Digital Garage’s Open Network Lab to Deploy Full Scale Global Expansion between North America, Europe and Asia to Support Entrepreneurs Seeking to Expand Globally

-Based in Digital Garage’s San Francisco based Incubation Center, DG717-

Tokyo, November 5, 2015 – Digital Garage, Inc. (TSE JASDAQ: 4819, DG)’s wholly owned investment and incubation subsidiary DG Incubation, Inc. (DG Incubation) has announced they will expand and put maximum effort on their startup accelerator program “Open Network Lab” on an increasingly global scale. To launch this initiative, Digital Garage will open it’s Open Network Space in their San Francisco based Incubation Center, DG717, where they will help nurture startups looking to expand globally, from APAC regions (including Japan) and North America. “Open Network Lab has become a successful accelerator program in Japan and it’s great timing to expand the activity globally. I’ve been involved since it’s inception as one of the mentors.” (Joi Ito).

To incubate startups, DG717’s Open Network Lab will offer office spaces to graduates of the Japan based, Incubation program: “Seed Accelerator Program” looking to expand their business from Asia to North America. Open Network Lab has been offering mentorship programs led by Silicon Valley’s key players. As part of these efforts, DG plans to organize an advisory board for the purpose of researching, supporting and developing such startups and events. The advisory board is planned include, DG’s Co-Founder, Board Member and Director of the MIT Media Lab, Joi Ito, in addition to individuals whom DG has cultivated significant relationships with, in the booming global internet community. In addition to support startups through its various endeavors to bring their services on a global platform, DG717 will also assist in acquiring Visas, Legal and other practical aspects on setting up presence.

 As its second phase on global expansion, DG plans to work with Europe and Asia based entrepreneur-training programs. “With DG717 as our base, we have built a foundation in which to support Japanese startups expand into Silicon Valley. Moving forward, will continue this expansion into Asia and Europe. Amongst the startups, with plans to put effort into: Biotechnology Security, Virtual Reality, Digital Currencies, Artificial Intelligence.” (Digital Garage President and Group CEO Kaoru Hayashi).

Open Network Lab, currently works with various TechStarts via programs, information exchange; that have established itself in North America and Europe: Axel Springer Plug and Play Accelerator in Germany, Muru-D in Singapore, Shyster ventures in Indonesia, Startup Alliance in Korea, HAX in China and The Mind Fund Group in Hong Kong. In October of 2015, with joint collaboration with Business France Japan, an agency of The French Embassy Department of export and Investment, hosted its first “French Tech Tokyo Pitch Session” at the DG Headquarters based in Tokyo. The purpose to showcase French startups looking to expand into the Japanese market and vice versa.

 To increase it’s growing global presence, DG plans on hosting Global Pitch Contents annually, gathering leading entrepreneurs and startups, in San Francisco on November 5th, named “Digital Garage Day” at DG717.


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