Timetable

As the space industry continues to expand, the need for a robust and comprehensive supply chain is becoming increasingly important. This spans everything from sourcing materials and components for rockets and satellites, spacecraft manufacturing and system development, launch operations, and data utilization, to emerging fields such as space debris removal and the development of commercial space stations beyond the International Space Station (ISS).

The next era of space activity will also require critical technologies such as Environmental Control and Life Support Systems (ECLSS), enabling people to live and work safely in spacecraft and space stations.

Join leading experts and innovators as they explore humanity’s next chapter in space and discuss the future of the global space industry.

TBC

Japan’s startup ecosystem is maturing rapidly, and the fundraising environment for seed and early-stage companies has improved significantly. At the same time, for companies aiming to expand into global markets, accessing global capital during the growth stage and building networks with overseas investors remain major challenges.

In this session, Benhamou Global Ventures—which has invested in innovative companies worldwide for many years—Alumni Ventures—home to one of the world’s largest venture communities—and MPower Partners—a Japan-based, globally-oriented venture fund—will take the stage to discuss what characteristics startups that succeed globally have in common.

What perspectives do the world’s top VCs use to make investment decisions? What should Japanese startups focus on refining, and how should they approach overseas investors? And what kind of ecosystem is necessary to foster global companies from Japan?

Leading investors connecting Silicon Valley, Japan, and the world will share practical insights based on their real-world experience to help the next generation of entrepreneurs, investors, and companies take on the global stage.

Fusion energy is entering a pivotal new phase—evolving from a field of scientific research to the formation of a new global industry bringing together national governments, research institutions, major corporations, startups, and investors.

In Japan, fusion energy has been designated as a priority area in the growth strategy. Efforts are progressing in the following areas: research and development, power generation demonstrations, regulations and standards, human resource development, and the establishment of supply chains.

ITER represents far more than an experimental facility. It serves as a unique global industrial platform that brings together technologies, companies, and talent from around the world to integrate, manufacture, and construct fusion systems at unprecedented scale.

The expertise accumulated through ITER—in design and manufacturing technology, quality assurance, system integration, and project execution—has the potential to lead to a wide range of business opportunities, extending beyond the reactor itself to include advanced materials, manufacturing and inspection, digital technologies, remote maintenance, and operation and control.

In this presentation, an overview of the current state of global fusion development and the role of ITER will be provided. The presentation will also offer insights on how Japanese startups and companies can leverage their participation in ITER and the knowledge gained there to advance technological sophistication, foster talent development, strengthen international collaboration, and enter the supply chain—thereby establishing a strong presence in the global market.

Guided by its mission to contribute to the future of society through the integration of Convergence Knowledge and Practical Competence, The University of Osaka continues to take on the defining challenges of our time. President Shojiro Kumanogoh will share the University’s vision for the future and its ambition to transform knowledge and discovery into meaningful societal impact.

Joining him, Professor Shimon Sakaguchi, recipient of the 2025 Nobel Prize in Physiology or Medicine, will offer a unique perspective that bridges the worlds of scientific discovery and entrepreneurship. As both a distinguished scientist and researcher and a founder of RegCell, Professor Sakaguchi brings firsthand experience in translating frontier science into real-world innovation and commercial application.

Drawing on these perspectives, this keynote session will explore how groundbreaking scientific discoveries can move beyond the laboratory to create tangible value for society. It will illuminate the challenges and opportunities involved in translating science and technology into real-world impact—and how researchers, universities, and entrepreneurs can work together to push the boundaries of knowledge, address society’s most pressing challenges, and help shape the future of humanity.

CVC leaders from Kyocera and Mitsui Chemicals discuss what success really means in corporate venture capital. As CVC activity accelerates across Japan, many corporations still struggle to define and measure strategic returns. This session explores the challenges of building successful CVC programs, securing internal alignment, engaging business units and executive leadership, and turning investment activity into long-term business value. Through candid perspectives and real-world experiences, the speakers will share lessons for corporations seeking to maximize the impact of their venture initiatives.

Fusion energy is attracting growing global attention as a next-generation industry with the potential to contribute to both decarbonization and energy security. As development accelerates worldwide, the focus of competition is shifting from research and development toward commercialization and market creation.Japan possesses not only world-class scientific expertise built over decades, but also a broad industrial base essential to realizing fusion energy, including advanced capabilities in lasers, materials, precision engineering, and plant engineering. Translating these strengths into commercially viable businesses and establishing a competitive position in the global market will require the creation and growth of startups, active participation by established corporations, access to long-term capital, and the development of resilient supply chains. This session will explore how Japan can bring together its technological capabilities, talent, and industrial expertise. It will also examine the roles that industry, research institutions, financial institutions, and investors must play in building a globally competitive fusion energy industry originating from Japan.

Japan’s deep tech startups (DTSUs) cannot yet be said to be globally competitive.

