Develop and cooperate with the AI startup ecosystem Startup Pitch Session and Symposium connecting Hongo, Tokyo-Waterloo and Toronto

  • Date：
    Thu, Jan 26, 2023
  • Time：
    8:00a.m.-11:30a.m. (JST)
  • Location：
    Online (Zoom webinar)
  • Host：

    Institute for Future Initiatives, The University of Tokyo

  • Co-Host：

    Mitsui Fudosan Utokyo Laboratory

  • Support：

    Embassy of Canada in Japan
    JETRO

  • Language：

    English/Japanese
    (Simultaneous interpretation available for Zoom only)

  • Registration：

    Please register

Registration is now closed for this event.
Overview

The universities of Toronto and Waterloo Region in Canada have produced a large number of high-tech talents, world-class AI and quantum research activities, and the creation of startups based on the results of such research. Meanwhile, in the Hongo district of Tokyo, an AI startup ecosystem has formed over the past decade, led by the University of Tokyo, and has produced several publicly listed companies that are leading AI innovation in Japan.

The “Mitsui Fudosan Todai Lab” (https://mfut-lab.ducr.u-tokyo.ac.jp/ an industry-academia collaboration project of the University of Tokyo) has focused on the development of the ecosystems in these two areas and has conducted research and studies of the ecosystems in both areas to explore the AI-centered We have been exploring the keys to the development of the two ecosystems and the potential for collaboration between the two ecosystems.

The symposium will feature a pitch session connecting Canada and Tokyo online to introduce AI-related startups, VCs, accelerators, and incubators from both regions. We believe that this pitch session will allow visitors to experience the vibrant ecosystems in both regions. After the pitch event, we will introduce the activities of supporters in Toronto and Waterloo and report on the results of our analysis of the site visits. We will then make specific recommendations on how these two regions should interact with each other.

On Wednesday, January 25, the day before the event, a reception will be held on the UT campus to discuss specific collaboration measures.

Universities, startups, startup support organizations, companies, government and municipalities interested in Japanese and Canadian startups in the Toronto, Waterloo, Tokyo and Hongo areas are welcome to attend!

Program
  • 8:00-8:05
    1. Opening
  • 8:05-9:25
    2. Pitch sessions

    Presenters:
    About 8 AI-related startup companies from Toronto and Tokyo

    Judges & Commentators:
    The University of Tokyo Edge Capital (UTEC)
    The University of Tokyo Co-Creation Platform Development (Todai IPC)
    and other Japanese VCs and Canadian startup support organizations

    Science Commentator:
    Yutaka Matsuo (Professor, Graduate School of Engineering, The University of Tokyo)
    Shane Gu (Visiting Associate Professor, Institute for Future Initiatives, The University of Tokyo)

  • 9:30-11:30
    Symposium

    【1】Talk session on Waterloo/Toronto’s AI ecosystem .
    ・Ayumi Yamada (Director, JETRO Toronto)
    ・Thomas Park (Partner, BDC Deep Tech Fund)
    ・Sherif El Tawil (Senior Director, DMZ)
    ・TBA

    【2】Hongo/Tokyo-Waterloo/Toronto AI Startup Ecosystem Comparison and Collaboration: Research Report and Implications

    ・Research Report
    Michi Fukushima (Professor, Graduate School of Economics and Management, Tohoku University)
    ・Policy Proposal
    Toshiya Watanabe (Professor, Institute for Future Initiatives, The University of Tokyo)

    【3】Closing Session Mitsui Fudosan Co.

Inquiry

University Industry and University Society Partnership Research Unit
Institute for Future Initiatives, The University of Tokyo
Email：wlab★ifi.u-tokyo.ac.jp (★→@)