Mirai no Pitch 2026
A pitch event for business plans that make broad use of ICT, including AI, robotics, and apps!
Mirai no Pitch is a pitch event for students and entrepreneurs who aim to shape the future with businesses that use ICT.
Speakers who pass the screening for the Student Division and the General Division take on a 7-minute pitch contest. Now in its 12th year, the event is known as a gateway to success that has given many challengers the chance to take off. It also serves as the Kinki regional qualifier for Kigyoka Koshien and Kigyoka Banpaku, national entrepreneurship contests co-hosted by the Ministry of Internal Affairs and Communications and the National Institute of Information and Communications Technology (NICT), and sends top performers on to the national stage.
This event is held as a side event of Global Startup EXPO 2026 (GSE).
Speaker applications are closed
Event Overview
Overview
| Date and time | Wednesday, October 7, 2026, 14:30–18:30 |
|---|---|
| Registration deadline | By 13:00 on Tuesday, October 6, 2026 |
| Venue | Osaka Innovation Hub (7F, Knowledge Capital Tower C, Grand Front Osaka) *The event will also be streamed online. |
| Fee | Free |
| Organizer | Osaka Innovation Hub (Osaka Business Development Agency) |
| Co-organizers | Kinki Bureau of Telecommunications, Ministry of Internal Affairs and Communications (Japanese) | Kinki Information and Communications Council (Japanese) |
| Support | National Institute of Information and Communications Technology (NICT) |
Schedule (tentative)
| 14:30–14:40 | Opening remarks / Introduction of the judges / Introduction of special sponsors |
|---|---|
| 14:40–15:45 | Pitches (General Division) and Q&A |
| 15:45–15:55 | Break |
| 15:55–17:00 | Pitches (Student Division) and Q&A |
| 17:00–17:25 | Collaboration case studies from special sponsors and others |
| 17:25–17:45 | Initiatives of the Ministry of Internal Affairs and Communications |
| 17:45–18:25 | Announcement of results and comments from the judges |
| 18:25–18:30 | Closing remarks |
Speakers (in Japanese syllabary order) *Updated September 3, 2026
Student Division
| Kobe University 大西 拓斗 | Entre Academy: an ongoing entrepreneurship education school expanding nationwide with an education data platform |
|---|---|
| Kobe University 狹霧 優 | A platform business for collecting and recycling Buddhist family altars |
| Kobe University 髙橋 英眞 | TERA TOURISM, a booking and referral platform for temple experiences: Japanese retreats woven from temples and local culture |
| Kobe University 渕 恵梨子 | Vivinity, a platform for distributing local experiences to travelers during their trips and analyzing tourism data |
| Kyoto University of the Arts 森田 麻位 | Kamimi, an app that connects shrines to the future through fan activities (oshikatsu) |
General Division
| DeUX LLC 梅田 耕嗣 | HaishaTool: bringing dispatch optimization that works just by talking to small and medium-sized businesses |
|---|---|
| LT Works Inc. 木村 亮 | Fureru Trip: a free-accommodation matching service that eases local labor shortages through “helping out” |
| Wellmate Inc. 矢野 翔太 | Wellmate, an AI mental care SaaS for creating workplaces where people can work comfortably |
| Hapquitous, Inc. 和田 潤 | Daily check-ins that show you the “now” of health issues and stress you might not notice |
| CYCLER LLC 渡邉 晃大 | Diagnosis just by riding: early detection of frailty and cognitive decline from outing data collected by small four-wheeled vehicles |
Awards (updated as needed)
| NICT Award | [Student Division] • Entry to Kigyoka Koshien [General Division] • Entry to Kigyoka Banpaku |
|---|---|
| Director-General of the Kinki Bureau of Telecommunications Award | [Student Division] • Certificate of commendation • Business support from The Senshu Ikeda Bank, Ltd. • Mentoring by startup support staff at Advanced Telecommunications Research Institute International (ATR) [General Division] • Certificate of commendation • Business support from The Senshu Ikeda Bank, Ltd. • Entry to KGAP+ Batch 17 of Advanced Telecommunications Research Institute International (ATR) |
| Pasona Group Award | [Student Division] • Mentoring by startup support staff • A tour of regional revitalization projects on Awaji Island [General Division] • Mentoring by startup support staff • A discussion on possible collaboration with Pasona Group |
| FUTRWORKS Award (Hankyu Corporation) | [Student Division and General Division] • The right to propose a collaboration • Access to FUTRWORKS member benefits |
| Ag Venture Lab Award | [Student Division] • Mentoring [General Division] • Mentoring • Exemption from the first screening of the JA Accelerator Program (*the exemption may not be awarded) |
| Money Forward Award | [Student Division and General Division] • One year of the Money Forward Cloud Business Plan for free |
| COSTA Award (Creationline, Inc.) | [Student Division and General Division] • Hands-on support for launching or enhancing your service • An appearance on “Adachi no Gokui” |
| OIH Award | [Student Division and General Division] • A feature in the Entrepreneur Library |
*Some awards may not be given.
