JETRO Held Reverse Pitch Event in Dresden to Promote Collaboration Between Japanese and European Companies

On June 17, JETRO held a reverse pitch event, "Tech Innovation Challenge at Silicon Saxony Days 2026," in Dresden, Saxony, eastern Germany, to promote collaboration between Japanese and European companies. The event took place alongside "Silicon Saxony Days," a business networking event held from June 15 to 17 (see article dated July 17, 2026). This was the first reverse pitch event based on the technical challenges and collaboration needs of Japanese companies, held in Saxony, one of Europe's leading hubs for semiconductor and advanced technology companies.

More than 50 Japanese and European companies and research institutions participated in the event, where Japanese companies presented challenges in their semiconductor-related businesses, the technologies they seek, and collaboration themes. Unlike conventional technology showcase approaches, the event sought to create more concrete and effective collaboration opportunities by starting discussions from corporate needs.

Saxony Economic Development Corporation is working to strengthen collaboration with major semiconductor regions, such as Japan and Taiwan, by arranging meetings with companies and organizations, hosting site visits, and supporting networking activities. This event is also positioned as an extension of the efforts to promote industrial collaboration between Japan and Europe that JETRO and the corporation have been advancing through SEMICON Japan and other initiatives (see article dated March 5, 2026). In Dresden, where companies and research institutions from the world's major semiconductor regions gather, efforts to create collaboration opportunities through international networks are advancing. This initiative attracted attention for its attempt to facilitate dialogue with European companies and foster new partnerships by starting from the needs of Japanese companies.