We had the opportunity to interview Mr. Seko, COO of Kyoto Fusioneering, and Ms. Yogo, Senior Manager of Public Affairs Division. Kyoto Fusioneering is the Grand Prize winner of the City-Tech Challenge 2023 (now SusHi Tech Challenge).
Kyoto Fusioneering is an engineering company aiming to drive the transition toward a carbon-neutral society through the social implementation of fusion energy. The company develops and manufactures key components required for fusion power plants and conducts integrated demonstration of these systems.
At City-Tech Challenge 2023, the company won the Grand Prize, drawing significant public attention. Mr. Seko and Ms. Yogo spoke with us about their experience at the event and the vision they aim to achieve in the future.
- ――― First of all, congratulations on winning the Grand Prize at City-Tech Challenge 2023. Today, we would like to reflect on City-Tech Tokyo 2023 (now SusHi Tech Tokyo) and ask about your impressions and initiatives.
- ――― To begin, what motivated you to apply for City-Tech Tokyo 2023?
-
Mr. Seko: One major reason was that it was one of the largest startup conferences in Japan with a strong global focus. As we look to expand our business in global markets, we saw this event as a great opportunity to enhance recognition and exposure.
Startups are companies that aim to create new markets and industries. In our case, as a company pursuing fusion energy, we wanted not only government, industry, and academia but also the general public to understand the value and excitement of fusion energy. Even during the Grand Prize announcement, we told the audience, “We hope you will remember fusion energy itself, more than the name Kyoto Fusioneering.”
Of course, we were also aiming to win the 10 million yen prize.
- ――― You joined the competition with a strong commitment to advancing the social implementation of fusion energy and achieved remarkable results. What did you focus on in your pitch and booth exhibition?
-
Mr. Seko: In the pitch, we focused on explaining fusion energy in a clear and impactful way. Based on that, we also introduced the company’s business overview.
Ms. Yogo: At the exhibition booth, we showcased posters of our flagship technologies－the gyrotron system*1, and the “UNITY”*2 project. By allocating many staff members to the booth, we created an energetic atmosphere, which led to coverage by major TV networks. This significantly contributed to increasing our public visibility.
Mr. Seko: I clearly remember Tokyo Governor Yuriko Koike stopped by our booth during her visit to the exhibition area. Even though the visit was brief, having the head of the Tokyo Metropolitan Government －who also represents the host of the event－stop by our booth really raised the spirits of our entire team.
- *1 A heating system essential for creating plasma conditions in magnetic-confinement fusion reactors
- *2 A project aimed at the integrated demonstration of engineering technologies necessary for fusion power generation
- ――― It seems you made strategic efforts to increase recognition through both the pitch and the booth. As the Grand Prize winner, how do you reflect on the outcomes of the event?
-
Mr. Seko: Both the pitch and booth exhibition greatly helped us achieve our goal of increasing recognition. Across the pitch preliminaries and finals, we had an audience of about 500 people.
We were also able to interact with around 50 investors, 40 Tokyo Metropolitan Government officials, and 30 startups. Many top-level global participants gathered with a shared desire to make Tokyo and Japan more exciting. More than half of the investors were from overseas.
Back in 2023, we were preparing for our next funding round to further expand our business.
Participation in City-Tech Tokyo 2023 became a strong tailwind, and since then we have successfully raised a cumulative total of approximately 16 billion yen. As a result, our overseas hubs, initially only in the UK, have expanded to the US, Germany, and Canada.
Ms. Yogo: At the booth, we gained a clear understanding of what kinds of questions and interests people—both business professionals and the general public—have about fusion energy. Since the event, our media exposure and event invitations have increased. Understanding this “public sensibility” has been extremely valuable for our PR and communications strategy. - ――― How did you utilize the 10 million yen Grand Prize?
- Mr. Seko: We considered redistributing it internally, but many within the company expressed the desire to use the prize money to further advance the fusion energy industry. We therefore decided to donate it to a major domestic academic society for fusion energy, requesting that it be used to support student travel expenses for international conferences. We hope it will help cultivate the fusion energy industry and nurture the next generation of talent.
- ――― Beyond winning the prize, were there other internal or external reactions?
-
Mr. Seko: Winning the 10 million yen prize raised morale within the company significantly. More than the financial aspect, I believe people felt a deep sense of motivation and pride knowing that fusion energy had been recognized by society.
Ms. Yogo: As mentioned earlier, major media coverage increased. Additionally, after seeing our pitch and booth exhibition, we were able to hire three new employees. For our company consists of 160 employees, this was a very positive impact on recruitment. - ――― Could you share your vision and ambitions for future business growth?
-
Mr. Seko: Fusion energy development is considered one of the Japanese government’s top national priorities and is an internationally competitive field. Our mission at Kyoto Fusioneering is to ensure that Japan can stand strong in this global competition, achieve energy self-sufficiency, and reach a stage where fusion energy technologies become an export industry.
Looking ahead 100 years, the market potential of fusion is enormous. Across the supply chain, from local manufacturing workshops to major industrial companies, we believe it will become a large-scale industry in which Japan’s strongest capabilities can shine. As a flag-bearing company in this promising industry—and as the inaugural Grand Prize winner of City-Tech Challenge 2023—we aim to further strengthen our global presence, backed by the achievements we have built abroad. - ――― Finally, do you have a message for startups considering participating in SusHi Tech Tokyo 2026?
- Let’s work together through SusHi Tech Tokyo 2026 to deliver exciting technologies and new visions of society from Tokyo and Japan to the world!
-
■ Company Profile
-
Company Name: Kyoto Fusioneering Ltd.
Representatives: • Chief Executive Officer(CEO): Satoshi KonishiCountry: Japan
• President and Chief Operating Officer(COO): Kiyoshi Seko
Website: https://kyotofusioneering.com/ - ■ SusHi Tech Tokyo 2026
-
Dates: April 27 (Mon) – April 29 (Wed/Holiday), 2026
Venue: Tokyo Big Sight
Apply for Startup Booth Exhibition:
（https://sushitech-startup.metro.tokyo.lg.jp/en/booth-exhibition/）
Apply for the SusHi Tech Challenge 2026 Pitch Contest:
（https://sushitech-startup.metro.tokyo.lg.jp/en/recruiting-pitch/）