first year; initial year
Refers to the first year of a period, program, or fiscal year. Often used in business, education, or institutional contexts.
He was already making an impact in his first year as a professional.
First-year sales exceeded expectations.
In the first year of this program, you learn the basics.
The company achieved 100 million yen in sales in its first year.
年度 means a fiscal or academic year in general, whereas 初年度 specifies the very first such year of a program or period.
元年 refers to the first year of an era or reign, while 初年度 refers to the first year of any fiscal, academic, or program period.
初日 means the first day of an event, while 初年度 means the first year of a period, so the two differ in time scale despite both using 初.
Compound of 初 (しょ, 'first') and 年度 (ねんど, 'fiscal/academic year').