Event Report: DATERISE! 2025

DATERISE! 2025

Making its debut this year, DATERISE! was held under the theme SENDAI to Global! and brought together over 52 organizations to an audience of entrepreneurs, investors, and students. The event aimed to provide opportunities for Sendai- and Tohoku-based startups to take their first steps toward global expansion through a variety of programs and sessions.

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The pitch contest featured 11 startups from Sendai and the Tohoku region aiming to expand globally. Many of them were university-based ventures, which is a key strength of the Tohoku area, representing fields from materials science to healthcare. Winning startups received special awards, including opportunities to join practical programs in Southeast Asia designed to support their international expansion.

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Speeches covered a wide range of topics, such as Sendai City’s startup support initiatives and even a keynote speech by a former Major League Baseball player. There were also panel discussions between entrepreneurs and investors, who shared insights into the latest trends in startups and investment. 

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Stage at DATERISE! Main Venue (Photo: Shibuya )

Another popular feature was the Ennichi Area, a Japanese fair-style space where visitors could experience startup products and services firsthand. Designed as a family-friendly event for local residents and children, it offered hands-on experiences showcasing how startups are creating value in everyday life.

“Ennichi Area” at DATERISE! (Photo: Shibuya City)

Exhibition Area

The booth exhibition floor hosted 52 companies and organizations, ranging from major local corporations and public support bodies to cutting-edge startups. SSS participated in the Ecosystem Booth Area, introducing the process of obtaining Japan’s Startup Visa, sharing insights on how international entrepreneurs can launch businesses in Japan from Shibuya, and presenting SSS’s support programs.

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At the DATERISE! Exhibition Booth (Photo: Shibuya City)

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Side Events

A range of side events, including talks, pitches, and networking programs, were held alongside DATERISE!. Here are some of the sessions in which SSS took part.

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Startup City Project Network (SCPN)

Startup City Project Network (SCPN) is a collaborative community connecting stakeholders across Japan’s startup ecosystem hub cities. Through dialogue and workshops, participants work together to address common challenges while linking talent, capital, and technology both domestically and internationally to foster sustainable ecosystems. This session, with the theme “Promoting the Globalization of Startup Ecosystem Hub Cities,” attracted 74 participants. Speakers from Venture Café Tokyo, Storyline Inc., and Sendai City shared practical expertise on “How to build a community.”

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At the workshop held by SCPN (Photo: Shibuya City)

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Startup World Cup – Tohoku Regional Competition
On the day before the main event, the Tohoku Regional Competition of the Startup World Cup took place. Organized by Pegasus Tech Ventures in California, the competition is one of the world’s largest pitch events, held across more than 100 regions globally.
Out of 220 applicants, 10 startups were selected as finalists. AZUL Energy, a venture from Tohoku University, won first place and will represent Japan at the Grand Finale in San Francisco this October.

Startup World Cup (Photo: Shibuya City)

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YUI NOS, Sendai’s New Startup Hub

One of the key venues for DATERISE! was YUI NOS, a startup support facility opened by Sendai in 2024 near Sendai Station. The facility serves as a co-creation hub housing startup organizations such as the Sendai Startup Studio. Despite being open for only a year, YUI NOS already stands out as a sophisticated and vibrant space. It fosters close collaboration among resident companies and strong ties with Tohoku University, creating a warm, community-driven network unique to the region. The first-floor café offers coffee from supported startups, functioning as a testing ground for new services. City officials are also stationed on-site to provide day-to-day support, which reflects Sendai’s close relationship between government and startups.

Co-working space at YUI NOS (Photo: Shibuya City)

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SSS will continue to support international startups entering the Japanese market. If you are a startup interested in expanding into Japan or collaborating with SSS, please don’t hesitate to contact us, and follow us on social media to keep up-to-date on upcoming events!

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Shibuya Startup Support: https://shibuya-startup-support.jp/

Shibuya Startup Support’s social media accounts:

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/shibuya-startup-support/

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/shibuya.startup.support

X (formerly Twitter): http://twitter.com/ShibuyaStartup