Shibuya Startup Support (SSS) continues to promote initiatives that both accelerate the growth of startups based in Shibuya and strengthen connections with startup ecosystems in Japan and around the world.
As part of these efforts, throughout the fiscal year 2025 SSS participated in and conducted visits to a variety of events aimed at creating new business opportunities for supported startups, sharing Shibuya’s startup policies, and expanding possibilities for international collaboration. This article highlights some of the major activities carried out during the year.
Kuminn no Hiroba, held on November 1 and 2, is a community event organized by Shibuya that brings together local residents, organizations, and businesses. The event is designed to allow visitors to learn about community initiatives and projects through exhibitions and hands-on experiences.
SSS hosted a booth at the event together with four startups holding the Startup Visa: Genky, Usagishima, Yokaizen, and NADO Health.
Visitors shared candid opinions about the products and services on display, providing valuable feedback for startups concerning the social implementation of their ideas. The event also created opportunities for interaction outside the usual context of business conferences.
In December 2025, SSS conducted a study visit to South Korea in collaboration with the Korean government-affiliated organization Korea Trade-Investment Promotion Agency (KOTRA).
The purpose of the visit was to gain insights into startup support policies and international expansion initiatives within the Asian ecosystem, while also exploring potential future collaborations.
During the visit, the delegation attended the 2025 Korea Tech Festival, an event organized by Korean government institutions and ecosystem partners. The festival brought together members of Korea’s startup ecosystem to showcase services and research achievements while facilitating open innovation through business meetings.
At the venue, large corporations and leading startups presented major exhibitions, while 30 to 40 startups showcased their technologies. The opening ceremony featured keynote speeches and awards recognizing corporate open innovation initiatives. The venue layout was particularly notable, with dedicated areas for specialized presentations and business meetings organized by theme and purpose.
In a session focused on local governments, Shibuya and other participating municipalities introduced their startup initiatives. The presentation attracted considerable interest, with questions from attendees about Shibuya’s proof-of-concept schemes, collaboration opportunities, and the Startup Visa program.
After the session, each municipality hosted its own booth where discussions with Korean startups took place. Over three hours, conversations were held with companies considering expansion into the Japanese market. The visit provided a clear sense of the strong interest Korean startups have in international expansion and regional collaboration within Asia.
In January 2026, the technology event TOKYO DIGICONX was held, focusing on digital innovation fields such as XR, the metaverse, AI, Web3, and other related technologies.
The event featured exhibition booths, startup pitch sessions, and panel discussions, bringing together companies, investors, and public sector representatives to explore concrete opportunities for collaboration.
SSS participated with a booth introducing Shibuya City’s startup support initiatives. The booth was also joined by supported startups VIE STYLE, CROWTECH, and FLICKPLAY. Each company demonstrated its products and technologies, creating opportunities to discuss proof-of-concept experiments and potential partnerships.
From January 27 to 29, TechGALA Japan brought together startups, investors, corporations, and support organizations for business meetings and networking opportunities.
The exhibition featured companies ranging from early research and development stages to those already scaling their businesses, creating an environment for cross-industry dialogue and collaboration.
SSS hosted a booth together with supported startups CROWTECH and Ringi. At the venue, the companies held individual meetings and product introductions, leading to discussions around potential adoption and future partnerships. SSS also participated in side events related to the conference, further strengthening relationships with ecosystem stakeholders.
The activities carried out during fiscal year 2025 took place across a wide variety of contexts, including major technology conferences, local community events, and overseas ecosystem visits. Through these opportunities, SSS worked to build relationships with ecosystem stakeholders, communicate its policy initiatives, and create business opportunities for the startups it supports.
Shibuya Startup Support will continue to strengthen connections with startup ecosystems both in Japan and internationally, while building an environment where startups can continue to take on new challenges. The initiative will also keep supporting overseas startups seeking to enter the Japanese market. Updates on upcoming events and initiatives will be shared through the official website and social media channels.
Shibuya Startup Support https://shibuya-startup-support.jp/
LinkedIn https://www.linkedin.com/company/shibuya-startup-support/
Facebook https://www.facebook.com/shibuya.startup.support
X (formerly Twitter) http://twitter.com/ShibuyaStartup
