Inside the SusHi Tech Challenge Global Pitch Competition

Pitch competitions have become a central feature of global startup events, providing early stage companies with an opportunity to present their technologies to investors, corporations and potential partners.

At SusHi Tech Tokyo 2026, the flagship pitch event will be the SusHi Tech Challenge, a global startup competition designed to identify high potential ventures working on technologies relevant to future cities.

According to organisers, the 2026 competition attracted 820 applications from 60 countries and regions, reflecting growing international interest in Japan’s innovation ecosystem.

From this pool of applicants, 20 startups will be selected to compete in the semi finals and finals during the conference.

A Global Competition

The SusHi Tech Challenge aims to identify startups developing solutions aligned with the broader themes of the conference.

These themes include:

Sustainable city technologies

Artificial intelligence

Robotics

Urban resilience

Digital infrastructure

Startups selected for the competition typically represent sectors that are expected to play a significant role in shaping urban life in the coming decades.

While the event remains rooted in Japan’s innovation ecosystem, organisers have deliberately positioned the competition as a global platform.

Applicants from North America, Europe and Asia regularly participate, reflecting the international ambitions of the event.

More Than a Pitch

For participating startups, the SusHi Tech Challenge offers more than the opportunity to deliver a short presentation.

Startups gain exposure to a wide audience that includes venture capital firms, corporate innovation teams, government agencies and international media.

For many early stage ventures, these connections can be as valuable as the competition itself.

Large corporations attending the conference often use the pitch competition as a way to identify emerging technologies that could complement their own research and development activities.

Investors, meanwhile, use the event to discover promising companies operating in sectors such as artificial intelligence, robotics and deep technology.

University Startups in the Spotlight

A distinctive element of SusHi Tech Tokyo is the strong presence of university born startups.

Japan’s universities produce a large amount of advanced scientific research, yet historically the process of commercialising these discoveries has been slower than in countries such as the United States.

To address this challenge, organisations such as the National Innovation Network for Entrepreneur Japan (NINEJP) have been working to strengthen the pipeline between academic research and startup creation.

NINEJP connects more than 160 universities and research institutions across Japan, supporting the development of globally competitive technology ventures.

At SusHi Tech Tokyo, many of these university startups will participate in exhibitions and pitch events focused on emerging technologies.

Connecting Startups With Global Markets

Pitch competitions are often seen as high energy events designed to attract media attention. However, their long term value lies in the connections they create.

Startups presenting at the SusHi Tech Challenge have the opportunity to meet investors, explore corporate partnerships and gain insights into international markets.

For Japan’s startup ecosystem, this kind of exposure is particularly important.

While the country has strong technological capabilities, many startups have historically focused primarily on the domestic market.

Events like SusHi Tech Tokyo encourage founders to think globally from an early stage.

A Window Into the Future of Urban Innovation

As cities face increasing challenges related to population growth, climate change and infrastructure management, technologies that support sustainable urban development are becoming increasingly important.

The SusHi Tech Challenge offers a glimpse into the kinds of solutions startups are developing to address these issues.

Whether through artificial intelligence platforms, robotics systems or satellite data technologies, the startups participating in the competition represent a new wave of innovation focused on the future of cities.