Judges
田島 聡一
Genesia Ventures, Inc.
Representative Director / General Partner
Spent about eight years at Sumitomo Mitsui Banking Corporation working on various forms of debt finance, including consumer loans, corporate lending, syndication, and securitization. Joined CyberAgent in January 2005. After launching several financial services there, worked as a venture capitalist at CyberAgent Ventures (now CyberAgent Capital), a wholly owned subsidiary of CyberAgent, achieving many IPOs and buyouts. From August 2010, as Representative Director of the company, was deeply involved in shaping investment strategy across eight countries centered on Japan and Southeast Asia and in every investment decision, leading its growth into one of the few venture capital firms competitive across Asia. Founded Genesia Ventures in August 2016, and has served as Chair of the Japan Venture Capital Association (JVCA) since July 2023.
上原 仁
General Partner, Coalis
/ Visiting Professor, Kobe University
General Partner, Coalis. Founded Mynet Inc. in 2006 and became its CEO. The company grew rapidly through its game app roll-up business, listing on the TSE Mothers market in 2015 and moving to the TSE First Section in 2017. Stepped down from all positions at the company in 2024. Founded Coalis, a project that promotes strategic investment and M&A between startups and large companies. In 2025, launched Coalis Fund I, Japan’s first growth buyout fund, at a scale of 20 billion yen. Visiting Professor, Kobe University.
Current position: General Partner, Coalis
Brush-up Workshop 1: Mentors
田島 聡一
Genesia Ventures, Inc.
Representative Director / General Partner
Spent about eight years at Sumitomo Mitsui Banking Corporation working on various forms of debt finance, including consumer loans, corporate lending, syndication, and securitization. Joined CyberAgent in January 2005. After launching several financial services there, worked as a venture capitalist at CyberAgent Ventures (now CyberAgent Capital), a wholly owned subsidiary of CyberAgent, achieving many IPOs and buyouts. From August 2010, as Representative Director of the company, was deeply involved in shaping investment strategy across eight countries centered on Japan and Southeast Asia and in every investment decision, leading its growth into one of the few venture capital firms competitive across Asia. Founded Genesia Ventures in August 2016, and has served as Chair of the Japan Venture Capital Association (JVCA) since July 2023.
武田 泉穂
Representative Director, MVP Inc.
/ Director, Vision Incubate Inc.
/ Vice President, Kanazawa University
Received a PhD in science from Tokyo Institute of Technology (now Institute of Science Tokyo), specializing in biophysics. After working as a postdoctoral researcher, founded and managed several university-launched ventures focused on life science and biotech and gained experience in M&A (exits, business acquisitions, and more); now supports startups as an investor. Representative Director of MVP Inc.; Director of Vision Incubate Inc.; Vice President and Management Council member of Kanazawa University; external evaluation committee member for entrepreneurship education at Institute of Science Tokyo; part-time lecturer in the Management of Technology (MOT) professional degree program at Institute of Science Tokyo; Specially Appointed Professor at Yokohama City University; Governing Board member of the JST fund program for creating new industries from universities; SUCCESS committee member; and more.
松渕 祐也
Partner, MTG Ventures, Inc.
/ Partner, Chiiki to Hito to Mirai Inc.
Born in Miyagi Prefecture and raised in Akita Prefecture. Graduated from St. Cloud State University in the United States. Spent 15 years in the United States working for telecommunications companies and starting a SaaS business.
After returning to Japan, drove global projects at Amazon Japan for nearly nine years, then joined MTG in 2019 after working at Mercari.
In the Corporate Planning Office, led digital initiatives, app development, and data utilization. Since 2024, has been involved in startup investment and support at MTG Ventures / Central Japan Seed Fund, and joined Chiiki to Hito to Mirai Inc. in 2025. Specializes in global expansion, growth strategy, project launches, and organizational design and operation.
足立 崇彰
ATTO&Co. Inc.
