Source: Peatix

"QWS STARTUP AWARD 2025" is a pitch award that supports startups together
This pitch award, hosted by SHIBUYA QWS, a members-only co-creation facility that aims to bring diverse people together and interact to generate ideas and new businesses that will create social value, allows startups to take their next innovative step.

We will focus on startups that bring new innovations to society, regardless of business field or area. The winner of the QWS Grand Prize will receive a special SHIBUYA SCRAMBLE SQUARE advertising package (worth 2 million yen), and we have prepared various special prizes that are unique to the QWS STARTUP AWARD to help promote their businesses.

The aim of this pitch award is for participating startups to receive the resources, support and opportunities they need to take the next step for their companies.

Please come to the venue to hear the startups' passion!

▼Special page
https://shibuya-qws.com/startupaward2025

【Summary】
Date and time: March 6, 2025 (Thursday) 15:30-19:00
Location: SHIBUYA SCRAMBLE SQUARE 15th floor SHIBUYA QWS Scramble Hall
Organizer: SHIBUYA QWS
Co-organized by SHIBUYA QWS Innovation Council

【timetable】
15:00 Doors open
15:30～15:40 Opening
15:40～17:40 Pitch Session
17:40～18:20 Judging/Networking
18:20-19:00 Announcement of the winners and closing

[Speakers and Finalists Information]
(Updated regularly)

[Final Judging Judges]
The judges for the final round are only people with management experience, such as angel investors. In order to support the "creation of new social value" that is not limited to business and growth potential, the judges for the final round are only people with management experience, such as angel investors with a wealth of business experience.

■ Nobuhiro Ariyasu
After working at Unilever Japan, he founded a C2C marketplace business for extracurricular activities. In 2013, he sold all of his shares in the company to Cookpad. In 2015, he co-founded Tokyo Founders Fund. He also makes angel investments, such as investing in startups in Silicon Valley. His investments include Money Forward, CADDY, and CAMMU, and are in approximately 130 companies in Japan and the US. He graduated from Keio University SFC.

■ Sotaro Erasawa
Almoha LLC Co-Founder CEO and CTO
After graduating from Chuo University Graduate School, he joined GREE, Inc. as a software engineer. He then co-founded Crocos, Inc. in 2011, which he sold to Yahoo Japan Corporation in 2012. In 2015, he joined Mercari, Inc., and as Executive Officer, CTO, and VP of Engineering, he contributed to the rapid growth of the company's engineering organization from 20 people to several hundred, and to the rapid growth of the product, leading to an IPO in 2018.
Since April 2019, he has served as an angel investor and technical advisor at multiple companies, and in February 2020, he joined Star Festival Co., Ltd. and oversees the technology development organization as CTO and director. In the same year, he co-founded Almoha, a serial entrepreneur currently developing products.

■ Soichiro Kawai
President and CEO of ReBoost Inc.
After graduating from university, he worked for a printing machine manufacturer and the Recruit Group, before participating in the start-up period of BizReach Inc. After working for foreign IT companies, he joined Raksul Inc. as a founding member. As a human resources manager, he was involved in a wide range of company creation activities, including formulating and executing recruitment strategies for executives, building a personnel evaluation system, public relations for recruitment, and implementing measures to promote values.
In 2017, he founded ReBoost Inc. He provides hands-on support for the formulation and implementation of HR and recruitment strategies, mainly for listed and unlisted startups. He has invested in over 30 companies both in Japan and overseas as an angel/LP, and has supported the HR aspects of his investments through collaboration with VCs.
From 2021, he will be a judge for the Ministry of Economy, Trade and Industry's management human resources support program for startups, "SHIFT (X)". From 2023, he will be a mentor for "J-Startup KANSAI".

■Mari Sakuramoto
CEO of Coachett Co., Ltd.
After graduating from the Faculty of Education at Kyoto University in 2005, he worked at Morgan Stanley Securities and Goldman Sachs Securities (stock analyst). Since 2010, he has supported the launch of several startups.
In 2014, he founded Cotree Inc., which provides online counseling services, and in 2020, he founded Coachette Inc., which provides coaching-type training services. With the vision of "creating a society where everyone can make the most of each other's potential," he provides training services for self-management, relationship management, and goal management.
Winner of Nikkei Woman of the Year 2022. Executive coach and systems coach (ORSCC).

■Eiko Matsumura
Director of Entrepreneur Creation Co., Ltd. / Serial Entrepreneur and Angel Investor /
He started his first company in 2011, and in 2014, when the company was liquidated, he started his second company, "Basket", an online delivery cleaning service. In 2015, he became a group company of Stripe International Inc., and was appointed as the company's Chief Digital Officer. At the end of July 2018, he retired as a director of the company.
He currently trains human resources at Enginka Sozo Co., Ltd., his third company, while also serving as an advisor to investment companies and an outside director.

■ Ryu Shi Chow
President and CEO, Sunny Side Up Inc.
Graduated from Hitotsubashi University Faculty of Sociology. After working at P&G and Reckitt Benckiser Japan, he became the head of marketing at Johnson & Johnson (J&J). He was responsible for sales and profits of all brands and oversaw the digital battlefield. After achieving an increase in market share for all brands in two years, he was assigned as the local president of J&J Hong Kong, where he successfully led the company to a V-shaped recovery.
After serving as CMO and Vice President at FOLIO, he became CMO of Lenovo Japan in July 2020. He will become President and CEO of Sunny Side Up in July 2023.

[Sponsoring Partners]
The following companies and local governments have been selected as supporting partners of the QWS STARTUP AWARD 2025. In addition to angel investors and venture capitalists who will be judging the awards, companies, local governments, and a variety of other stakeholders will come together to support startups.

【About the handling of personal information】
Please refer to here for information regarding the handling of personal information by SHIBUYA SCRAMBLE SQUARE Co., Ltd.
https://sqi.shibuya-qws.com/policy.html

Venue