Established in 1840, Kajima is a Tokyo-headquartered construction and real estate firm that comprises more than 100 subsidiaries globally. Outside Japan, it has operations in North America, Asia, Europe, and Oceania.

Singapore serves as the regional headquarters for all operations within the Southeast Asia region, and locally, it is primarily represented by Kajima Overseas Asia for its construction business, and Kajima Development for its real estate business.

Early stage or mature startups and SMEs are welcome to apply.

Eligiblity:

Applicants should have a solution that is:

• At least TRL level 7.

• Is relevant to one or more of the Programme Challenge Statements.

• Can be validated in collaboration with Kajima at The GEAR or one of our other project sites.

Applicants can be located anywhere in the world, but are willing to travel as required to Singapore to deploy their POC project. (note it is not required to be located in Singapore for the full duration of the programme and programme sessions can be joined online).

For applicants with already commercialised technology, this programme offers an opportunity to validate the value proposition within Kajima's context - perhaps a new application of the product, a new feature or entering the built environment sector.

Once you apply to the programme, we will review your application to assess your company, interest, and objectives. We will then shortlist startups to have a 30-min call to meet and understand your business proposition, to align your objectives for the programme.  

On a quarterly basis, we review shortlisted applicants with our business units and programme partners (with further interviews scheduled if needed) then select the final highest potential startups to be a part of Programme. Intakes occur quarterly based on stakeholder and startup readiness, with the number of companies selected each quarter dependent on resource availability. 

We aim to intake approximately 20 companies each year, with intakes occurring each quarter. Note that not all companies that are selected for the Programme may proceed to Phase 2 (POC Deployment). This is dependent on identifying a compelling value proposition to feasibly validate in Phase 1.  

The programme will be run from The GEAR in Singapore, with POC opportunities across Kajima's Singapore businesses. Startups may join meeting with local Kajima stakeholders in-person or online if they are based overseas.  

Foreign startups do not need to travel to Singapore for the duration of the programme, only if required to deploy their POC. Note that the POC grant funding may also be used to cover travel costs, where is it essential for an on-site company representative to install hardware or monitor the project deployment. 

Startups can access the co-working space at The GEAR and book meeting rooms. For POC deployment, we will work with the startup to identify the required and most suitable location and resources to work with. This may be within The GEAR building, use of lab resources and/or other Kajima construction or property sites in Singapore.

We shortlist startups and conduct interview calls on a rolling basis, so it is encouraged to apply as soon as possible. Assessment with our business units and programme partners occurs on a quarterly basis, approximately at the end of each quarter. If you are unsure which assessment cycle you have applied for, please don’t hesitate to reach out – you will receive a confirmation email upon application submission with a contact email address for queries. 

The programme is free for startups to join with no equity taken.

There will however be an opportunity to receive investment from Kajima Ventures during or after the programme for the highest potential startups.

Kajima Corporation, nor any of its subsidiaries, will not retain any IP generated by the participating startups during the programme, unless a specific joint-research or joint-venture agreement is signed by both parties. Any requirement to share confidential information or collaborate on research initiatives will be covered in separate specific agreements.

For programme phase 1, it is required that a founder or senior management level employee participates in the assigned stakeholder customer discovery sessions (2-5 stakeholder groups depending on nature of the technology) to support gathering the required inputs to design a robust POC.  The duration of Phase 1 of the programme is not pre-set and will depend on stakeholder availability, the number of stakeholders required to be engaged and POC complexity. This can be planned and discussed during your programme onboarding call to determine the requirements for your specific objectives.  

If you are successful in proceeding to Phase 2 of the programme, a specific POC scoping document will be completed together with The GEAR team which will specify the exact duration of the POC, milestones, KPIs and meeting cadence.  

Progression from Stage 1 to Stage 2 is based on several key considerations: 

• Value Proposition: Has a compelling solution been identified that addresses a real pain point or offers strong potential for commercial impact to Kajima? 

• Feasibility: Can a proof-of-concept (POC) be scoped in a way that is practical to execute, using available resources, within a reasonable budget, and with manageable risk? 

While these criteria guide the evaluation, it’s important to note that Kajima retains full discretion over whether to proceed with a POC deployment. This means that even if your proposal meets the above criteria, acceptance into the programme does not guarantee a POC will be awarded. Decisions may be influenced by broader strategic, operational, or stakeholder considerations. 

That said, we are committed to working closely with participants to explore the potential of their solution. Throughout Stage 1, we’ll engage relevant Kajima stakeholders to assess the value proposition and collaboratively explore how a POC might be scoped. Our goal is to support promising innovations and give them the best chance to move forward, while remaining aligned with Kajima’s strategic priorities and operational realities. 

We understand that each startup has unique needs when it comes to validating their technology. To better support this, we’ve designed two distinct tracks that reflect different levels of resource intensity: 

• Seed Track: For technologies that can be trialled within The GEAR building or through online means. These typically require fewer stakeholder groups, involve lower risk, and have low or no cost to validate. 
   

• Enterprise Track: For technologies that require access to Kajima construction sites or properties beyond The GEAR. These trials often involve more complex coordination across multiple stakeholders and higher budget requirements. 

After reviewing your application, we’ll assess which track best suits your validation needs. While the programme structure remains the same across both tracks, the level of stakeholder engagement and funding support will differ based on the track assigned. 

This two-track model allows us to efficiently allocate resources and support a greater number of promising solutions, while ensuring each startup receives the level of engagement and funding appropriate to their trial needs. 

The Startup CoLab Programme is our umbrella, flagship, year-round open call for global startups across the built environment. It covers four challenge themes: sustainability, productivity and safety on construction sites, smart buildings, and facilities and infrastructure management. Solutions are validated with Kajima at The GEAR or Kajima sites, with successful opportunities having the opportunity to scale across Kajima project globally, and/or integrate with Kajima proprietary technologies for joint go-to-market partnerships.  

Startup CoLab EAI is a new specific Embodied AI track for the Singapore construction sector, in partnership with Enterprise Singapore (EnterpriseSG) and the Building and Construction Authority (BCA). It is specifically designed to address the challenges faced by EAI startups when commercialising solutions in the construction sector. The programme supports global and local startups to localise their solutions for Singapore’s construction requirements, validating them on live construction sites. This programme differs from the wider Startup CoLab programme with solutions having the opportunity to have facilitated engagements and deployments with the wider Singpaore construction sector.  

Startup CoLab EAI launches in early 2027. If your solution involves embodied AI or robotics for construction, you may register your interest for Startup CoLab EAI. For all other built environment solutions, you may apply to the Startup CoLab Programme at any time.