SusHi Tech Tokyo 2026 draws record 770 exhibitors as Tokyo pushes startups onto the global stage
SusHi Tech Tokyo 2026 at Tokyo Big Sight gathers 770 exhibitors as the Tokyo metropolitan government intensifies support to connect startups, investors and overseas partners.
The Tokyo metropolitan government used the opening day of SusHi Tech Tokyo 2026 at Tokyo Big Sight to showcase a stepped-up effort to help Japanese startups scale overseas and to connect them with investors and foreign partners. The event, which brought a record 770 exhibitors to the waterfront convention center on Monday, assembled companies, local governments and research teams to present commercial-ready technologies and early-stage concepts. Organizers and participants described the fair as a rare concentrated opportunity for dealmaking and for raising international visibility.
Record turnout as 770 exhibitors gather at Tokyo Big Sight
Organizers reported that 770 entities — a mix of early-stage startups, established technology firms and regional government delegations — set up booths across the exhibition halls, marking the largest edition of SusHi Tech Tokyo to date. The broad participation reflected growing municipal and national efforts to channel funding and business development support toward ventures in mobility, energy, circular economy and other sustainability-focused sectors. Visitors included investors, corporate procurement teams and overseas delegations scouting partners for pilot projects and distribution agreements.
Icoma’s Tatamel Bike draws attention for compact design
Small manufacturers used SusHi Tech Tokyo to demonstrate how modular design and rapid prototyping can lead to distinctive consumer products, as illustrated by Tokyo-based Icoma Inc. The company displayed the Tatamel Bike, a foldable bicycle that measures 1,234 millimeters long, 650 millimeters wide and 1,000 millimeters high when assembled and reduces to roughly 690 by 250 by 650 millimeters when folded. Icoma representatives said the firm develops small-scale models before committing to full production and is seeking collaboration with larger partners to realize manufacturing and distribution at scale.
Pi Photonics and startups pursue overseas expansion
Several exhibitors highlighted existing or planned international expansion, underscoring the event’s role as a bridge to foreign markets. Hamamatsu-based Pi Photonics showcased lighting systems built on proprietary technology and said it has developed sales channels in the United States while pursuing entry into other Asian markets. Company leaders reported exchanges on the floor with representatives of a major South Korean manufacturer, signaling potential channel partnerships that could accelerate regional growth.
International delegations scout Japan’s sustainability and ecosystem tech
SusHi Tech Tokyo attracted a diverse set of overseas visitors, including private-sector consultants and public delegations interested in Japan’s approaches to sustainability and ecosystem innovation. A Vietnamese consultant focused on sustainable development attended to evaluate Japanese startups with ecosystem-oriented technologies and to explore how international partners might support their scaling. Other visiting parties, drawn by regional pre-commercial projects and municipal innovation programs, said they were assessing pilot opportunities and investment prospects.
Tokyo government leverages fair to link startups with investors
Tokyo metropolitan officials framed the exhibition as a deliberate platform to fast-track startups from prototype to market by connecting them with capital, corporate partners and procurement channels. The city’s approach emphasizes matchmaking, regional coordination and showcasing local government-backed demonstration projects to attract private funding. Event organizers and city officials said that bringing investors and regional governments into a single venue helps startups identify partners for pilot deployments and for navigating regulatory and supply-chain challenges.
Business talks on the floor lead to potential partnerships
Exhibitors described intensive business discussions taking place at booth counters and in meeting areas, with several firms reporting immediate follow-up contacts and requests for technical documentation. Startups of varying sizes noted that the concentrated presence of procurement officers from large companies and visiting overseas manufacturers reduced the friction of initiating conversations that might otherwise take months. Exhibitors who had attended previous editions said the event’s growing scale is helping them expand networks more quickly and convert interest into commercial pilots.
SusHi Tech Tokyo 2026 organizers said the show will run through the week and that follow-up programming — including investor pitch sessions and region-led briefings — is intended to sustain the connections begun on the exhibition floor. Participants emphasized that while product development and international expansion remain long-term challenges, events of this scale can shorten the timeline from prototype to partnership by exposing startups to a broad set of potential collaborators in a concentrated period.
