Events
Japan-Africa Business Forum & EXPO
Africa/Japan Startups Pitch

Africa/Japan Startups Pitch
Innovation & New Partnership for SDGs

※Registration is closed

Co-organized by JETRO, JICA, and UNDP, this event will showcase business models of blue-chip startups from Africa/Japan to facilitate potential partnership with Japanese companies/investors and to cast a new image of Africa.

Morning Session: “Africa Startups Pitch”

Date:: August 30, 2019 09:30 – 12:30
Venue:: PACIFICO Yokohama Exhibition Hall B Seminar Room B01
Access
Organized by:: Japan External Trade Organization (JETRO), Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA), United Nations Development Programme (UNDP)
Co-organized by:: Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Japan, Nikkei Inc.
Cooperation by:: EDGEof, Inc.
Seating capacity:: 500
Language:: English-French-Japanese simultaneous interpretation
Fee:: Free of charge

Program

9:00

Registration starts
9:30

Opening Remarks

Mr. Achim Steiner
UNDP Administrator

Over nearly three decades, Mr. Steiner has been a global leader on sustainable development, climate resilience and international cooperation. Mr. Steiner has served across the United Nations system, looking at global challenges from both a humanitarian and a development perspective. He led the United Nations Environment Programme (2006-2016).
9:35

Session I Innovation for the SDGs
‐ A pitching session by the African startups selected out of about 500 applications ‐

7 tech-startups selected from African countries will showcase their innovative business cases with proven potential of business scalability and impact in contributing to the SDGs. Each business pitching will be flourished with advice and comments from the experts and capitalists who owns knowledge and/or experiences on the African market as for investment and/or social entrepreneurship. The session casts new potential of Africa and enables participants to feel the lively vibrations of innovative businesses in Africa that have a potential of “leapfrogging”.

Moderator

Mr. Ken Masui
Co-Founder・Co-CEO, EDGEof, Inc.

Founder and Co-CEO of EDGEof, a GameChangers’ Studio enabling various talents to join together and scale for high impact projects. Music Director & Creative Director of Mr. Children. CEO of Spark Neuro Japan. Project Producer for the 2020 Tokyo Olympic Games & FIFA World Cup. Started his career as radio DJ.

Mentors(371KB)

Speakers(466KB)

Session 1, Profile book: African startups (732KB)
10:55

Short break
11:05

Session Ⅱ New Partnership with Japanese companies
‐ Pitches by selected startups touring Asia with Co-Creation Hub, partner of JETRO ‐

JETRO will organize a pitch event featuring 10 deep-tech startups from 7 countries selected by Co-Creation Hub, which are eager to collaborate with companies from Asia, including Japan. They will be excellent candidates for Japanese companies looking for partners to expand business in Africa.

Pitch Drive Asia by Co-Creation Hub

Moderator

Ms. Damilola Teidi-Ayoola
Director, Incubation Unit, Co-Creation Hub

She has 8 years experience working in the technology space in Nigeria. She manages all start-up related programs at CcHUB. Prior to re-joining CcHUB, she worked as Chief Executive Officer of GoMyWay Africa.

Speakers(461KB)

Commentators(386KB)

CcHUB PitchDrive Asia Finalist Brochure (7.4MB)
12:30

Adjournment

* A networking space will be set up in PACIFICO Yokohama Exhibition Hall B (Seminar room B07).

Booth Layout(889KB)

Afternoon Session: “Japan Startups Pitch”

Date:: August 30, 2019 13:00 – 14:30
Venue:: PACIFICO Yokohama Exhibition Hall B Seminar Room B01
Access
Organized by:: JICA, UNDP, JETRO
Co-organized by:: Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Japan, Nikkei Inc.
Cooperation by:: EDGEof, Inc.
Seating capacity:: 500
Language:: English-French-Japanese simultaneous interpretation
Fee:: Free of charge

Program

13:00

Opening Remarks
13:10

Innovation for the SDGs
- A pitching session by the selected Japanese startups challenging African market -

7 tech-startups selected through domestic application process in Japan which has engaged or is eager to engage in Africa will showcase their innovative business cases with proven potential of business scalability and impact in contributing to the SDGs. Each business pitching will be flourished with advice and comments from the experts and capitalists who owns knowledge and/or experiences on the African market as for investment and/or social entrepreneurship. The session casts new potential of Africa and enables participants to feel the lively vibrations of innovative businesses in Africa that have a potential of “leapfrogging”.

Moderator

Mr. Ken Masui
Co-Founder・Co-CEO, EDGEof, Inc.

Founder and Co-CEO of EDGEof, a GameChangers’ Studio enabling various talents to join together and scale for high impact projects. Music Director & Creative Director of Mr. Children. CEO of Spark Neuro Japan. Project Producer for the 2020 Tokyo Olympic Games & FIFA World Cup. Started his career as radio DJ.

Mentors(373KB)

Speakers(300KB)

Afternoon Session, Profile book: Japanese startups (1.0MB)
14:20

Award ceremony
14:30

Adjournment

*There will be a live stream on YouTube from the site of the event.
*A satellite venue will be set up in PACIFICO Yokohama Exhibition Hall B (Seminar Room B08). These seats are available on a first come, first served basis. Please provide a copy of your business card at the registration desk.