Category
Startup Conferences and Events in Japan
Startup events in Japan are built around bringing founders together with investors and established companies. Some editions are invitation-only or require an application, so check the participation terms on the official site before planning a trip.
Narrow the list by what you need: pitch stages and demo days if you are raising, or corporate innovation programs if you are looking for partners.
At a glance
- Upcoming and ongoing
- 10
- Main locations
- Tokyo (6), Fukuoka (2), 2 other regionsEvents held in several cities are counted once per location
- Main audiences
- Entrepreneurs (10), Investors (8), Companies (7)
- Busiest months
- November 2026 (4), December 2026 (3)
- Series running 10+ years
- 3 (of 8 with a known founding year)
Upcoming
SKS JAPAN 2026
Japan's largest foodtech conference, co-hosted by UnlocX and the US foodtech media The Spoon. Corporations, startups, investors, and researchers in food and agriculture gather from Japan and abroad, with over 100 speakers and full simultaneous interpretation. Now entering its second stage focused on co-creation and social implementation after nearly a decade since 2017. The 2026 edition runs as a hybrid on-site and online event at Muromachi Mitsui Hall & Conference in Nihonbashi, with an accompanying citywide exhibition.
B Dash Camp 2026 Fall in Fukuoka
The fall edition of Japan's premier invitation-only startup conference. Entrepreneurs, public company executives, and VCs gather in Fukuoka for dense networking built around panel discussions and the Pitch Arena pitch contest. Held twice a year, paired with the spring edition in Sapporo.
WE AT CHALLENGE 2026
A global pitch contest and summit in the well-being domain hosted by WE AT, in partnership with the University of Tokyo, Hakuhodo, and others. Winners receive non-equity funding from a prize pool exceeding 40 million yen. The previous edition drew about 600 entries from 40 countries. This is a pitch contest plus summit rather than a general-admission conference. Entries are accepted in Japanese or English (English required by the final round).
Innovation Leaders Summit 2026 (ILS)
One of Asia's largest open innovation matchmaking events, run by Project Nippon. At its core is an invitation-based matching program where over 110 major corporations meet more than 700 VC-recommended startups and university labs from 26 countries, generating over 2,000 business meetings. Strong deep tech focus across semiconductors, decarbonization, materials, robotics, and bio. Different in nature from general-admission conferences where anyone can buy a ticket. The 2024 edition set a record with 24,239 combined visitors and viewers. The 2026 edition runs November 30 to December 3 at Toranomon Hills Mori Tower.
Healthtech Summit 2026
A conference on digital technology in medicine and healthcare, running since 2020. Researchers, hospital executives and policymakers present alongside a healthcare startup pitch contest. The 2026 edition is the 12th, themed "Who Leads Care?" It began as Healthtech/SUM, co-hosted by Nikkei and MedPeer, and took its current name in 2024.
TechGALA Japan 2026: BEYOND
The third edition of TechGALA, a technology and startup festival held across the city of Nagoya. The schedule moves from the traditional January-February window to December, making 2026 an exceptional year with two editions (January and December). Days 1-2 take place in the Sakae district (Chunichi Building, NADYA PARK, and more) and Day 3 in the Tsurumai district (STATION Ai and more). The theme is BEYOND, going beyond existing frameworks.
Startup JAPAN EXPO 2026 Winter
The second edition within the same year of the startup exhibition organized by Eight, Sansan's business-card app. Following the April Makuhari edition, it moves to Ariake GYM-EX. Startups meet large corporations, investors, municipalities, and media through Dream Pitch, conferences, and themed networking sessions. Its shift to a twice-a-year cadence reflects growing demand for domestic startup exhibitions.
ICC SUMMIT FUKUOKA 2027
An invitation-only executive conference built on the principle of learning together and creating industries together. Its signature content is Catapult, a seven-minute pitch contest, with sessions running across up to eight rooms from morning to night. This is the spring Fukuoka edition of the twice-yearly series; participants spend all three days with the same cohort, which makes relationship building unusually dense. A volunteer team of younger staff runs the event.
SusHi Tech Tokyo 2027
Asia's largest global innovation conference, hosted by the Tokyo Metropolitan Government. Startups, large corporations, investors, and city mayors from around the world gather to debate a sustainable future and generate business deals, across two Business Days and one Public Day. The 2026 edition drew roughly 61,000 people from 103 countries and regions, with 798 exhibiting startups. The 2027 edition runs May 20-22 at Tokyo Big Sight.
NoMaps 2027
A city-wide festival across central Sapporo spanning conferences, exhibitions, music, and film. Modeled after SXSW and launched in 2016, the 2025 edition drew a cumulative 58,000 participants across 86 venues and 294 programs. A hub event of Hokkaido's startup ecosystem where entrepreneurs, creators, students, and local governments mix.
Series without a listed next edition
Most recent edition shown, newest first. Next dates are added once officially announced.