“Japan is Back” was the theme of IVS2026, and in Kyoto, it felt like a signal. Over three days, more than 13,000 founders, investors, students, policymakers, and community builders came together for Japan’s largest startup conference. The size was impressive, but the structure behind it stood out more.

JETRO guest authors an event report for their visit to the Digital Space Conference 2026.

This year’s Content Tokyo took place from June 17th to June 19th at Tokyo Big Sight, bringing together the worlds of art & graphic design with a slew of technologies such as AR/VR and blockchain. Read about some of the highlights of our visit!

The event Japan Meets Singapore brought together members of the startup communities from both countries for a night of ecosystem insights, founder pitches, and networking. More than just a social gathering, the event highlighted the growing momentum behind cross-border collaboration between two of Asia’s most strategically positioned innovation hubs.

In the South Halls of Tokyo Big Sight on 31st March and 1st April 2026, TAKEOFF TOKYO battened down the hatches as a spring storm raged outside.

JETRO reports on Venture Café Global Gathering 2026, an international event designed to connect entrepreneurs, researchers, investors, and ecosystem builders across borders.

Hello Tomorrow Japan Deep Tech Summit 2026, held in Tokyo this February, brought together founders, investors, researchers, and corporate leaders to explore a central question: how can breakthrough science be translated into sustainable business?

An event report of Creative Tech Shibuya 2026, from one of its organizers. With this year marking the launch of the five-day residency program, we take a look a how events like this can survive in Japan's changing legislative environment.

We attended the three major pitch events of Umeda Innovation Week over Sept 16-19 2025. They indicate a tipping point in the Japanese startup ecosystem being reached, with Kansai at the forefront.

SKS JAPAN 2025 showcased how Japanese agritech startups are addressing issues such as food waste, resource circulation, and declining domestic demand while exploring opportunities for global expansion.

Setouchi Blast fosters community in the Setouchi area. It is a place where you can experience attractive remote islands, art and culture.

Check out the 11 Hiroshima Unicorn 10 adopted startups

In February 2025, three large-scale startup events will be held around Japan; in Aichi, Shibuya, and Hokkaido — hosted by the local governments of each region.

IVS 2024 KYOTO / IVS Crypto 2024 KYOTO, Japan's largest startup conference for entrepreneurs and investors, was held for three days from July 4 to 6, 2024, at Kyoto Pulse Plaza.

“Takeoff Tokyo” Event was held for the second time on Aprle 10-11, 2024, with the aim of fostering a generation of startups that aspire to be the best in the world, not just in Japan. Blackbox was a media partner of the event and reports on the venue and the pitch contest in this article.

Takeoff Tokyo is not just a single conference, but an ecosystem of related events happening over the course of several weeks. One of these is the Builders Weekend, a 48-hour hackathon. This year it hosted over 70 participants at the Golden Egg in Shibuya, Tokyo.

CEATEC 2023, an exhibition of digital innovation sponsored by the Japan Electronics and Information Technology Industries Association (JEITA), was held at Makuhari Messe in Tokyo from October 17th to 20th.

DCENTRAL is the largest web3 conference in the United States, held regularly in Miami, Florida. The inaugural Japanese version of the event, DCENTRAL Tokyo, was held at Shibuya Stream in Shibuya over September 19th and 20th.

IVS is one of the largest startup events in Japan, with a lifetime total of over 20,000 participants. This year from June 28 to 30 saw IVS2023 KYOTO open the doors of its new location at two venues: the main event in Miyako Messe, and the pitch event in Rohm Theater Kyoto.

"Takeoff Tokyo" Event was held for the first time on June 8-9, 2023, with the aim of fostering a generation of startups that aspire to be the best in the world, not just in Japan. Blackbox was a media partner of the event and reports on the venue and the pitch contest in this article.

Bright Moments, a community that is expanding the potential of NFT by creating galleries around the world to facilitate IRL Minting (IRL = In Real Life) of digital art and NFT art, held events at Shibuya PARCO Building (Shibuya, Tokyo) and Kyu Asakura House (an important cultural asset constructed in 1919) from May 5th to 10th. 

This report continues from Day 1, introducing the latest technology exhibits at the venue, the Startup Demo Day on Day 2, and the Pitch Contest.

City-Tech.Tokyo 2023, Tokyo's first and largest startup event in Japan, was held at the Tokyo International Forum on February 27 and 28, 2023.