SOUTHFIELD, Mich.—The Centrepolis Accelerator at Lawrence Technological University and the Japan External Trade Organization (JETRO) will deliver the 2026 Global Startup Acceleration Program (GSAP) Hard Tech Course, a structured initiative designed to help Japanese deep-tech startups enter and scale in North American markets. The program runs from August 2026 through March 2027.
Building on a successful 2025 JETRO collaboration that supported 17 Japanese startups across robotics, AI, advanced materials, mobility, and defense, GSAP 2026 expands the partnership with a more intensive execution track, from an initial U.S. market discovery cohort of 8 to 10 startups through a focused market entry phase for three to five startups.
“Michigan is the strategic entry point for any Japanese hardtech company serious about winning in North America. We’re not just connecting startups to a network, we’re connecting them to 80-plus corporate partners who are actively looking for the technologies these companies have built.” said Dan Radomski, CEO of Centrepolis Accelerator. “Michigan is where hardtech gets built, scaled, and commercialized, and that’s exactly the ecosystem Japanese startups need to win in North America.”
The program moves selected startups through a structured sequence of market entry milestones. Following an intake and scoring process, cohort participants enter a 10-to-12-week U.S. market discovery curriculum, including an on-site Japan bootcamp with three mentors. Each startup is guaranteed a minimum of three warm introductions to customers, partners, and investors, with opportunities for additional connections based on the startup’s needs and market fit.
For the focused market entry phase, startups will advance into active U.S. market entry execution: proof-of-concept engagements, Midwest trade show immersion, a Demo Day with angel investors, venture capitalists, and corporate innovation teams, and access to private office suites at Centrepolis.
Centrepolis Accelerator is a leading product development and business accelerator based in Southfield, Michigan, dedicated to helping hardware and advanced manufacturing companies bring innovative products to market. Through expert-in-residence support, prototyping resources, and strategic partnerships, Centrepolis connects entrepreneurs and established firms with the tools and talent needed to develop, manufacture, and scale products in Michigan.
The Japan External Trade Organization (JETRO) is a government-related organization that works to promote mutual trade and investment between Japan and the rest of the world. JETRO’s Global Startup Acceleration Program supports Japanese startups in building commercial traction in key international markets.
Lawrence Technological University is one of only 13 independent, technological, comprehensive doctoral universities in the United States. Located in Southfield, Mich., LTU was founded in 1932, and offers more than 100 programs through its Colleges of Architecture and Design, Arts and Sciences, Business and Information Technology, Engineering, and Health Sciences, as well as Specs@LTU, which offers communication training programs of the former Specs Howard School, and LTU’s growing Center for Professional Development. PayScale lists Lawrence Tech among the nation’s top 11 percent of universities for alumni salaries. Forbes and The Wall Street Journal rank LTU among the nation’s top 10 percent. U.S. News and World Report lists it in the top tier of best in the Midwest colleges. Students benefit from small class sizes and a real-world, hands-on, “theory and practice” education with an emphasis on leadership. Activities on Lawrence Tech’s 107-acre campus include more than 60 student organizations and NAIA varsity sports.