Japan's METI Hosts Global Startup EXPO and Nippon Startup Awards to Promote Deep-tech Innovation
The Ministry of Economy, Trade and Industry (METI) held the Global Startup EXPO 2026 in Osaka from October 5-7, attracting over 10,000 visitors. The event featured more than 50 conference sessions and brought together global investors, startups, corporations, and ecosystem participants to foster business matchmaking and strategic collaborations. Separately, the Nippon Startup Awards honored ten innovative companies for their contributions to industry transformation through deep-tech solutions. Notable winners included Mujin, recognized with the Prime Minister's Award for commercializing complex motion-planning technology in automation, and Regional Fish, which received an award from METI for using genome-editing techniques to revolutionize aquaculture breeding cycles. These initiatives highlight Japan’s growing role as a hub of technological innovation. The success of GSE2026 has led to plans for the event's return next year.
Topics: innovation Japan startups venture_capital