Africa x Japan Business Events

JETRO is co-hosting Africa-related business events online before the upcoming Africa month in Kobe, and TICAD Expo at Yokohama. Please check out the following events to stay on track on business and investment trends between Africa and Japan.

J-Twende (Japan-Africa Collaboration Hub)
Contents:	Introduction of JETRO's new Africa platform, reverse pitches by African corporates
Date:	Wednesday, 23rd July, 2025
Time:	17:00－18:00
Location:	Online (Zoom)
Language:	Japanese
Participation:	Online
Registration:	Event Registration

Webinar: Africa NOW! Latest trends among the local youth
Contents:	Presentations and a panel discussion on consumer trends in Africa
Date:	Wednesday, 30th July, 2025
Time:	16:00－17:30
Location:	Online (Zoom)
Language:	Japanese
Participation:	Online
Registration:	Event Registration

Please note that event pre-registration ends a week before the respective event.

See below event pages for more info.
J-Twende event page
Africa NOW! event page
The events are held in conjunction with Africa-themed TICAD Business Expo & Conference in Yokohama.

Africa Business Forum 2025

AFRIKA meets KANSAI2025, an Africa-themed month in Kobe, will be held through August and September. On 26th August, Africa Business Forum will gather speakers and companies to discuss and present their ideas and current business projects for and in the continent. Out of 230+ global applicants, 14 finalist were selected to pitch their business ideas in the event!

Africa Business Forum 2025
Contents:	Presentations & Pitches for Business in Africa
Date:	Tuesday, 26th August, 2025
Time:	13:00－17:10
Location:	Stage Felissimo Hall, 7-1 Shinko-cho, Chuo-ku, Kobe [Google Maps Link]
Language:	Japanese, partially in English
Participation:	On-Site or Online
Registration:	Event Registration

Participation requires a pre-registration.
Contact Innovation Dojo Japan (japan@innovationdojo.com.au) if you wish to arrange a meeting with the any of the pitching startups.

Schedule

• 13:00 Opening Remarks
• 13:15 Keynote Speech "Made With Japan: Exploring Africa Business Opportunities through Value Co‑Creation"
• 14:00 Business Idea Contest to Solve Social Challenges in Africa
• 16:10 Case Studies: "Japanese Companies Expanding into Africa"
• 16:50 Awards Ceremony & Closing

More information:
List of companies who will present their ideas.
Afrika Meets Kansai Homepage
Afrika Meets Kansai Months Event Schedule

Global Pitch Showdown

Medtech Actuator will host the Global Pitch Showdown event in Osaka later in September this year. The event is open for both global and local startups from medtech, healthtech, biotech, and digital health sectors, and the winner takes home ¥5,000,000 (~US$35,000) prize. Global participants will be selected from a pre-screened online semi-final event on 28th July, for which the application deadline is 22nd July 2025. See further information and apply from the official page.

Medtech Actuator: Global Pitch Showdown
Contents:	Global Pitch Contest
Date:	Tuesday, 16th September, 2025
Location:	Osaka, Japan, venue TBA
Language:	English
Application Deadline:	Tuesday, 22nd July, 2025
Registration:	Event Page

Information session for global applicants is 1st July 2025.

Healthcare Venture Conference Kyoto

Next week a major event for healthcare startups, Healthcare Venture Conference (HVC 2025), will be hosted in Kyoto. The event will have 22 finalist startups participating of which 15 will make their pitches. You’ll find the event schedules below.

Healthcare Venture Conference (HVC 2025)
Contents:	Health Industry Pitch Contest, Seminar
Date:	Tuesday 1st, July, 2025
Time:	10:00－18:30
Location:	Buzz Hall, B1F, KRP Bldg. No. 4, 93 Chudoji Awata-cho, Shimogyo-ku, Kyoto [Google Maps Link]
Language:	English
Participation:	In-Person
Registration:	Event Registration Page

Schedule

• 10:00 Opening Speeches
• 10:30 Biotech Finalists Pitches
• 12:50 Lunch Break
• 13:50 BIE Selection Pitches
• 14:15 Medtech Finalists Pitches
• 16:20 Biotech Finalist Pitches
• 16:50 Presentations & Panel Discussion
• 17:40 Awards, Closing Remarks & Networking
• 18:30 Event Close

HVC requires (free) pre-registration, so make sure you register beforehand! You will find a full list of pitching companies and detailed event schedule at the registration page. On registration page you can also register to review an event recording, which will be available a month later.

IVS Kyoto 2025

One of country’s largest startup events, Infinity Ventures Summit (IVS2025), will be hosted next week in Kyoto. Some 12,000 visitors are expected to gather to the Rohm Theater and Miyako Messe venues during the three day event.

