Source: Peatix

A pitch and networking event for startups and young entrepreneurs working to solve local issues.
Through exchanges between startups from Niigata and the Tokyo metropolitan area, they will exchange opinions on what young people's power and new technologies and ideas can bring to the region. In the talk session, the theme will be "Startups that change the region and the greatness of the region," and three key players who support startups and approach regional issues across Japan will discuss their thoughts on the "now and future."

[Recommended for these people]
・Students, higher education institutions, companies, entrepreneurs, and supporters interested in startups
・Those who want to interact with startups, entrepreneurs, and supporters working on local issues
・Those considering new business ventures, open innovation, and business partnerships
・Those considering industry-government-academia collaboration with startups

【Summary】
Date and time
February 7, 2025 (Friday) 16:30-19:30

Venue
SHIBUYA QWS (15F Scramble Square, 2-24-12 Shibuya, Shibuya-ku, Tokyo 150-0002)

Capacity
On-site participants: 50 people

Entry fee
Free

Application Deadline
Wednesday, February 5, 2025

timetable
16:00-16:30 Participant registration
16:30-16:35 Opening
16:35-16:45 Introduction to Niigata Prefecture's initiatives (10 mins)
16:45-17:30 Startup pitch (7 minutes for each presentation, 3 minutes for Q&A)
17:30-18:20 Talk session "Startups that change the region and the greatness of the region" (50 minutes)
18:20-19:30 Networking

[Speaker profile]
※ out of order
*Updated regularly

◆Niigata
FieldWorks Inc.https://sites.google.com/fieldwork-s.com/fieldworks/home)
Executive Vice President
Mr. Tomoyuki Koguro

He has participated in Robocon since elementary school, and has competed in NHK and international robot contests while at Nagaoka National College of Technology and Nagaoka University of Technology. In June 2023, he founded FieldWorks Inc. with colleagues who have a variety of skills. He develops, develops, and sells agricultural robots, aiming to create successful robot business cases and realize new agriculture with robots. He currently develops the weeding robot "Unecal", which is mainly used for field crops, and has been introduced to multiple farms. In order to realize a truly useful robot, he has conducted demonstrations and field work at over 100 farms.

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ARARAT CREWS Co., Ltd. (https://ppco.nsaveararat.com/)
CEO
Mr. Shinji Ueno

She started her own business while studying at Kaisei University (2022). Her experience of being physically weak led her to develop a business in the food industry. She is currently working with coffee trading companies and fitness businesses in Niigata Prefecture to develop and sell "PERFECT PERFORMANCE COFFEE OIL," which supports physical ailments that women in their 40s and older often suffer from. She is working to "create a society full of positivity" from the food industry, where she herself suffered.

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ReproNext Inc. (https://lipronext.com/)
CEO
Mr. Kenji Fujita

Founded ReproNext Inc. in February 2017. Provides XR and metaverse services for business use, with a track record of over 200 projects for local governments and companies, including the first food exhibition in the country to be held in the metaverse and the opening of a social reclusion hotline.

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Mitsume Co., Ltd. (https://32me.jp/)
Representative Director and CMO
Mr. Masashi Sawa

He worked in planning and sales roles at foreign media, entertainment companies, and startup companies, including Sony Pictures, DAZN, and Netflix. In 2021, he joined Sanjo City Hall in Niigata Prefecture, where he increased the amount of donations to Sanjo City's hometown tax from 700 million yen to 5 billion yen in one and a half years as CMO. He also served as a public relations officer, a member of the secretariat for formulating the Sanjo City economic vision, and a project leader for organizational reform at the city hall. He left the company at the end of March 2024 and founded Mitsume Co., Ltd. in Sanjo City.

[Talk session speakers]
※ out of order

SFC Forum General Incorporated Foundation (https://www.sfc-forum.or.jp/)
General Manager of Operations and Secretary General
Mr. Katsuya Hirokawa

After working at Sumitomo Mitsui Banking Corporation and Hokkaido University (Intellectual Property Headquarters), he was appointed as an incubation manager at Keio University, where he was in charge of entrepreneurial support and education. In 2012, he established the SFC Forum General Incorporated Foundation, and became its operations manager and secretary general. In 2017, he established the SFC Forum Fund, becoming its fund manager. He has experience working for large companies and central government agencies, changing jobs several times, starting businesses, being an investor, and serving as an executive officer of listed companies. He is also an outside director of King Jim Co., Ltd., a director of Daidai Co., Ltd., a part-time lecturer at Sophia University, and a visiting professor at Yamagata University.

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ABAKAM Co., Ltd. (https://abakam-kobe.studio.site/)
CEO and Equity Designer
Mr. Naoto Matsumoto

After graduating from the Faculty of Economics at Kobe University in 2002, he joined Future Venture Capital Co., Ltd. (hereinafter referred to as "FVC"). In 2011, he was appointed as FVC's Director and Head of Western Japan Investment Division, and in 2016, he became the youngest president and CEO of FVC at a listed financial company. During this time, he established approximately 50 funds totaling 24 billion yen in six and a half years, including startups, business succession, social problem solving, and CVC funds, mainly as a duo, and established a business model that does not rely on IPOs. After retiring as FVC's president and CEO at the 2022 Annual General Meeting of Shareholders, he founded ABAKAM Co., Ltd. in the same year and became its president and CEO.

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ATOMica Inc. (https://atomica.co.jp/)
Co-CEO / Head Community Manager
Mr. Mizuki Shimada

Through his entrepreneurial experience as a freshman in college, he met various adults and realized the excitement of co-creation. After working as an engineer at a mega venture, he founded ATOMica in April 2019. With the theme of creating a system that continues to connect people, in the five years since its founding, the company has raised a total of 1.3 billion yen in funding, employed more than 100 people, and expanded its business from Hokkaido to Okinawa. He received the Minister of Regional Revitalization Award at the 2024 Cabinet Office Awards.

[Organizer] Niigata Prefecture
[Operated by] S Innovation Co., Ltd.
【Notes】
・The timetable and speakers may change without notice.
・Applicants' company names and other information may be shared with speakers in order to improve the quality of their presentations.
・Due to circumstances related to event management, the secretariat may contact applicants individually.

Venue