The next chapter of Asia’s innovation story begins in Tokyo. As the region’s largest startup and technology conference, SusHi Tech Tokyo 2026 will once again turn the Japanese capital into a living stage for global innovation. Backed by Japan’s most influential public and corporate institutions, the event aims to bridge startups, investors, and governments in designing cities that can sustain both people and technology in the decades ahead.

SusHi Tech Tokyo 2026: Asia’s Largest Innovation Conference

Organized by the Tokyo Metropolitan Government (TMG) and supported by Japan’s leading economic organizations, SusHi Tech Tokyo 2026 will take place from April 27 (Mon) to April 29 (Wed, Public Holiday), 2026 at Tokyo Big Sight (West Halls 1–4).

• Business Days: April 27–28, 2026 — dedicated to startups, corporates, investors, and ecosystem stakeholders.
• Public Day: April 29, 2026 — open free of charge to the general public, students, and families.

The 2026 edition will feature more than 600 startup booths, expanded exhibition halls, and a comprehensive lineup of programs including the SusHi Tech Challenge 2026 Pitch Contest, City and Corporate Partner initiatives, and the G-NETS Leaders Summit, expected to welcome officials from over 60 cities worldwide.

The conference continues under its core vision: “Realizing Sustainable Cities through High Technology.”

Background & Evolution — How Tokyo Built Asia’s Most Ambitious Innovation Platform

The name “SusHi Tech” stands for Sustainable High City Tech Tokyo — a long-term initiative by the Tokyo Metropolitan Government to transform the city into a global hub for urban innovation.

Since its inception, the event has evolved from a national startup showcase into a global platform aligning with Tokyo’s 10 × 10 × 10 Innovation Vision — a policy designed to increase the number of startups, unicorns, and public-private collaborations in Tokyo tenfold within five years.

The 2025 edition provided proof of momentum. Held in May 2025, the event welcomed 57,698 participants from 100 countries and regions, with 607 startups (55 percent from overseas), 47 corporate partners, and 35 Japanese municipalities. Over 6,000 business meetings were recorded, while 355 speakers (45 percent female, 50 percent international) led 148 sessions on urban tech, AI, quantum computing, and sustainable agriculture.

Public Day, introduced for the first time in 2025, drew 14,000 students and families to experience startup technologies firsthand — demonstrating how innovation communication can extend beyond industry circles to the general public.

SusHi Tech Tokyo 2026 Program: Pitch Contests, Booths and Tickets Now Open

1. Startup Booth Exhibition Applications

Applications for startup booth open starting from September 19, 2025, for startups with innovative technologies or business models aligned with the event’s sustainability mission.

• Domestic deadline: December 10, 2025 (23:59 JST)
• Overseas deadline: December 31, 2025 (23:59 JST)
• Exhibition fee: JPY 250,000 / ~ USD 1,650 (includes venue use and basic booth setup)
• Booth specifications: Table (1 m), two chairs, power outlet, and company panel.
• Venue: Tokyo Big Sight, West Halls 1–4.

Startups must have market-ready products and English-capable staff throughout the three-day event.

2. Pitch Contest — SusHi Tech Challenge 2026

The flagship pitch contest, SusHi Tech Challenge 2026, offers a JPY 10 Million grand prize and visibility to global VCs and corporations.

• Entry opens: September 19, 2025
• Domestic deadline: December 10, 2025
• Overseas deadline: December 31, 2025
• Semifinal: April 27, 2026
• Final: April 28, 2026

The 2025 edition received 657 entries from 46 countries; 20 finalists pitched on stage to judges from Breakthrough Energy, Sozo Ventures, MPower Partners, and Remarkable Ventures.

3. City and Corporate Partner Programs

Applications for city partners (booth pavilions and joint exhibits) close January 16, 2026, while corporate partner applications close January 31, 2026. These programs invite governments and enterprises that share Tokyo’s vision to co-create the event and showcase open innovation initiatives.

4. Ambassador & Partner Events

Applications for official ambassadors and partner events remain open until December 10, 2025. Ambassadors help promote SusHi Tech Tokyo globally through media and community networks, while partner events span networking, culture, and industry collaboration across Tokyo two weeks before and after the main conference.