IVS2025
Contents:	Startup Exhibition
Date:	Wed 2nd to Fri 4th, July, 2025
Time:	11:00 – 18:00 *Friday Close 17:00
Location:	Miyako Messe & Rohm Theather, Okazakiseishoujichou, Sakyo-ku, Kyoto [Google Maps Link]
Language:	English & Japanese
Participation:	In-Person
Registration:	Purchase Tickets

Previously the event had been arranged on exclusive invitation basis, but since 2023 the event has been opened to wider audience.

Tech Osaka Summit 2025 – Exhibitor Applications Open

Tech Osaka Summit, arranged simultaneously with the World Expo’s Global Startup Expo, is now open for exhibitor applications.
The Tech Osaka Summit is a startup exhibition for bioscience, life science, healthcare, green tech and digital startups, and is expected to draw some 3,000 visitors.
Apply for an exhibit booth here and read the exhibitor guidelines* here

Osaka Tech Summit
Contents:	Tech Startup Exhibition
Date:	Tue 16th to Wed 17th, September, 2025
Time:	Opening hours TBA
Location:	Grand Front Osaka, North Building, 3-1 Ofukacho, Kita-ku, Osaka City Knowledge Capital Congrès Convention Center (B2F) [Google Maps Link]
Language:	Japanese & English
Participation:	On-site
Registration:	Exhibitor Application*

*The English application guidelines include an incorrect translation stating that exhibitors need to have been in business for 10 years. The guidelines should say that the exhibitor company need to have been in business for less than 10 years.
*The event will require a registration to attend, but registration for visitors will open at later date.

Japan Health Exhibition and the Global Healthcare Challenge

Next week in Osaka, there are two events that healthcare industry professionals should check out!
Japan Health 2025 Exhibition gathers more than 400 healthcare companies to display their innovations and to network in the field, and Global Healthcare Challenge has 20 global startups participating in a pitching contest. Both events feature seminars where industry leaders from all over the world share their insights into the healthcare field’s present and its future.

Japan Health
Contents:	Health Industry Exhibition, Seminar
Date:	Wed 25th to Fri 27th, June, 2025
Time:	10:00－17:00
Location:	Intex Osaka 1-5-102, Nanko-Kita, Suminoe-Ku, Osaka [Google Maps Link]
Language:	English & Japanese
Participation:	In-Person
Registration:	Event Home Page

Global Healthcare Challenge
Contents:	Startup Pitching Contest & Seminar
Date:	Wed 25th & Thu 26th, June, 2025
Time:	Wed 25th 13:30－19:15 Thu 26th 08:30－18:20
Location:	Grand Prince Hotel Osaka Bay, 1-13-11 Nanko-Kita, Suminoe-Ku, Osaka [Google Maps Link]
Language:	English
Participation:	Online (In-person participation is fully booked)
Registration:	Registration for Online Participation

Both events require a pre-registration so be sure to register before attending!

Medtech Actuator Demo Day

10 Finalist Companies from Medtech Actuator Program are making their pitches at Medtech Actuator Demo Day later in June at Osaka! The event will also be broadcasted live (Sign up for more info!).

The MedTech Actuator J-StarX HealthTech Gateway Demo Day
Contents:	Startup Pitches and Medtech Actuator Program Introduction, Networking
Date:	Tuesday, June 24th, 2025
Time:	15:00－18:00
Location:	Nakanoshima Qross 2F CrossoverLounge, Osaka, Nakanoshima 4-3-51 [Google Maps Link]
Language:	English & Japanese
Participation:	Online or in-person
Registration:	Event Registration

Medtech Actuator Program is an Australia-based global growth accelerator program that speeds up high potential startups to grow globally and leverages the knowledge and support of Australian ecosystem. Finalists from JETRO’s J-StarX HealthTech Gateway are now completing their 9-month sprint for global expansion in the Medtech Actuator Program and will hold their final pitches for a powerful audience of investors, corporates, and ecosystem leaders from around the world.

Schedule

• 15:00-15:30: Arrival and networking
• 15:30-15:40: MoU Announcement-Nakanoshima Qross & Medtech Actuator
• 15:40-15:50: Welcome from MedTech Actuator & Guests
• 15:50-16:05: Introduction of the program & Fireside chat
• 16:05-16:45: Startup pitches and event proceedings

Check out the pitching companies profiles and pitch decks here and their Dealroom profiles here

Pitching Companies
Physiologas Technologies
Joconne
Hedgehog MedTech
INOPASE
SONoALS
IMMUNOSENS
Tactoria
LIFESCAPES
CNS Drug Innovation
Gifts

Upcoming Kyoto Startup Events

Kyoto Open Innovation Network (KOIN) has announced two new startup events 1st and 3rd of July.The events will be held at Kyoto Keizai Center’s 3rd floor.
Participation is free of charge and exclusively for startup ecosystem players. The events require pre-registration through respective event pages.

