image credit:-SusHi Tech
The Tokyo Metropolitan Government’s SusHi Tech and Tokyo Innovation Base recently held a vibrant expo highlighting local and global startups in Japan. The expo featured the SusHi Tech Tokyo 2024 Global Startup Program (GSP) and Tokyo Innovation Base (TIB), both established by the Tokyo Metropolitan Government. The SusHi Tech GSP, focusing on sustainability and innovation, aims to address environmental and urban development challenges while leveraging Tokyo’s technological expertise.
One of the main goals of these initiatives is to create a more startup-friendly environment in Japan, particularly in Tokyo. TIB, on the other hand, aims to become a global hub for innovation and entrepreneurship. It seeks to support younger generations in playing a greater role in shaping the future, as exemplified by its assistance to university students in organizing startup expos.
Starting from February 15, TIB will offer a consultation service for startups, covering advice on securing funds, entering foreign markets, and receiving assistance from local governments. Keiichi Yoshimura, Director General of the Office for Startup and Global Financial Strategy at the Tokyo Metropolitan Government, emphasized the importance of incorporating artificial intelligence into daily life and discussing Japan’s evolving city landscapes.
Innovation goes beyond technology, according to Yoshimura, and also encompasses infrastructure, environment, sustainability, and culture. To encourage innovation, the GSP features the SusHi Tech Challenge, an entrepreneurial pitch contest where startups present technologies and ideas for tackling global issues. The winner receives a prize of ￥10 million JPY (approximately $66,587 USD), aiming to make the GSP the largest startup expo in Asia.
The expo also featured an exhibition space for startup companies, showcasing products and inventions with environmental soundness. One standout was Kokua’s “pasobo,” a personal disaster preparedness analysis tool that provides information and items needed in a natural disaster based on individual circumstances. Additionally, Liberaware exhibited its new micro drone, the IBIS2, which can operate in narrow spaces where larger drones cannot, with applications in various industries such as railroads and steel companies.
The expo highlighted the innovative spirit of Japanese startups and their potential to revolutionize various industries while contributing to a more sustainable future.
