboration aims to expand opportunities for startups from both Japan and Finland to challenge the international market. The MoU was signed on December 23, 2025, coinciding with theThis memorandum of understanding (MoU) was signed in conjunction with the “Polar Bear Pitching TOKYO” event (a preliminary pitching competition for the main event scheduled for February 26, 2026).

>>Press release here

Creating an international community as comfortable as home

　This MoU marks BusinessOulu’s first cooperation agreement with a Japanese private company. Furthermore, as a cooperation agreement centered on the startup ecosystem, it represents the first initiative of its kind between the City of Oulu and Japan.This agreement, which enables private companies and public institutions to collaborate on equal footing and realize cross-border public-private partnerships, symbolizes the deep trust and shared vision between the two parties. Through this MoU, we will accelerate startup support in both regions, foster the formation of an international community, and drive cross-border innovation.

Key Areas of Cooperation
– Exchange of expertise
and insights on startup support ecosystems – Mutual provision of support services for startups – Support for

accessing new markets through both parties’ networks and platforms – Hosting the Avant Pitching Competition Japan Qualifiers (Japan National Finals) within Polar Bear Pitching (a startup event originating from Oulu, Finland) – Creating opportunities for collaboration
in training/education programs and international events

Both parties share a common vision: to foster a community akin to a “global family” that respects and trusts one another across borders, realizing a world where everyone can comfortably take on challenges as if it were their own home.

The trust relationship built through Polar Bear Pitching TOKYO

　The relationship between the two began with the “Polar Bear Pitching TOKYO” event held on January 24, 2025, at our coworking space “BIRTH LAB / WORK” in Azabujuban, Tokyo (part of the Avant Pitching Japan Qualifiers within the main Polar Bear Pitching competition held on February 27, 2025).Through this event, both parties confirmed their shared interest in startup support and international business exchange, expanding the possibilities for collaboration.

Subsequently, on June 2, 2025, coinciding with the visit of the Oulu City delegation to Japan as the official Finnish partner of the Nordic Pavilion at Expo 2025 Osaka-Kansai, an official side event was jointly held in the same space. Startups, educational and research institutions, and government officials gathered, fostering discussions and exchanges that led to the creation of new value between the two countries.

Operating a community where co-creation and challenges emerge, starting with “BIRTH,” which explores the future of real estate.

　TAKAGI GROUP/Takagi Building operates “BIRTH,” a life creation brand that explores the future of real estate by fostering connections with the community, environment, education, and more.Centered around the community operations at its coworking space “BIRTH LAB / WORK” in Azabujuban, Tokyo, the group promotes an environment where startups can grow. This brings together people from diverse fields—IT, creative industries, public-private partnerships, education, finance, HR, and more—sparking new synergies through co-creation projects and new ventures.Additionally, the company is advancing initiatives that transcend traditional real estate boundaries, such as cross-industry collaborative ventures and the multifaceted project “SALON 91°,” which promotes the creation of gathering spaces through both software and hardware approaches.

　Through this MoU, we will leverage our accumulated expertise in co-creation to expand the environment enabling Japanese and Finnish startups to take on global challenges, aiming to realize the “world’s coolest cross-border startup community.”

About BusinessOulu

　BusinessOulu is a public corporation of the City of Oulu responsible for industrial and employment support as well as economic and industrial policy. Oulu, Finland’s fifth-largest city by population and often called the capital of Northern Finland, is known as Finland’s primary hub for world-class wireless communications technology research and development. It also leads globally in 6G research, health tech, and cleantech.BusinessOulu provides public services to support business and employment (including immigrants and their families) at every stage—from pre-startup to international expansion and business attraction—with the goal of developing the Oulu region’s economy. It strengthens collaboration between industry, academia, and government (education, research, industry, and administration), serves as an ecosystem enabler built through this tripartite cooperation, and promotes the creation of new businesses and jobs through co-creation.
BusinessOulu Official Website: https://www.businessoulu.com/en/

Comments

BusinessOulu Director
Juha Ala-Mursula:
“Japan’s technology and innovation clusters are among the world’s best. Tokyo alone boasts multiple top universities, numerous successful companies, and a vibrant startup ecosystem.Our goal at BusinessOulu is to build strong bridges between the technology and innovation clusters in our respective countries and regions, enabling companies to access new markets and create growth opportunities.”

BusinessOulu Senior Advisor,
Japan Takako Uchida

The logo for BIRTH LAB, the coworking space provided by Takagi Building in Tokyo, features a “ladder” motif. I understand this symbolizes connecting diverse communities and significantly expanding networks.I am confident that this new collaboration will further strengthen and accelerate the achievement of this goal by leveraging each other’s platforms. I hope we can build a relationship that is not just a business partnership, but a flat and warm one, like family.”

TAKAGI GROUP／Takagi Building Co., Ltd. President and
CEO Hidekuni Takagi

We are truly delighted and filled with great excitement to have signed this Memorandum of Understanding with BusinessOulu. The fact that our accumulated exchanges have now crystallized into a form of cross-border trust and co-creation marks a significant milestone for us. We firmly believe that the convergence of BIRTH’s community-building experience with Oulu’s world-class technology, talent, and pioneering spirit will open new doors for startups in both countries.We will build an international community that feels like a home where anyone can comfortably take on challenges, creating a driving force for talent from both Finland and Japan to leap into the future. Taking this collaboration as our starting point, we will continue to boldly pursue the creation of new value.”

About the TAKAGI Group / Takagi Building

　Takagi Building Co., Ltd. was founded in 1961 (Showa 36). Starting as a parking lot and rental property management company, we began with our first building, the former Toranomon Takagi Building, and have since engaged in office building construction and management. In the real estate industry, where profits are driven by rent, we believe that “people” are what we value most as we pursue “new value in real estate” without being bound by long-standing conventions or fixed ideas.We believe our mission is to accompany the challenges of people gathering in spaces like office buildings and to support them in leading better lives.
　Guided by our philosophy “For ‘Stand by me.'”, we operate the “LIVE Business” for building management and the “BIRTH Business”, a community project centered around coworking offices. Starting with the operation of the communication space “BIRTH LAB”, we are advancing initiatives beyond traditional real estate boundaries to create new value for society. These include accompanying support for entrepreneurs and public-private partnership projects aimed at regional coexistence.