India & Africa Startup Day – Bridging Innovation with Japan

2025.07.01 16:00～19:00
Event Page (Japanese)

Schedule

• 16：00　Opening Remarks (Japanese)
• 16：10　Presentation on Indian Market (Japanese)
• 16：20　Presentation on African Markets (Japanese)
• 16：30　India Startup Pitch (3 Companies)
• 17：00　Panel Discussion: Understanding India & Africa’s Startup Landscape
• 17：30　Africa Startup Pitch (3 Companies)
• 18：00　Closing Remarks & Networking
• 19：30　Close

Miyako Startup Meetup vol.3 in IVS2025 “DeepTech Pitch!!”

2025.07.03. 18:30～21:00
Event Page (Japanese)
This event is wholly in Japanese.

Schedule

• 18：30　Opening Remarks
• 18：35　Startup Pitching (10 companies, 2 minutes each)
• 19：05　Toast, Networking
• 20：30　Close

Pitching Companies (Tentative)
Click here for Dealroom profiles
Immunosens Co., Ltd.
EX-Fusion
EneCoat Technologies Co., Ltd.
Synplogen Co., Ltd.
Space Power Technologies Inc.
Toregem Biopharma Co., Ltd.
Hutzper Inc.
mui Lab, Inc.
Metro Weather Co., Ltd.
Regional Fish Institute, Ltd.

Kyoto Open Innovation Network(KOIN) Kyoto Keizai Center 3rd Floor
〒600-8491 Kyoto, Shimogyo Ward, Kankobokocho 78

Contact
Kyoto Chiemori
TEL: 075-353-7122
E-mail: startup@chiemori.jp

Support for Government and Non-Government Organizations Planning Events during Osaka World Expo

Government entities and industry associations in Osaka have banded together to support their counterparts to arrange events and programs in Osaka during the World Exhibition.
Osaka One-Stop Business Service Desk offers free support service to embassies and consulates, state and municipal governments, as well as business organizations such as chambers of commerce and industry. The service desk will help to locate event venues, connecting with partners and can provide information on local companies that foreign organizations are planning cooperation with.

Contact Details
Phone: +81 6 4705 8607
E-mail: Osaka_Business_Onestop@jetro.go.jp
Hours: 09:00~17:00 JST
More information

Theme Week Panel Discussions at Osaka World Expo

Osaka World Expo 2025 organizes panel discussions and events during themed weeks. Here are few featured panel discussion events with industry experts weighing in on global issues and our future.
All events are broadcasted online for free and have simultaneous translation. Events are hosted in Osaka World Expo’s Theme Week Studio. On-site participating requires a reservation made prior to the reservation deadline through Osaka World Expo reservation system. All times are Japan Standard Time (UTC +9).

Necessities of Life: Food, Clothing and Shelter Week

What do we need to do to realize a future where everyone has access to food, clothing and shelter?

Panel Discussion Monday June 16th. On-site reservation deadline is June 7th.

Panel Theme	Date	Broadcast
Nutrition & Health Solutions for 10 Billion Population	10:00~12:00	Live Stream
Preserving and Advancing Food Culture	13:30~15:30	Live Stream
Promoting Ethical Living	17:00~19:00	Live Stream

Health and Well-being Week

How do we realize a society where the well-being of each person resonates?

Panel Discussion Friday June 28th On-site reservation deadline is June 20th.

Panel Theme	Date	Broadcast
Advancements in Science and Technology	10:00~12:00	Live Stream
Well-being Ecosystem Creation	13:30~15:30	Live Stream
Well-being Management and Education	17:00~19:00	Live Stream

Learning and Playing Week

What should humans learn in the era of the AI?

Panel Discussion Monday July 28th On-site reservation deadline is July 20th.

Panel Theme	Date	Broadcast
Learning in the Era of AI	10:00~12:00	Live Stream
Equitable Access to Learning	13:30~15:30	Live Stream
Harnessing the Strengths of Diverse Personalities	17:00~19:00	Live Stream

Peace, Human Security and Dignity Week

What do we do to realize a world where discrimination is eliminated and people respect each other?

Panel Discussion Tuesday August 12th On-site reservation deadline is August 4th.

