JAPAN TIMES




 

SusHi Tech Tokyo returned to the nation’s capital Monday for three days of exhibitions, panel sessions and business negotiations.

Asia’s largest startup convention, which runs from April 27 to 29 and is being held at Tokyo Big Sight, Koto Ward, features 770 exhibitions and will attract an estimated 60,000 attendees.  

For the first two days, it is only open to businesses. On Wednesday, it opens to the public.  

“SusHi Tech is where we envision the future — a future that realizes sustainable cities through high technology,” said Tokyo Gov. Yuriko Koike at the opening ceremony held Monday morning, explaining to the crowd how the name stands for Sustainable High City Tech Tokyo. 

“Today, the philosophy behind SusHi is more urgently needed than ever. That is because we are living in a time of profound turbulence, as you know, and we face a volatile international landscape, increasingly frequent natural disasters, growing disruptions surrounding energy and resources and a rapidly accelerating AI revolution,” she added. 

The key to the conference is its ability to directly connect startups with players in the industry that can support their growth, which could matter more in the long term than securing a single contract, the Tokyo Metropolitan Government said in a statement. 

SusHi Tech, which is now in its fourth year, has placed an emphasis on bringing in large Japanese corporations looking to actively engage and invest. It also seeks to attract international investors and venture capitalists to create the opportunity for connections. 

Last year, about 6,000 business negotiations resulted from the convention, and 45% of participants who responded to a survey conducted by the event organizers said that their conversations led to collaboration or funding.
This year, the organizers are looking to bring the number of negotiations up to 10,000. 

They have made additions this year to achieve the goal, including the introduction of a business matching app that allows participants to contact each other through the platform during the convention.

Using artificial intelligence, the app also recommends people and companies to the user for possible connections. 

The global nature of the event is another point of focus, with pavilions hosted in the convention center by 21 cities around the world.

Also featured are future experience corners, where exhibitors showcase cutting-edge technology, such as a demonstration of drone soccer and an anthropomorphic heavy machine for high-altitude work. 

The convention this year is structured around four main themes — AI, robotics, resilience and entertainment — and exhibitors are demonstrating technologies in one of these four areas.

Many of the 158 panel sessions scheduled over the three days are centered around these topics. One, held Monday, is about what Tokyo needs to become the Hollywood of the animation industry.

Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi joined Koike on stage on Monday afternoon and discussed the role startups play in leading the transformation of the country and its growth.