Startup Support of Regional Financial Institutions and Regional Startup

         
Author Name YAMORI Nobuyoshi (Faculty Fellow, RIETI) / NAGATA Kunikazu (The University of Nagano) / KONDO Kazumine (Aichi Gakuin University) / OKUDA Masayuki (ichi Sangyo University)
Creation Date/NO. September 2022 22-J-033
Research Project Regional Economy and Roles of Regional Finance in the Post COVID-19 World
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Abstract

This paper examines whether the startup support provided by regional financial institutions contribute to startups in the region and which initiatives of regional financial institutions are effective in supporting startups, using the questionnaire information from two surveys. The analysis based on the 2020 startup firm questionnaire indicates that in the prefectures where firms have high opinions of regional financial institutions' support, more startup firms are founded, and the startup rate increases. Banks that are more highly motivated to support startups also have higher firms’ ratings for their capacity for lending without collateral or guarantees and evaluating business potential. The analysis comparing the 2020 startup firm questionnaire with the 2017 RIETI branch manager questionnaire shows that in prefectures where banks rely too heavily on collateral and guarantees, the assessments of banks’ loans and non-financing capacity decrease. Banks that are highly motivated to support startups make lending decisions based more on the management’s qualifications and motivations, and the evolution of business potential is vital in supporting startups.