This session examines the roles that industry, government, academia, and finance should play in transforming DTSUs into globally competitive industries, exploring the issue from local, national, and global perspectives.

Topics include collaboration between DTSUs and corporations (government SBIR programs), the role of Japan’s designated Universities for International Research Excellence, the creation of new industries and transformation of industrial structures, the importance of establishing global hubs in Japan, connecting to the global ecosystem, and the role of NINEJP.

Quantum computing is transitioning from a field centered primarily on fundamental research to a new phase in which it has the potential to shape and create entirely new industries. In Japan, quantum technology has been identified as a strategic national priority, with significant progress being made across multiple fronts, from hardware to software. At the same time, however, many Japanese companies—the prospective end users of quantum computing—remain at the proof-of-concept stage. Without a clear understanding of its advantages over conventional approaches or a viable path to return on investment, many have yet to move toward full-scale adoption.

The barriers to broader adoption are not limited to the technological challenges of quantum hardware. Business-level challenges are equally significant, including the difficulty companies face in determining where and how quantum computing can deliver meaningful value within their own businesses.

Drawing on the perspectives of leading pioneers in the application of quantum computing, this session will examine the factors that continue to impede full-scale deployment and discuss what is needed to accelerate corporate adoption and engagement. Looking ahead to a future in which quantum computing reaches widespread practical application, the session will also explore the capabilities, ecosystems, and strategic foundations that Japan must begin building today to ensure that it does not become merely a consumer of quantum technologies, but instead plays a leading role in creating new industries and value in the quantum era.

It has now been six years since NTT first introduced its vision for IOWN (Innovative Optical and Wireless Network). Today, the IOWN Global Forum has grown to more than 170 members, while the All-Photonics Network (APN) has already entered commercial deployment, enabling a wide range of use cases and real-world implementations.

As we look toward the advent of Artificial General Intelligence (AGI), AI is becoming increasingly embedded across every sphere of society and industry. Competitiveness in this new era will be determined not by semiconductors and AI models alone, but by our ability to build a next-generation industrial ecosystem—one that encompasses AI data centers capable of meeting rapidly expanding computational demand, reliable and sustainable power supplies, advanced GPU and computing infrastructure, and the startups and industries that harness these capabilities to create new value.

At the same time, AI is moving beyond the digital realm and entering a new phase of real-world deployment. By converging with robotics, mobility, manufacturing, logistics, energy, and other physical industries, AI is evolving into “Physical AI,” with the potential to fundamentally transform how our economies and societies operate. The critical question is how investment in AI infrastructure can be translated into the creation of new industries and startups, and ultimately into broader societal and industrial transformation through the deployment of Physical AI. Achieving this will require new forms of collaboration and strategic alignment across computing resources, energy, technology, and industry.

This session will bring together leaders from the key domains underpinning the next generation of the AI economy—including AI data centers, accelerated computing, power and energy, and Physical AI. Together, they will explore the infrastructure required for the AGI era, the creation of new industries and startup opportunities enabled by that infrastructure, and the path toward the real-world deployment of Physical AI.

With Nakanoshima Qross serving as a central hub, this session will explore the development of a globally connected bio and life sciences cluster that brings together pharmaceutical companies, investors, universities and research institutions, and startups from Japan and around the world. The ambition is to build a dynamic ecosystem that transforms Japan’s world-class scientific discoveries into globally competitive businesses and innovations.

To realize this vision, the session will discuss the potential of next-generation cell manufacturing platforms, including VMaCS (Value Chain Consortium for Development of Mass Cell Culture System), to accelerate the industrialization of regenerative medicine and other emerging fields of advanced healthcare. It will also examine how these capabilities can strengthen Japan’s global competitiveness, foster internationally competitive industries, and ultimately establish bio and life sciences as a new engine of growth for the Japanese economy.

TBC

Google’s vision is to make AI useful for everyone.

Gemini is a state-of-the-art reasoning model designed to understand even the smallest clues and solve complex problems.

For over a decade, Google has been integrating AI into its products and services to benefit users. For example, Gemini is making it easier for people to navigate and discover places on Google Maps. Furthermore, by combining AI with the data accumulated through our products and services and making it accessible to businesses and startups, it unlocks substantial business opportunities.

AI holds the potential to address climate change, urban planning, and public health. From here in Osaka, Google will contribute to solving the critical urban and social challenges facing our world today.

Japanese companies are seeking innovative solutions to address increasingly complex business and societal challenges.

This session explores the potential of expanding the search for solutions beyond Japan to startups around the world, leveraging ATR’s global innovation network.

Bringing together a financial institution with extensive networks among major Japanese corporations and government-affiliated innovation agencies from two countries, the discussion will focus on how the needs of Japanese companies can be matched with solutions offered by global startups, and how these connections can lead to concrete business opportunities.

As AI moves from experimentation to enterprise-wide deployment, trust is becoming the essential infrastructure that enables scale. Organizations can no longer rely solely on model performance—they must establish governance, transparency, security, human oversight, and measurable business outcomes. Trust is what gives leaders the confidence to deploy AI in mission-critical workflows, regulated industries, and public services.

