Click hereSapporo City (Mayor: Katsuhiro Akimoto) and NTT Urban Development Corporation (Headquarters: Chiyoda-ku, Tokyo; President and CEO: Kou Ikeda) signed a "Collaboration Agreement on Startup Support" today, Thursday, September 11, 2025.
The purpose of this collaboration agreement is to utilize the startup support facility "HooK" between both parties to build an ecosystem for the continuous creation and development of startups in Sapporo and Hokkaido. This is the first agreement that Sapporo City has concluded with a private business operator in order to create a startup hub area in the city center, which is what Sapporo City aims to do. Going forward, both parties will work together and cooperate to promote efforts related to the creation, development, and attraction of startups.
Main collaboration items
Utilizing the startup support facility "HooK,"
- (1)Creation and development of startups in Sapporo and Hokkaido
- (2)Attracting startups interested in expanding into Sapporo and Hokkaido and conducting pilot projects
- (3)Matters related to building a startup ecosystem
- (4)Any other matters necessary to achieve the objectives of this Agreement.
As specific initiatives for both parties, Sapporo City will develop activities at "HooK" including various events and programs that will contribute to the creation, development, and attraction of startups, while NTT Urban Development will develop and operate "HooK," a startup support facility.
About the startup support facility "HooK"
"HooK" is a startup support facility to be built within the large-scale complex "Urbannet Sapporo Link Tower" currently under development by NTT Urban Development at Kita 1-jo Nishi 5-chome, Chuo-ku, Sapporo, and is scheduled to open in July 2026. The facility will include co-working spaces, small offices (approximately 12 to 46 m2), conference rooms, and a lounge that can also be used to host external events, encouraging the dissemination of diverse information from the facility.
In addition, the facility will support the growth of startups by meeting a wide range of needs across a variety of phases and fields, primarily from seed to early stages, through various events and support programs held in collaboration with Sapporo City to build a startup ecosystem.
- The CG rendering of the completed building is based on drawings from the planning stage, and the shape, color, plantings, etc. may differ from the actual building.
(Reference) "HooK" official website
https://hook-linktower.com
The idea behind the facility name "HooK"
The name "HooK" embodies our desire to create a place that serves as a catalyst (=hook) for the creation of new businesses and ideas, and a place where people and things can connect and become friends (=hook up).The logo uses an infinity symbol to express our desire for the place to be a base where innovative business ideas are born and limitless possibilities are developed.
"HooK" location
Urbannet Sapporo Link Tower
Urbannet Sapporo Link Tower
Property overview
| Name | Urbannet Sapporo Link Tower |
|---|---|
| Location | Hokkaido, Sapporo, Chuo Ward, Kitaichijo Nishi 5-1-4 (land number) |
| traffic | 6-minute walk from Odori Subway Station, 10-minute walk from JR Sapporo Station |
| Use | Offices, hotel, shops, parking lot (136 spaces (mechanical multi-story parking lot)) |
| structure | S construction / SRC construction, vibration control structure |
| scale | 26 floors above ground, 2 floors below ground, 1 floor in the penthouse |
| Gross Floor Area | Approximately 60,908㎡ |
| business owner | NTT Urban Development Corporation |
| design | Kume Design Co., Ltd. |
| Construction | Taisei Corporation |
| Completion | June 2026 (planned) |
(Reference) Urbannet Sapporo Link Tower official website
https://www.nttud.co.jp/sapporo_project/
[Contact Information]
- Sapporo City Economic and Tourism Bureau,Economic Strategy Promotion Department, Startup Promotion Division,Takada and Iwabuchi,TEL 011-211-2379