AI & Startup Investment Opportunities in Japan

AI & Startup Investment Opportunities in Japan

Friday, May 15 | Tokyo | Drinks, Pizza & Conversation

Japan's startup ecosystem is moving fast. AI is reshaping how companies are built, how capital is deployed, and where the real opportunities are emerging. If you want to understand what's actually happening at the intersection of AI, startups, and investment in Japan right now, this is the room to be in.
Join us for an evening of drinks, pizza, and candid conversation with investors, founders, and technology leaders who are building and backing the next wave of innovation across Japan and the wider Asia-Pacific region.

The Evening:
We'll kick off with a panel discussion bringing together voices from across the investment and startup world, exploring where capital is flowing, how Japan's ecosystem is evolving, and what the AI wave means for founders and investors alike. After the panel, the floor opens up. Come with questions, connections to make, and an appetite for real conversation.

Confirmed Panellists:

Joshua Barry - Founder of ZAIKO, a global ticketing and livestreaming platform built and scaled across Japan and Asia over a decade. Now working with early-stage founders as a strategic advisor and angel investor, with a focus on pre-seed to Series A in tech, entertainment, and education. Josh brings a rare combination of operator experience and investor perspective, with deep roots in the Tokyo startup scene and a track record of backing founders building for global markets.

Erdinç Ekinci - Founding Partner at Co-Capital and Managing Director of Founder Institute Japan and Korea, where he has built a portfolio of 73 startups in under two years. Co-founder of Openfor.co, a global partnership accelerator with a nine-figure estimated impact. With 13+ years of experience across Japan, the US, Southeast Asia, and Europe, Erdinç specialises in GTM strategy, cross-border expansion, and helping founders build the networks that actually move the needle.

Paul Oswald - Co-Founder and CTO of MakeLeaps, a Japanese fintech startup acquired by Ricoh. Previously Lead Architect at Sony Music Entertainment. Paul has spent over 15 years building and scaling technology companies in Tokyo and brings a technical founder's lens to early-stage investment and startup strategy.

Hosted by Matt Ainsworth - Cross-border founder and startup advisor working across the AU and JP ecosystems for over 20 years. Supports founders and CTOs to help them build their dev teams. He also supports Thom Peace with Innovators Campus, plus helps non-technical founders navigate tech and product.

Topics on the table:
- Where AI investment is heading in Japan in 2026 and beyond
- What international founders need to know before entering the Japanese market
- How Japan's startup ecosystem is maturing and what that means for early-stage capital
- The opportunity for cross-border collaboration between Japan, Australia, and the wider APAC region

This event is for:
Investors curious about the Japanese and APAC tech landscape. Founders building in Japan or looking to expand here. Tech professionals who want to understand where the industry is heading and who's shaping it.

Presented by:
Business in Japan is primarily a Linkedin Professional and Business Community of almost 100k members run by Jason Ball, who unfortunately cannot make this session, now based back in Gold Coast, Australia.

Innovators Campus is a community-led group designed to support Founders, Entrepreneurs and students in Japan. We focus on developing soft-skills including communication, networking, pitching and more. Founded by Thom Peace.

Plus - thanks to our additional sponsors including - Netgear Japan, TopTech Informatics, AIM B2B and VEGA.

Numbers are limited so register now to secure your spot!