POC Program — Round 14 Call for Applications

The OIST Innovation Proof of Concept (POC) Program is a competitive funding program for OIST researchers designed to help bridge the gap between lab discoveries and commercialization. The POC Program can set you up with funding, mentoring, industry collaborations, a supportive community and more. Take your idea for a technology, product or service, and lead one of (so far) more than 80 POC projects on the way to making an impact in Okinawa and globally.

Whether you are looking to found a start-up or license your results, whether you are an established group leader, a final-year PhD student or somewhere in between, and regardless of your field, the POC Program could be a fit for you.

The funding call for Round 14 of the POC Program will conclude on 1 October 2025.
Learn more and apply here, or reach out to our team with your questions at the OIST Innovation Open Hour every Friday at 2 p.m. at the OIST Innovation Lounge (Lab 3 A731) or via tds@oist.jp.