TechCrunch is excited to announce its collaboration with SusHi Tech Tokyo 2026, Asia's premier global innovation conference, set to take place from April 27 to 29 at Tokyo Big Sight. Our Startup Battlefield program manager, Isabelle Johannessen, will serve as a judge for the SusHi Tech Challenge, the conference's leading global pitch competition.
The stakes are high for participants: the Grand Prix winner of the SusHi Tech Challenge will gain automatic entry into the TechCrunch Disrupt Startup Battlefield Top 200, allowing them to showcase their innovation on one of the most prestigious platforms in the startup ecosystem.
What is SusHi Tech Tokyo?
Entering its fourth year, SusHi Tech Tokyo -- short for Sustainable High City Tech Tokyo -- has emerged as the largest innovation conference in Asia, attracting startups, investors, corporate leaders, and city officials globally. This year's event promises to be the most expansive yet, featuring 750 startup exhibitors from 60 countries, over 10,000 facilitated business meetings, and an anticipated attendance of 60,000 over three days.
Organized by the Tokyo Metropolitan Government, the conference aims to unite top innovators to collaboratively shape the sustainable cities of tomorrow.
On the expo floor, 62 corporate partners, including giants like Sony, Google, and Microsoft, will engage in reverse pitches, actively seeking startup collaborations, transforming the event into a vibrant marketplace for deal-making.
Four Domains at the Frontier
SusHi Tech 2026 will focus on four transformative technology domains: AI, Robotics, Resilience, and Entertainment. Attendees can look forward to live demonstrations of humanoid robots, discussions on the software revolution in autonomous driving, insights into cyber defense, and explorations of climate technology. Additionally, there will be engaging dialogues on how AI is influencing the global music and anime sectors.
Keynote speakers include Howard Wright (Nvidia), Rob Chu (AWS), Eva Chen (Trend Micro), and Tokyo Governor Yuriko Koike, among others. Notably, around 60% of the speakers are international, with nearly half being women.
The SusHi Tech Challenge
This year's pitch competition attracted 820 applications from 60 regions, with 437 international and 383 Japanese submissions. Twenty semifinalists will compete on April 27, narrowing down to seven finalists who will vie for the Grand Prix on April 28, with the winner receiving ¥10,000,000 and a spot in the TechCrunch Disrupt Startup Battlefield Top 200.
Beyond the Stage
The conference extends its influence beyond the convention center, with city leaders from 49 global cities, including Los Angeles and Singapore, gathering for the G-NETS Leaders Summit to solidify commitments on climate resilience and urban sustainability. The event also features classical music performances and networking opportunities that continue into the night.
As the world converges in Tokyo for this groundbreaking conference, the potential for innovation and collaboration is immense. The developments showcased here could significantly shape the future of sustainable urban living.
