Key Points of the Third Call for Applications for the SME Growth Acceleration Subsidy for Mid-Sized and Small and Medium-Sized Companies Targeting ¥10 Billion in Sales (Applications Open 29 September 2026; Deadline 29 October)

The SME Growth Acceleration Subsidy supports large-scale capital investment by mid-sized and small and medium-sized companies seeking to generate more than ¥10 billion in sales in the future. The guidelines for the third call for applications have been published, formally confirming the opening and closing dates. The core framework remains a 50% subsidy rate and a maximum subsidy of ¥500 million, while rules carried over from the second call include a ban on the attendance of external consultants and the requirement to publicly announce the ¥10 Billion Declaration in advance.

The application schedule calls for applications to open on 29 September 2026 and close at 15:00 on 29 October, written results of the first-stage screening to be sent in mid-January 2027, the second-stage screening to take place from 15 February to 5 March 2027, and the results of the award decisions to be announced from late March 2027 onward. Applicants are expected to prepare for a screening process lasting approximately six months.

Eligibility requirements include having a head office and business location in Japan, meeting the capital and employee thresholds for an SME, reporting net sales of at least ¥1 billion but less than ¥10 billion in the most recent fiscal year, having average taxable income of no more than ¥1.5 billion over the past 3 years, and not qualifying as a deemed large company. Applicants must publicly announce their ¥10 Billion Declaration on the 100 Billion Yen Business Growth Portal before applying.

Eligible projects include large-scale investments such as establishing or expanding factories and production facilities, improving productivity through capital investment, and upgrading core systems. Eligible costs are divided into 5 categories: building costs, machinery and equipment costs, software costs, outsourcing costs, and specialist fees. The investment must meet the minimum requirement of ¥100 million, excluding tax. The subsidy rate is 50%, with a maximum subsidy of ¥500 million. The wage-increase requirement is an average annual increase of at least 4.5% in total payroll over the 3 years following completion, with a risk of repayment if the target is not achieved.