5. Volunteer Program — ITAMAE

Volunteer recruitment for students runs until December 2025, offering access to the entire event, exclusive meetups, and networking opportunities. The program builds on 2025’s success, where students from 10 universities supported foreign startups and organized workshops under the ITAMAE initiative.

6. Ticket Sales and Access

Tickets for SusHi Tech Tokyo 2026 are available at affordable prices with benefits included:

• VIP Ticket: JPY 100,000 (~ USD 660) – includes access to the VIP lounge and exclusive networking events.
• General Ticket: JPY 10,000 (~ USD $66).
• Student Ticket: JPY 2,000 (~ USD $13).

Sales for SusHi Tech Tokyo 2026 tickets opened starting from October 22, 2025. And if you register early, you will be able to enjoy limited early-bird discounts:

• Super Early Bird (–50%) until Feb 28, 2026
• Early Bird (–30%) until Mar 31, 2026

Meanwhile, all visitors gain free entry on Public Day — students and families especially encouraged. Business Days will be conducted mainly in English, while Public Day activities will primarily use Japanese

Inside Japan’s Public-Private Engine: How Tokyo Turns Policy into Innovation Power

The Tokyo Metropolitan Government organizes SusHi Tech Tokyo 2026 with support from Japan’s leading economic and startup associations: Keidanren (Japan Business Federation), Keizai Doyukai (Japan Association of Corporate Executives), Japan Association of New Economy, and the Tokyo Chamber of Commerce and Industry. Additional support comes from the Startup Association of Japan and regional innovation networks nationwide.

Beyond its prominence as Asia’s innovation gateway, SusHi Tech Tokyo 2026 has become Japan’s policy instrument under the broader Tokyo 2050 Strategy. This event advances the country’s goal of creating an environment where startups can emerge and thrive.

By integrating public institutions, corporate partners, and municipal governments, SusHi Tech also functions as both a showcase and a governance mechanism for innovation. Its institutional credibility ensures that startups are not only pitching ideas but also entering a system that can fund, incubate, and implement them through city projects and global partnerships.

This structure makes Tokyo’s approach distinct in Asia: with government-led but ecosystem-driven.

Opportunities for Korean Startups: Navigating Japan’s Innovation Gateway

At the same time, for Korean and regional startups targeting Japan, SusHi Tech Tokyo has become one of the most strategic entry points.

Its integration of government, corporate, and investor stakeholders creates rare efficiency in market access. Startups selected for pitching or booth exhibition gain visibility to major Japanese conglomerates such as Mitsubishi Electric, NTT DATA, SoftBank, Mitsui Fudosan, and ENEOS, among 47 corporate partners in 2025.

The event also builds on Tokyo’s recent international promotion efforts, including its showcase at Singapore Week of Innovation and Technology (SWITCH 2025) — where TMG and Japan’s METI discussed cross-border startup collaboration with Singaporean and ASEAN ecosystem leaders.

This regional alignment positions SusHi Tech as a bridge between Asia’s major startup capitals — Seoul, Singapore, and Tokyo — under a shared agenda of urban innovation and sustainability.

For Korean founders in particular, SusHi Tech offers a policy-safe entry pathway into Japan’s corporate and municipal innovation market — reflecting Japan’s broader regional openness to collaboration with Korean AI, mobility, and green tech startups through existing cross-border innovation initiatives.

SusHi Tech Tokyo 2026: A Stage for Startups That Shape the Future City

The expansion of SusHi Tech Tokyo 2026 signals how Japan is aligning public policy with global startup dynamics and how the country is treatng entrepreneurship as a city-building mechanism.

The 2026 edition promises to deepen that integration by linking investors, corporations, and local governments across Asia’s fastest-growing innovation economies.

Startups in Korea and throughout Asia now stand at an important crossroad: to move beyond isolated national ecosystems and enter a regional network that shares the same urban vision. SusHi Tech Tokyo 2026 is where that conversation will happen — and where the next wave of sustainable innovation will begin.

Asia’s Innovation Story Continues in Tokyo — Begin Writing Your Chapter Today!

Secure your place at SusHi Tech Tokyo 2026 and help shape the cities, technologies, and partnerships defining our shared future.

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