BATCH 00 · TOKYOEST. 2026 / 35.6762°N 139.6503°E

epok

A Founder Residency For Exceptional Startup Teams

Spend 12 weeks in Tokyo building alongside ambitious founders, operators, engineers, and investors.

EPOK is a highly curated founder residency designed for startup teams already shipping products.

We help exceptional founders move faster through accountability, founder density, strategic support, and access to a global network.

Tokyo is the environment.
The advantage is the people.

The founders are the product.

Apply for Batch 00→Read the Thesis

Small cohort. Builder-led. No accelerator theater.

00 — Why EPOK Exists

Why EPOK Exists

Most founders build in isolation. The best ones rarely do.

History shows that ambitious founders tend to cluster together. Silicon Valley was never just a place — it was a concentration of high-agency people helping each other move faster. We believe concentrated talent still matters.

EPOK exists to bring serious startup teams together for 12 focused weeks of building, shared momentum, and meaningful relationships. Not to run panels. Not to create accelerator theater. To create an environment where strong founders help each other succeed.

Read Full Thesis →
01 — Who It's For

Who EPOK Is For

EPOK is designed for startup teams already building. We care more about founder quality than company stage.

PRE-SEED

Working product required

SEED

Strong fit

POST-SEED

Strong fit

VENTURE-BACKED

Strong fit

  • Technical founder required
  • Minimum 2 founders preferred
  • Working product required
  • Global ambition required

The common denominator is not stage.

It is ambition, execution, and founder quality.

View Selection Process →
02 — What You Get

What Founders Get

The value of EPOK is not the program. It is the peer group you build alongside.

Founder Density

A curated group of serious company builders. The value of the residency comes from the people around you.

Operator Access

Conversations with founders, operators, investors, and technical leaders who have built real companies.

Execution Rhythm

Weekly shipping reviews, founder check-ins, and execution-focused feedback. Build. Ship. Learn. Repeat.

Investor Readiness

Fundraising materials, investor introductions, and feedback when the timing is right.

Explore Program →
03 — Why Tokyo

Why Tokyo Works

Tokyo is not the reason founders join EPOK.

It is the reason they are able to focus.

  • Lower burn than major startup hubs
  • Safe and reliable infrastructure
  • Global city with dense professional networks
  • Excellent quality of life
  • Fewer distractions than Silicon Valley

You can spend the morning building, have lunch with another founder, dinner with an operator, and still be home safely at midnight.

That rhythm compounds over twelve weeks.

See Founder Experience →
Apply

Ready To Join Batch 00?

We are looking for ambitious startup teams already building products and ready to spend twelve focused weeks surrounded by other serious founders.

Apply for Batch 00→
Talk With Us

We read every application personally. Small cohort. We reply to everyone.

NODE: TOKYO-01SLOTS: BATCH 00 · LIMITED