December 12, 2023 – Today, CIC and Nishi-Nippon Railroad Co. announce the creation of a new CIC Innovation Campus in Fukuoka, Japan, scheduled to open in spring 2025 in the Shin-Fukuoka building (tentative name). CIC Fukuoka (tentative name) will combine workspace and high-impact programming to become a physical center of gravity for the innovation community and help to connect the region to the global innovation ecosystem.
As part of the partnership, the organizations will also establish Venture Café Fukuoka (tentative name). The newest addition to the Venture Café network, Venture Café Fukuoka will serve as an innovation activator that convenes the entire ecosystem through programming and events that build community and connect innovators to a global network. Venture Café Fukuoka will launch in the fall 2024.
The strategic expansion will mark CIC’s second innovation campus in Japan and tenth global location, as well as Venture Café’s 15th global location. CIC and Nishi-Nippon Railroad Co. began discussions about the creation of CIC’s second Innovation Campus in Asia following the success of CIC Tokyo, which is currently one of the largest innovation hubs in Japan.
CIC Fukuoka will occupy the 7th floor (approx. 3,500 m2) of the Shin-Fukuoka Building, and will have approximately 140 private offices and a coworking space with approximately 40 seats, as well as conference rooms, a kitchen/cafe space, a game room and other amenities that can be shared by tenants.
Venture Café Fukuoka will hold weekly programs open to the public where startup companies, investors, universities, research institutions, students, and many others will gather. The weekly programming is scheduled to begin in the fall of 2024, and will be preceded by an opening event in February 2024.
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Message from CIC and West Japan Railway representatives
The Fukuoka Urban Area Reconstruction Project, a large-scale development project that we are promoting, topped off in October of this year, and preparations for its opening in the spring of 2025 are now in full swing. In this context, we are very pleased to officially welcome CIC, a world-class innovation campus operator.
The development concept of this project is “creative intersection meets different ideas,” and by taking advantage of Fukuoka’s location in close proximity to other Asian countries, we hope to create a global innovation hub where startup companies can expand their networks with the world. Fukuoka is expected to become a global innovation hub where startup companies can expand their global network. Let’s work together to further revitalize the city of Fukuoka and enhance its presence in Asia.
I am pleased to announce that CIC’s new innovation campus will be located in the Shin Fukuoka Building after having successfully reached an agreement on this project in close cooperation with Nishitetsu, which has played a major role in Fukuoka’s development to date.
Fukuoka is not only home to many direct flights from Asian countries, but is also a city where entrepreneurship is prevalent and there is an open attitude toward new ideas and business. Furthermore, the “Shin-Fukuoka Building (tentative name)” is located in the center of the Tenjin area of Fukuoka Prefecture, one of the largest buildings in western Japan in terms of single floor size, and is easily accessible from various areas in the prefecture. We are confident that the opening of CIC at this location will make it an important innovation hub for Fukuoka in the future.
CIC will utilize the knowledge of fostering an innovation culture and startup ecosystem gained at CIC Tokyo, one of the largest startup hubs in Japan, and other locations around the world to build an active innovation campus in Fukuoka with a variety of players.
We are very pleased to announce the opening of CIC Fukuoka and Venture Café Fukuoka in the Shin-Fukuoka Building. As a joint project with Nishitetsu, which is strongly committed to the further development of Fukuoka, we feel a great sense of expectation and responsibility to launch Fukuoka’s largest urban innovation campus in the company’s flagship building.
We look forward to working with Nishitetsu to advance preparations with the aim of creating a new center of innovation in Fukuoka connecting Fukuoka with Kyushu cities, Tokyo, and Asia.
Outline of CIC Fukuoka
CIC Fukuoka is a facility where various domestic and international companies, venture capitalists, universities, research institutes, government and municipal organizations, and professional firms such as lawyers, etc., gather, with a focus on startups. It offers support programs that strongly encourage the growth of the startups that move in, and an in-depth community that promotes innovation.
The facility will support the creation of a wide range of business innovations by providing a location and resources for a diverse range of innovators in Tenjin, the center of Fukuoka, which has a strong network with Asia, a region where business is growing rapidly.
Name: CIC Fukuoka
Opening: Spring, 2025 (tentative)
Composition of Facilities】 Shin-Fukuoka Building (tentative name) 7th floor
Approximately 140 private offices (for 1 to 4 people)
Coworking space: approx. 40 seats
14 meeting rooms
Amenity space (kitchen, cafe space, game room, etc.)
Area】 Approx. 3,500 m2 (approx. 1,058 tsubo)
- [Corridor/ Communal Spaces]
- [Kitchen/ Cafe Space]
- [Corridor / Private Office]
- [conference Room]
Overview of Venture Café Fukuoka
In conjunction with the opening of CIC Fukuoka (tentative name), its sister organization, Venture Café, will expand its activities to Fukuoka by operating programs and events open to all, building community, and connecting innovators to the global community.
Venture Café Fukuoka (tentative name) is scheduled to be launched in the fall of 2024, and a pre-event will be held in Fukuoka in February 2024.
- Venture Café Fukuoka
- Establishment:
- Fall 2024: Tenjin area
- Spring 2025 onward: Sky Lobby on the 6th floor of Shin-Fukuoka Building
- Contents: Innovation creation programs such as “Thursday Gathering,” the main program held every Thursday, will be implemented.
- Pre-event: February 13, 2024 (Tuesday) at Fukuoka Growth Next (Daimyo, Chuo-ku, Fukuoka City)
- Details will be announced as soon as they are determined.
- [6th Floor Sky Lobby where Venture Café's Innovation Programs will be held after the opening of the building]
- [Venture Café's program being held at CIC Tokyo]
Outline of Shin-Fukuoka Building
The new Fuku Building will be a place that continues to create new value for visitors.
- Fukkubiru Urban Area Reconstruction Project
- Location: 1-11 Tenjin, Chuo-ku, Fukuoka City
- Total floor space: approx. 147,000m2 (approx. 147,000 tsubo)
- Total floor space: Approx. 147,000m2 (approx. 44,000 tsubo)
- Number of floors: 19 above ground, 1 in the tower, 4 in the basement
- Building height: approx. 97 m
- Architect: Basic design: Nikken Sekkei Ltd.
- Construction completion: December 2024 (scheduled)
- Opening: Spring, 2025 (scheduled)
About CIC
CIC builds and operates a global network of innovation campuses where startups, scale-ups, corporations and public entities connect, work, and grow. Founded in 1999, CIC manages more than 1.2 million square feet of innovation-focused workspace, laboratories, and event space across North America, Europe and Asia. Additionally, CIC develops innovation-related programming, builds and enables industry clusters, and provides world-class innovation consulting.
Learn more about CIC’s innovation campuses featuring workspace & labs, programming, and events at CIC.com. Follow along on LinkedIn, Instagram, and Facebook.
Find the press release in PDF here.