Taiwan’s startup ecosystem made a strong impression in Japan this year, with more than 50 Taiwanese companies participating in SusHi Tech Tokyo, the country’s largest and most influential innovation showcase. The growing scale of Taiwan’s presence highlights the increasing relevance of cross-border collaboration in AI, hardware innovation, and digital transformation across the Asia-Pacific region.
Led by Startup Island Taiwan under Taiwan’s National Development Council, and supported by AWS Taiwan and ecosystem partners, this year’s delegation demonstrated Taiwan’s coordinated effort to accelerate its startups’ entry into Japan—a market recognized for its technological depth and global commercial potential.
▮ Taiwan’s Tech Leaders Join the Stage, Signaling Expanding Influence
Several of Taiwan’s most prominent technology leaders were invited to speak at SusHi Tech Tokyo, underscoring the global visibility of Taiwanese innovation talent. Former Digital Minister Audrey Tang joined a panel alongside David Ha, co-founder of Sakana AI, and Chin-Han Yu, founder of Tokyo-listed Appier, to discuss generative AI, ecosystem collaboration, and cross-border innovation.
Japan’s commitment to strengthening regional startup engagement has also become increasingly formalized. Since launching the TSE Asia Startup Hub in 2024, the Tokyo Stock Exchange has selected 14 companies across Asia—four of which have core teams in Taiwan: NextDrive, KKday, Ubitus, and 21st Financial Technology. All four were present at SusHi Tech, showcasing Taiwan’s expanding footprint in Japan’s innovation landscape.
▮ Asia MirAI Day Deepens Cross-Border AI Collaboration
One day before the SusHi Tech exhibition, Startup Island Taiwan co-hosted Asia MirAI Day with the Tokyo Metropolitan Government and partners from Techsauce, Techshake, and ASEAN. Held at Tokyo Innovation Base, the event gathered more than 300 attendees for discussions on Japan’s AI competitiveness, market integration challenges, and collaboration frameworks for the broader Asia-Pacific region.
Speakers included leaders from Ubitus, Tokyo AI, UTokyo IPC, and Asianometry, offering perspectives on emerging opportunities in AI convergence and regional innovation networks.
During the event, Startup Island Taiwan and the Mitsubishi Research Institute (MRI) signed a memorandum of understanding to jointly support Taiwanese startups entering Japan through research collaboration and business matching. The agreement marks a significant step toward long-term cooperation between Taiwan and Japan’s innovation ecosystems.
▮ Mighty Net Co-Hosts Taiwan Innovation Night, Showcasing Six High-Growth Startups
As part of the week’s activities, Taiwan Innovation Night—co-hosted by Startup Island Taiwan, Mighty Net, and Nirik—was held at JETRO’s Tokyo headquarters. Designed as a focused, high-quality networking event, it brought together corporate representatives, investors, and technology leaders.
Six Taiwanese startups delivered pitches spotlighting AI technologies, digital transformation tools, and multilingual communication solutions. Participating companies included Mobagel, VM-Fi, and Avalanche Computing. Corporate attendees ranged from Salesforce CVC and Fujitsu Ventures to AWS, creating a dynamic environment for cross-market collaboration.
▮ Taiwanese Startups Gain Traction in Japan’s Market
Beyond the events, several Taiwanese teams reported substantial progress in Japan:
• AlleyPin has partnered with more than 30 clinics within one year.
• CancerFree Biotech was selected for the Okinawa Institute of Science and Technology’s startup program.
• Yallvend has deployed its smart vending systems to more than 500 Osaka locations and is preparing for growth ahead of Expo 2025.
• Asia Pathogenomics reached the semifinal round of the SusHi Tech pitch contest and received the Corporate Partner Award for its infectious disease diagnostic technology.
These milestones highlight Taiwan’s emerging leadership in AI, smart health, precision diagnostics, retail technology, and industrial digitalization—fields in which Japan’s market demands continue to grow.
▮ Opportunities Ahead: Navigating Challenges to Build a Stronger Taiwan–Japan Innovation Bridge
Despite clear momentum, Taiwanese founders frequently cite challenges in Japan, including language barriers, long B2B sales cycles, and the need to navigate a conservative enterprise culture. Building an in-country presence remains a crucial factor for winning trust and accelerating engagement with Japanese partners.
However, with increasing cross-border programs, stronger policy support, and rising corporate interest, opportunities for Taiwan–Japan collaboration are expanding rapidly.
Mighty Net will continue to leverage its product development expertise, AIoT integration capabilities, and international commercialization experience to assist Taiwanese startups as they deepen their presence in Japan and contribute to a more connected, competitive regional innovation ecosystem.
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