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

TechCrunch is partnering with SusHi Tech Tokyo 2026, Asia’s largest world innovation convention, going down April 27–29 at Tokyo Big Sight. And we’re not simply exhibiting up to cowl it — our very personal Startup Battlefield program supervisor, Isabelle Johannessen, can be on the floor as a choose for the SusHi Tech Challenge, the convention’s flagship world pitch competitors.

For the winner, the stakes couldn’t be larger: The SusHi Tech Challenge Grand Prix recipient can be mechanically entered into the TechCrunch Disrupt Startup Battlefield Top 200 — making them eligible to pitch on one in every of the most coveted phases in the startup world.

What is SusHi Tech Tokyo?

Now in its fourth yr, SusHi Tech Tokyo — brief for Sustainable High City Tech Tokyo — has grown into the largest innovation convention in Asia, drawing startups, traders, company companions, and metropolis leaders from round the world. This yr’s version is the greatest but: 750 startup exhibitors from 60 nations, greater than 10,000 facilitated enterprise conferences, and an anticipated 60,000 attendees throughout three days.

The convention is organized by the Tokyo Metropolitan Government with a transparent mission: convey collectively the world’s greatest innovators to construct the sustainable cities of the future.

On the expo ground, 62 company companions — together with Sony, Google, Microsoft, and Mizuho — are internet hosting reverse pitches and actively in search of startup collaborators, making it as a lot a reside dealmaking market as a convention. And the programming displays that ambition.

Four domains at the frontier

SusHi Tech 2026 is zeroing in on 4 know-how domains reshaping society: AI, Robotics, Resilience, and Entertainment. Expect reside demos of humanoid robots, classes on autonomous driving’s software program revolution, deep dives into cyber protection and local weather tech, and candid conversations about how AI is rewriting the world music and anime industries.

Speakers embrace Howard Wright (Nvidia), Rob Chu (AWS), Eva Chen (Trend Micro), Qasar Younis (Applied Intuition), Christine Tsai (500 Global), Kathy Matsui (MPower Partners), and Tokyo governor Yuriko Koike, amongst many others. Roughly 60% of audio system come from exterior Japan, and roughly half are girls.

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

The SusHi Tech Challenge

The pitch competitors drew 820 functions from 60 nations and areas — 437 worldwide, 383 Japanese. Twenty semifinalists compete on April 27, seven finalists advance to the last on April 28, and one Grand Prix winner takes dwelling ¥10,000,000 and computerized entry into the TechCrunch Disrupt Startup Battlefield Top 200.

Beyond the stage

The convention extends effectively past the conference ground. City leaders from 49 cities 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 city sustainability. On the expo ground, 62 company companions, together with Sony, Google, Microsoft, and Mizuho, are internet hosting reverse pitches and actively in search of startup collaborators.

And as a result of this is Tokyo, the expertise doesn’t cease at 6 p.m.: Classical music performances from La Folle Journée, waterfront cruises alongside Tokyo Bay, and the Tokyo Innovation NIGHTs networking collection spherical out the program.

Before you go, obtain the app

The official SusHi Tech Tokyo 2026 Official app is your command middle on the floor. Before you even arrive, AI-powered matching recommends the proper startups, traders, and companions for you to join with — and enables you to e book assembly rooms upfront. On-site, a GPS ground map, QR enterprise card change, and real-time push notifications preserve you oriented throughout the sprawling Tokyo Big Sight venue. Download for iOS or Android.

SusHi Tech Tokyo 2026 runs April 27–29 at Tokyo Big Sight. Business days are April 27–28; Public Day (free admission) is April 29.