Co-Founder & CEO
Drawing on experience in development and business at operating companies and in corporate venture capital in Silicon Valley, works on commercializing deep tech, overseas expansion, and fundraising, and runs acceleration and incubation programs for local governments and companies. Also helps develop startups, companies, and students as an advisor to Creationline Engineering COSTA, an advisor to the Osaka Business Development Agency, a member of the Industrial Technology Promotion and Startup Collaboration Committee of the Osaka Chamber of Commerce and Industry, a mentor at Xport, and a lecturer and mentor for the Tokyo Metropolitan Government’s support for women entrepreneurs. Former President and CEO of Japan Post Capital. From 2004 to 2020, worked at Panasonic Corporation as a semiconductor and communications engineer, and from 2014 to 2018 worked on corporate venture capital and new business development in Silicon Valley. From 1998 to 2004, worked as an engineer across semiconductors at NTT Electronics. With a background as an engineer in research and development, business, and standardization for communications and semiconductors, is well versed in analog, digital, and software, centered on high-frequency semiconductors.
Brush-up Workshop 2: Mentor
新名 史典
Smart Presen Inc.
Representative Director
Born in 1971 in Osaka Prefecture
Completed the Graduate School of Agriculture, Osaka Prefecture University (now Osaka Metropolitan University)
Worked for about 15 years in sales, marketing, and product development at Saraya Co., Ltd., then started an independent business in October 2011. Has consistently emphasized presentations, turning presentation know-how into methods and teaching them, with extensive experience presenting as a researcher, salesperson, planner, and executive. Now gives 300 training sessions and seminars a year, and has developed content on related themes such as new business creation, marketing, leadership, and negotiation. While battling cancer in 2022, gave a PowerPoint presentation to the attending physician about the timing of discharge and was discharged as hoped.
Motto: “In business, it only counts if it gets across!”
Notes
Notes on participation
Photos and videos will be taken to share information after the event, and the event may be covered by the media. Please participate only if you agree that you may appear in these photos and videos.
Handling of personal information
- For this program, the information you submit will be shared with the co-organizers and supporter: the Kinki Bureau of Telecommunications of the Ministry of Internal Affairs and Communications, the Kinki Information and Communications Council, and the National Institute of Information and Communications Technology. Thank you for your understanding.
- The personal information you enter will be used only within the scope of the purposes stated below and will not be provided to third parties.
Disclaimer
- This seminar (event) may be changed or canceled due to unavoidable circumstances. Thank you for your understanding.
- The Osaka Business Development Agency makes no guarantees regarding participation in this event; accidents at the venue attributable to exhibitors or participants; exhibitors’ presentations, business activities, or business conditions; exhibitors’ products, technologies, or services; or business talks, transactions, or contracts with exhibitors, and accepts no liability for any trouble or damage arising from or based on any of these.
Call for Speakers
What Is Mirai no Pitch?
The name Mirai no Pitch comes from “mirai × innovation = mirainno” (mirai means “future” in Japanese). It is a pitch event run by Osaka Innovation Hub for startups taking off toward the future.
Pitch Overview
Theme
Business plans for products and services in the information and communications field that use IoT, robotics, apps, and more
Pitch time
7 minutes
Judges
Mentors from the ICT Mentor Platform and others
*After each pitch, the judges will give feedback, including advice.
Eligibility
- People motivated to start or grow a business that makes broad use of ICT and who want to complete their business plan
- People who can attend both Brush-up Workshops on Sunday, September 6 and Saturday, September 19, 2026, and Mirai no Pitch on Wednesday, October 7
Screening
Criteria
Novelty and innovation, profitability, marketability and growth potential, and feasibility
Document screening
Early to mid-August
Results will be sent to all applicants at the email address given in their application.
Interview
Late August
Applicants who pass the document screening will have an online interview.
About the Brush-up Workshops
Eligibility
Mirai no Pitch 2026 finalists (both the Student Division and the General Division)
Content
For business plans that make broad use of ICT, we provide lectures on fundraising plans and presentations, as well as one-on-one mentoring.
Date and time
- Sunday, September 6, 2026 (afternoon)
- Saturday, September 19, 2026 (afternoon)
Eligibility to Apply
Student Division
- Teams made up of students at high schools, technical colleges, universities, or graduate schools in the Kinki region (Shiga, Kyoto, Osaka, Hyogo, Nara, and Wakayama). Mixed teams are welcome.
- Students aiming to start a business (you do not need to have founded a company yet)
*If your team includes members who are not students, please apply to the General Division.
General Division
- People who work for a company located in the Kinki region (Shiga, Kyoto, Osaka, Hyogo, Nara, and Wakayama) or who live in the Kinki region.
- Representatives of companies or teams with a strong growth orientation, such as being motivated to start or grow a business and wanting to complete their business plan, that started a business within roughly the past three years or aim to start a new business within the next year.
How to Apply
- Apply using the “Apply” button.
- Once your application is complete, a confirmation email will be sent automatically.
- Fill in the entry sheet and send it to the office by 13:00 on Monday, August 3, 2026.
- After we receive your entry sheet, we will send you a confirmation email.
Applications are closed
Application deadline
Must arrive by 13:00 on Monday, August 3, 2026