TechCrunch is heading to Tokyo — and bringing the Startup Battlefield with it

TechCrunch is partnering with SusHi Tech Tokyo 2026, Asia’s biggest international innovation convention, going down April 27–29 at Tokyo Large Sight. And we’re no longer simply appearing as much as quilt it — our very personal Startup Battlefield program supervisor, Isabelle Johannessen, shall be at the flooring as a pass judgement on for the SusHi Tech Problem, the convention’s flagship international pitch festival.

For the winner, the stakes couldn’t be upper: The SusHi Tech Problem Grand Prix recipient shall be routinely entered into the TechCrunch Disrupt Startup Battlefield Best 200 — making them eligible to pitch on some of the coveted phases within the startup global.

What’s SusHi Tech Tokyo?

Now in its fourth yr, SusHi Tech Tokyo — quick for Sustainable Hellogh Town Tech Tokyo — has grown into the most important innovation convention in Asia, drawing startups, buyers, company companions, and town leaders from around the globe. This yr’s version is the largest but: 750 startup exhibitors from 60 nations, greater than 10,000 facilitated trade conferences, and an anticipated 60,000 attendees throughout 3 days.

The convention is arranged by way of the Tokyo Metropolitan Executive with a transparent challenge: carry in combination the arena’s highest innovators to construct the sustainable towns of the long run.

At the expo flooring, 62 company companions — together with Sony, Google, Microsoft, and Mizuho — are web hosting opposite pitches and actively in search of startup collaborators, making it as a lot a are living dealmaking market as a convention. And the programming displays that ambition.

4 domain names on the frontier

SusHi Tech 2026 is zeroing in on 4 era domain names reshaping society: AI, Robotics, Resilience, and Leisure. Be expecting are living demos of humanoid robots, classes on self sufficient using’s tool revolution, deep dives into cyber protection and local weather tech, and candid conversations about how AI is rewriting the worldwide song and anime industries.

Audio system come with Howard Wright (Nvidia), Rob Chu (AWS), Eva Chen (Pattern Micro), Qasar Younis (Carried out Instinct), Christine Tsai (500 International), Kathy Matsui (MPower Companions), and Tokyo governor Yuriko Koike, amongst many others. More or less 60% of audio system come from out of doors Japan, and roughly part are ladies.

Going to be in Tokyo? Don’t pass over it. Get your tickets right here.

The SusHi Tech Problem

The pitch festival drew 820 programs from 60 nations and areas — 437 global, 383 Eastern. Twenty semifinalists compete on April 27, seven finalists advance to the overall on April 28, and one Grand Prix winner takes house ¥10,000,000 and automated access into the TechCrunch Disrupt Startup Battlefield Best 200.

Past the degree

The convention extends well past the conference flooring. Town leaders from 49 towns throughout 5 continents — from Los Angeles to Nairobi to Singapore — are convening for the G-NETS Leaders Summit to forge concrete commitments on local weather resilience and concrete sustainability. At the expo flooring, 62 company companions, together with Sony, Google, Microsoft, and Mizuho, are web hosting opposite pitches and actively in search of startup collaborators.

And since that is Tokyo, the revel in doesn’t forestall at 6 p.m.: Classical song performances from Los angeles Folle Journée, waterfront cruises alongside Tokyo Bay, and the Tokyo Innovation NIGHTs networking collection spherical out this system.

Sooner than you cross, obtain the app

The legitimate SusHi Tech Tokyo 2026 Authentic app is your command middle at the flooring. Sooner than you even arrive, AI-powered matching recommends the suitable startups, buyers, and companions so that you can connect to — and allows you to e-book assembly rooms prematurely. On-site, a GPS flooring map, QR trade card trade, and real-time push notifications stay you orientated around the sprawling Tokyo Large Sight venue. Obtain for iOS or Android.

SusHi Tech Tokyo 2026 runs April 27–29 at Tokyo Large Sight. Industry days are April 27–28; Public Day (loose admission) is April 29.