This panel will explore how startups, enterprises, and policymakers can build AI systems that are not only powerful, but dependable, accountable, and worthy of adoption at scale drawing on examples from Silicon Valley and Europe.  We’ll discuss how trust can become a strategic competitive advantage, accelerating innovation while ensuring AI delivers lasting economic and societal value.

While deep tech is attracting growing attention within Japan’s startup ecosystem, significant hurdles remain on the path to commercialization and large-scale fundraising. How can Kansai create and grow research-driven startups capable of competing globally? This question holds the key to the growth of the Kansai economy, and of Japan as a whole.

This session features Mr. Sato of Holoway, Inc., which was selected for the second cohort of the Kansai incubation program “KIDOU” and subsequently closed a Series A round led by Globis Capital Partners (GCP), together with Mr. Nakamura of GCP, who led the investment. They will trace the real journey from their first encounter before the program, through deepening the business during the program, to securing funding.

Joining them is Mr. Matsumoto of WiL, who has been involved with “KIDOU” since its conception. Together, they will discuss what it takes for entrepreneurs to succeed on the global stage, the role “KIDOU” plays within the Kansai ecosystem, and how the region can generate breakthrough innovation.

Japan is advancing deep tech startup policies to accelerate the commercialization of science and technology. At the same time, many scientific and technological seeds remain dormant within academia and research institutions.

This session takes a broad view of the process of industrializing deep tech, exploring how both researchers and startups can demonstrate entrepreneurship.

It will also examine what kind of industrial cluster strategy—bringing together industry, government, academia, finance, and regional communities—is needed for Japan to truly compete on the global stage, including from the perspective of talent development.

Major cities worldwide are grappling with worsening traffic congestion and underdeveloped public transport. While solutions like metro lines and LRT systems are being considered, high costs and profitability concerns have hindered their implementation. Glydways, a company that has devised a revolutionary, AI-powered, autonomous “pod” transport system. Operating on dedicated lanes, this system offers transport capacity comparable to the Midosuji Line—yet provides a “dream” experience featuring on-demand service, private cabins, congestion-free travel, and flexible boarding and alighting. It transports not only people but also goods. Notably, while Glydways conceived the concept, the vehicles are developed and manufactured by Suzuki, and construction in the U.S. is handled by Obayashi Corporation—a true “Designed by Silicon Valley, Made by Japan, Constructed by Japan” collaboration. The Glydways model cuts both construction and operating costs to one-fifth of traditional levels, shifting the paradigm from local governments subsidizing public transport deficits to generating revenue for them. This team is poised to usher transportation systems—whether globally or in cities like Kyoto and Osaka—into a new era. We invite you to witness this prime example of how the fusion of AI and transportation solves societal challenges through a collaboration between Japan and Silicon Valley.

TBC

With the rapid evolution of AI technology, determining how to integrate AI into organizations and workflows—whether as a tool for operational efficiency, or as a trusted partner and “alter ego”—has become a critical issue directly tied to strategic executive decisions across all sectors. Furthermore, there is a pressing need to bridge the gap between data-driven personas and real individuals, redefine human creativity in the AI era, and discern which tasks can be delegated to AI versus what core responsibilities humans must retain.

In this session, leading experts from academia, corporate leadership, and frontline business operations will gather to explore “coexistence with AI” through multiple perspectives. Moving beyond abstract technical discussions and philosophical concepts, the panel will examine who will design a “human-centric” society and organizational framework over the next decade and how it will be achieved. The session aims to deliver practical, actionable insights that business professionals, startup founders, and AI leaders can immediately apply to their own strategic decision-making.

As AI rapidly expands demand for computing power, semiconductor competition is no longer defined by chip performance alone. Advanced manufacturing, new materials, advanced packaging, energy, and the resilience of the surrounding supply chain are becoming critical sources of competitive advantage. Japan enters this new era with one of the world’s deepest semiconductor ecosystems, built on longstanding strengths in manufacturing equipment, materials, precision engineering, and industrial know-how. Yet technology roadmaps are moving faster, and discontinuous shifts such as new materials and 3D integration are becoming increasingly difficult for any single company to address through internal R&D alone.

At the same time, global capital is moving earlier into Hard Tech, while leading companies are positioning themselves for future technology shifts through startups, external innovation, and strategic investment. How can Japan turn today’s industrial strengths into leadership in the next technology roadmap?

This session will explore how the AI era is reshaping semiconductor manufacturing and the broader physical infrastructure behind it; where the next bottlenecks and business opportunities are emerging; and how Japanese companies can combine world-class internal capabilities with external technologies and startups. Drawing on real-world models including SOSV’s Plasma Forge initiative, the discussion will examine what Japanese companies need to do now to turn today’s strengths into sustainable competitive advantage for the next generation.