Panel Theme	Date	Broadcast
Respect and Protection of Human Rights	10:00~12:00	Live Stream
Peace-building and Realization	13:30~15:30	Live Stream
Rectification of Labor Market Inequality	17:00~19:00	Live Stream

The Future of Earth and Biodiversity Week

What do we need to do to preserve the earth for future generations with abundant and diverse life?

Panel Discussion Friday September 19th On-site reservation deadline is September 11th.

Panel Theme	Date	Broadcast
Preserving Natural Capital	10:00~12:00	Live Stream
Achieving a Circular Economy	13:30~15:30	Live Stream
Tackling Climate Change	17:00~19:00	Live Stream

SDGs+Beyond Future Society for Life Final Week

Can we achieve the SDGs? What do we do beyond the goals?

Panel Discussion Friday October 10th On-site reservation deadline is October 4th.

Panel Theme	Date	Broadcast
Shaping the Future: Insights and Innovations from 7 Themes	16:00~18:30	Live Stream

Global Healthcare Challenge (GHeC)

Japan External Trade Organization & Japan’s Ministry of Economy, Trade and Industry (METI) will hold the Global Healthcare Challenge event at Grand Prince Hotel Osaka Bay on June 25th-26th 2025. METI has been organizing the healthcare challenge since 2016 domestically for Japanese startups; this year the event will be a global event and hosted as part of the Osaka World Expo's Health and Well-being theme week.

Split between the two days, the event features a pitch contest with pitches from 20 healthcare startups from around the world, and a conference with prominent speakers from the healthcare industry who will share their insights on the future of healthcare.

The event will require a pre-registration.

More info:
GHeC Event Page

Featured Startup - GramEye Inc.

Overcoming Antimicrobial Resistance with AI

GramEye Inc. from Osaka University is developing a fully automated solution for bacterial analysis.
In patient treatment, wide use of antibiotics has led to emergence of antimicrobial resistant bacteria which is one the global top global health threats facing humanity as stated by WHO, health ministries and other organizations worldwide. Emergence of resistant bacteria can be suppressed by administering precise antibiotics depending on the patient’s sickness. However, the process to correctly analyze and classify bacteria takes from half a day to two days, which is often too long of a wait before starting treatment and results in cases where ineffective or broad-spectrum antibiotics are administered by mistake - driving an increase in drug-resistant species of bacteria. The GramEye inc.’s solution shortens the analysis time to 10 minutes and will allow precise antibiotics to be administered on the spot.

The Current Process

While identifying bacterial strains is a crucial step to deciding effective treatment, the analysis requires microbiology laboratory technicians of which there is a severe shortage of. When examining a bacteria sample, the first test that a laboratory technician performs to determine its species is the Gram stain, in which bacteria are stained and observed under a microscope to classify them into four types based on color and morphology.

Microbiology laboratory technicians usually handle a substantial number of these examinations manually. The need to determine the color and morphology of numerous species under a microscope, combined with insufficient human resources, means that in Japan it currently takes anywhere from half a day to two days in the slowest cases for results to be reported.

First-ever Fully Automated AI Gram-staining-to-species-determination Solution

Despite the risks of resistant bacteria, antimicrobials are an indispensable part of modern medicine. One of the most impactful approaches to addressing the problem of resistant bacteria is to identify pathogens as quickly, easily, and inexpensively as possible so that physicians can prescribe more appropriate antimicrobials to their patients.

This is what GramEye, achieves with the use of AI and robotics.

GramEye has developed a microbial and cell-staining analyzer that fully automates all processes from Gram staining to classification and identification of bacterial species using AI. While automated Gram-staining technology already exists, GramEye’s analyzer will be the world's first fully automated device capable of handling every step from staining to bacterial species classification and identification. With the device, the whole analysis can be completed automatically within 10 minutes, simply by inserting a glass slide coated with a specimen.

Potential to serve as a Gram-staining digital image platform through global expansion

GramEye’s analyzer will collect standardized image data. As Gram staining is currently a manual process, on a global scale the digital standardization of test images taken from Gram staining has yet to be achieved. The image data collection capability of GramEye’s device is likely to become a major advantage in the global market. Within the next few years, the company plans to expand its business to Europe and the United States, where laboratory automation is advancing, and it believes that the device has the potential to serve as a platform for collecting and standardizing Gram-stained image data from around the world.

While working towards the global dissemination of its product, GramEye is also considering horizontal development to enable identification of tuberculosis and other acid-fast bacteria, which are a concern for hospital-acquired infections. With a mission of creating a world where antimicrobials are prescribed appropriately, the university-launched startup and their attempts to help solve the global problem of drug-resistant bacteria have recently drawn attention both within Japan and abroad.

Company Website