SusHi Tech Tokyo 2026 Results Released

Event highlights

1. （1）Remarkable growth of SusHi Tech Tokyo

   • ○Compared to 2023, the number of exhibiting startups increased 2.4 times, business meetings increased 18 times and attendance increased approximately 5.4 times.
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2. （2）Innovation and urban leaders discussed the future of cities

   • ○A record 61,000 attendees visited the venue to engage in wide-ranging discussions on the future of cities (2025: 44,000 attendees)
   • ○A total of 678 innovation and city leaders took the stage to lead 158 sessions discussing the future of cities. Speakers included executives from global companies, notable startups, prominent international investors, and government dignitaries—including Japanese Prime Minister Takaichi—as well as national ministers, and mayors and governors participating in the G-NETS Leaders Summit. (Among the 328 speakers in organizer-hosted sessions, 50% were women and 54% were from overseas.)
   • ○The event focused on AI, Robotics, Resilience and Entertainment as key areas where innovation will drive major transformations in global society and daily life, featuring diverse sessions alongside exhibitions and demonstrations of cutting-edge technologies.
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3. （3）Fostering new business opportunities by connecting diverse innovators

   • ○A record 798 startups from around the world exhibited their cutting-edge technologies, up from 607 at the previous event.
   • ○Over 50 promising growth-stage startups participated as “SusHi Tech Global Startups,” showcasing their products and technologies and delivering pitch presentations.
   • ○Qarbotech, an agritech company from Malaysia, won the SusHi Tech Challenge 2026, which attracted 820 applicants from 60 countries and regions. Qarbotech has developed a photosynthesis enhancer using nanocarbons to increase crop yields.
   • ○Leveraging the event as an international media hub, exhibiting companies made more than 108 new announcements, including product launches, funding rounds and MoU signings. The event was covered by 268 media outlets, resulting in over 2,260 articles.
   • ○Startup ecosystems from around the world convened, with 24 countries, regions and cities participating as City Partners.
   • ○The event drew 580 venture capitalists and investors active on the global stage, an increase from 506 at the previous event.
   • ○68 industry-leading corporations joined as Corporate Partners to showcase their open innovation initiatives, including joint pavilions with their startup collaborators, up from 47 previously.
   • ○To promote Japan's startup ecosystem to the world, the event brought together 48 local governments (up from 35 previously), 19 universities with their startups and researchers, and 17 small and medium-sized enterprises embarking on new ventures.
   • ○Various networking opportunities—including events with large corporations and VCs, speaker meetups and an AI-powered matchmaking app—connected participants and generated 25,140 business meetings.
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4. （4）Tokyo residents and the young people who will shape the future experienced future tech and startup energy

   • ○Under the student-led project “ITAMAE,”* students planned and operated tours of international startup booths and pitch contests (“Shusse-uo Pitch”) for young entrepreneurs. A total of 846 student volunteers (up from 349 previously) managed venue operations such as reception and guidance. Furthermore, 14 students from four universities nationwide participated as interns, supporting international startups with their exhibitions and business meetings, highlighting the active role of the next generation.
     *Acronym for “Innovative Technology Academic MAEstro.” The student team chose this name, likening themselves to itamae (sushi chefs), whose trade inspired the homonym "SusHi" in SusHi Tech Tokyo.
   • ○A Public Day was held on the final day (April 29) to allow Tokyo residents to experience cutting-edge technologies shaping the future. This initiative familiarized the public with startups through engaging experiences, including nurturing curiosity and an entrepreneurial spirit in children and teens. The event drew 25,000 attendees, primarily families and young people (up from 15,000 previously).
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