Goyal proposed virtual India-Japan startup pitching sessions, allowing Indian startups to seek Japanese investment and Japanese ventures to find partners in India.
He also suggested an India-Japan deeptech capital corridor to channel more long-term Japanese funding into early-stage Indian startups.
An ASSOCHAM report released in Tokyo projects bilateral trade could reach $50 billion by 2030, up from $27.47 billion in 2025-26, with semiconductors, AI and digital technology offering scope for growth.
India-Japan Startups Could Get Their Own ‘Shark Tank’ Under Goyal’s Plan
Piyush Goyal has proposed a ‘Shark Tank’-style pitching platform to connect Indian and Japanese startups with investors and business partners, as both countries look to deepen trade and technology ties
Goyal Proposes India-Japan 'Shark Tank' Style Startup Series To Boost Investments, Business Ties X/@Piyush Goyal
Summary
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Commerce and Industry Minister Piyush Goyal has proposed a ‘Shark Tank’-style pitching series to connect Indian and Japanese startups with investors, partners and potential customers, as New Delhi seeks to deepen economic ties with Tokyo.
Speaking at a startup roundtable in Tokyo on Wednesday, Goyal said the sessions could be held virtually, allowing startups from both countries to pitch directly to investors and businesses.
“India and Japan can develop a pitching series, something like the Shark Tank initiative, that can help young startups pitch,” Goyal said.
Under the proposed format, Indian startups could pitch to Japanese investors, while Japanese startups could seek Indian business partners and market opportunities.
Goyal said the objective should be to move beyond investor pitches towards pilot projects, funding and commercial scale-up.
He also proposed creating an India-Japan deeptech capital corridor, with Japanese investors providing long-term capital to Indian startups, particularly at the early stage.
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He called for greater collaboration between universities, incubators and venture capital funds, as well as partnerships in precision engineering and technology.
India-Japan trade seen reaching $50 billion
Goyal's proposal comes as bilateral trade and investment ties between India and Japan expand.
An ASSOCHAM report released during his Tokyo visit estimates that bilateral merchandise trade could reach $50 billion by 2030, compared with $27.47 billion in 2025-26.
Trade has risen 33% from $20.58 billion in FY2020-21 to $27.47 billion in FY2025-26, according to the report. The growth outpaced India's trade expansion with the US, the European Union and China over the same period.
Japan is currently India's fifth-largest investor and has committed JPY 10 trillion ($68 billion) in private investment over the next decade, according to the report.
The report said there is considerable scope to expand India's exports to Japan, noting that India's share of Japan's total imports remains below 1%.
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It identified sectors including semiconductors, artificial intelligence, digital technologies, critical minerals and resilient supply chains as areas with potential for deeper cooperation.
ASSOCHAM President Nirmal K. Minda said Japanese companies could expand their presence in India through research and development centres, innovation hubs, global capability centres and engineering partnerships with Indian institutions.
The report also pointed to the complementary strengths of the two economies: India's large domestic market, expanding manufacturing base and workforce alongside Japan's technology, capital and industrial expertise.
Goyal said stronger startup and technology links could help turn those complementarities into more direct business partnerships between the two countries.