More than 700 startups to gather at SusHi Tech Tokyo 2026, Asia’s largest global innovation conference

JStories — The Tokyo Metropolitan Government announced that SusHi Tech Tokyo 2026 will be held from April 27 to April 29 at Tokyo Big Sight, marking the fourth edition of what organizers describe as Asia’s largest global innovation conference.

Since its launch four years ago, SusHi Tech Tokyo has expanded in scale and international reach. The 2026 event is expected to be its largest yet, positioning Tokyo as a global platform where innovators from around the world can connect, collaborate, and showcase technologies shaping the cities of the future.

During the conference’s “Gathering Day” curtain-raiser event on Feb. 16, Deputy Governor Manabu Miyasaki told reporters that the event has already had a measurable impact on Tokyo’s startup landscape.

“Since launching SusHi Tech, I've seen a dramatic increase in the number of people starting businesses,” Miyasaka said. “Government procurement has also changed — it's now completely normal for the Tokyo Metropolitan Government to source products from startups. What we need to focus on next is intensively supporting startups and mid-sized companies aiming to scale up. I believe this will be critically important going forward.”

The three-day conference will combine keynote sessions, exhibitions, pitch contests, and partner events across the city. Visitors will also have opportunities both inside and outside the venue to experience firsthand Tokyo’s technological, economic, and cultural strengths.

This year’s program centers on four themes: artificial intelligence, robotics, resilience, and entertainment.

Under the AI theme, executives from leading companies and prominent researchers will discuss how societies can integrate artificial intelligence into daily life, and how humans and AI can collaborate. The conference will feature an AI-focused pitch contest and exhibitions from startups originating in Japanese universities and research institutions. Sessions and partner events will also showcase award-winning films from an international AI film festival.

Robotics demonstrations will highlight the rapid evolution of “physical AI” and its growing integration into society. Exhibits will showcase robots performing a range of tasks aimed at making daily life more convenient and productive.

In the resilience category, technologies designed to support urban life and enable swift recovery from natural disasters — including earthquakes, storms, and floods linked to climate change — will be on display. Site tours are planned to showcase critical infrastructure that protects Tokyo’s urban functions, including underground regulating reservoirs built to prevent river flooding.

The entertainment track will explore how technology is transforming creative industries such as anime, manga, music, and sports. The exhibitions will demonstrate innovations reshaping both content creation and audience experiences. Partner events across the city will include a walking event on the KK Line, an elevated expressway in central Tokyo being redeveloped into a pedestrian space.

Miyasaka emphasized that Tokyo’s economic and academic strengths underpin the event’s global ambitions.

“Why Tokyo? Because within Asia, it has a relatively well-developed financial market and a concentration of large corporations,” he said. “According to Fortune 500, Tokyo is the city with the second-highest concentration of global headquarters worldwide. I believe that coming here makes it easier for startups to access innovation opportunities in a one-stop manner.”

He added that Tokyo’s scale and research base further distinguish it from other global ecosystems.

“Additionally, it has a population of over 100 million and a relatively large domestic market with a high GDP. Finally, Tokyo is actually one of the world's leading cities for the concentration of top-tier universities and research institutions. This aspect is probably what makes Tokyo's ecosystem distinctive compared to others globally, and we aim to further refine and enhance this strength.”

Sessions will feature executives from major domestic and international corporations, fast-growing scale-ups, and leading researchers. Discussions are expected to cover sustainable cities, advanced technologies, and the evolution of startup ecosystems.

More than 700 startups from around the world are scheduled to exhibit, up from 607 at the previous event. Exhibitors will participate alongside large corporations and startups hosted by regions and municipalities across Japan.

At the global pitch competition “SusHi Tech Challenge 2026,” 20 startups will be selected from 820 applicants spanning 60 countries and regions to compete in the semifinals and finals, an increase from 657 applicants from 46 countries previously.

The 2026 edition will also debut “SusHi Tech Global Startups,” a new initiative supporting growth-stage companies through collaboration between the Tokyo Metropolitan Government and its partners — an effort aligned with Miyasaka’s call to strengthen scale-up support.

University-born startups will play a prominent role. In collaboration with the National Innovation Network for Entrepreneur Japan (NINEJP), a network of more than 160 universities and research institutions, selected startups from across Japan will exhibit and participate in an AI-themed pitch contest.

Beyond startups, enterprises will participate in partnership with the Japan Small and Medium Enterprise Agency and the Tokyo Chamber of Commerce & Industry. Exhibitors will include finalists from “Ato-tsugi Koshien,” a national competition for successors of small businesses presenting new business ideas.

Large corporations will also showcase open innovation initiatives, exhibiting alongside the startups with which they collaborate.

Pavilions representing more than 20 countries, regions, and cities — up from 16 previously — are expected to participate, aiming to promote cross-border market entry and international collaboration.

More than 40 Japanese municipalities, including designated startup ecosystem hub cities, will join in what organizers call an “All-Japan” effort to promote the country’s innovation landscape. A dedicated stage will host sessions introducing regional initiatives.

Students will play an active role in the project “ITAMAE” — short for Innovative Technology Academic Maestro — in which they independently plan and operate sessions and pitch events. Student volunteers will assist with venue operations and support overseas startups through internships.

The final day will be designated as “Public Day”, with interactive exhibits and workshops designed to spark curiosity and encourage young people to engage with emerging technologies.

General admission is ¥20,000, student tickets are ¥2,000, and VIP tickets are ¥100,000. General tickets are available at a 50% early-bird discount through Feb. 28.

Organizers say SusHi Tech Tokyo 2026 aims to strengthen Tokyo’s role as a global hub where high technology and diverse stakeholders converge to address urban challenges and build sustainable cities for the future.

Written by Toshi Maeda | JStories

Edited by Takanori Isshiki, Lucas Maltzman | JStories

Top photo: Masaru Ikeda | JStories

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