A new partnership forged between South Wales and Kitakyushu City in Japan aims to increase export market opportunities for digital and net zero innovation businesses, thanks to Connected Places Catapult.

Companies operating the programme were introduced through the Catapult's Innovation Twins UK-Japan programme – a partnership which analyses high-potential international pairings of regions for mutual economic benefit.

Analysis by Connected Places Catapult shows the two regions are similar in ambition and share common industrial heritages and post-industrial challenges. Connected Places Catapult’s Head of International Partnerships, Gareth Davies, said both regions are now focusing efforts towards clean energy futures and decarbonisation of high-value manufacturing through the use of digital transformation and advanced technologies.

Partners in the programme are Tramshed Tech – an accelerator hub that supports start-ups, scales businesses, and drives growth in South Wales and beyond – with its counterpart in Japan COMPASS Kokura, along with the Japan External Trade Organisation and Kitakyushu City Hall.

“The Innovation Twins programme helps us map shared priorities, broker introductions, and align both regions’ strengths.”

Tramshed Tech’s Chief Operating Officer, Rich Harris

Tomokazu Iwabuchi from Urbanix Japan – an ecosystem enabler that supported the initial connection between the Catapult and the Kyushu region – added: “The programme created the initial architecture for partnership-building, offered a neutral platform to align expectations, and accelerated trust between stakeholders who had never met before.”

Tramshed Tech joined a South Wales delegation to Japan in January to represent SMEs and identify sectors and collaborative activities that would be of benefit to Welsh companies. It is said the deal could position South Wales as the UK’s most accessible landing pad for Japanese technology companies; especially those in emerging sectors such as AI, robotics, medtech, and advanced manufacturing.

A first phase of Innovation Twins, funded by Innovate UK, has prioritised net-zero technology opportunities such as hydrogen energy, offshore wind energy and the circular economy. The Green Digital Bridge programme now aims to bring a cohort of Japanese SMEs to London Tech Week next year for business matchmaking with Welsh partners.

Connected Places Catapult’s Head of International Partnerships, Gareth Davies said: “I am absolutely delighted to see such rapid progression of discussions and ambitions between the two regions.

“The Innovation Twins programme aims to build an innovation roadmap that will set out realistic and achievable activities from all partners that directly address common challenges and opportunities. These include scaling start-ups and SMEs, research projects that look to deploy net zero technologies in the two regions, and matchmaking businesses to support regional trade and investment ambitions.”

Connected Places Catapult’s Head of International Partnerships, Gareth Davies

Rich Harris from Tramshed Tech – which offers collaborative workspaces, start-up support and digital skills training to drive innovation – added: “In a relatively short space of time, we’ve moved from early conversations to a formalised partnership that both sides are actively investing in. The enthusiasm from Japanese partners shows that the concept of an innovation corridor is landing well.

“The deal opens up a direct route to one of the world’s most advanced and innovation-driven markets. For Welsh SMEs, it means easier access to Japanese corporates, investors, testbeds, and technology clusters that are typically difficult to reach without on-the-ground support. This corridor will help accelerate commercial conversations, and raise the global visibility of companies based in Cardiff, Swansea, and the wider region. Ultimately, this could translate into new export opportunities, inward investment, high-value collaborations, and the creation of skilled jobs in South Wales.”

Tomokazu Iwabuchi from Urbanix Japan added: “What began as an initial dialogue has quickly evolved into a meaningful collaboration grounded in mutual trust. We now have a clear framework for connecting innovators, universities, and city-level partners across Japan and South Wales. The momentum is real, and both sides are beginning to see this not as a one-off exchange but as the foundation for a long-term innovation corridor.

“For SMEs in our region, this partnership represents access to something they’ve historically lacked: an international pathway that is practical, trusted, and grounded in real needs. It gives local SMEs opportunities to test their solutions in new markets, collaborate with Welsh counterparts, and participate in joint R&D or pilot projects supported by both ecosystems.”

Read more about Connected Places Catapult’s Innovation Twins UK-Japan programme.