VPO News
Insights and behind-the-scenes stories on startups and global expansion.
OpenAI's New GPT-5.6 Sol Sets Record on Challenging ARC-AGI-3 Benchmark, Marking a Leap in Reasoning Capabilities
Release Overview OpenAI has officially announced that its latest AI model, "GPT-5.6 Sol," has outperformed Opus 5 on the ARC-AGI-3 benchmark, a rigorous test...
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OpenAI Unveils GPT-5.6 Sol: Record-Breaking Performance Sparks Skepticism Among Experts
Release Overview OpenAI has officially announced its latest AI model, "GPT-5.6 Sol," claiming it has surpassed the co...
Revolutionizing Healthcare: Asclepath Secures ¥30 Million in Pre-Seed Funding to Launch Zero-Admin AI Clinics
Funding Overview Asclepath Inc. has announced the successful closure of a ¥30 million pre-seed funding round led by G...
Throne Science Raises $10 Million to Revolutionize Healthcare with Non-Invasive AI Sensors
Funding Overview Throne Science, a healthcare startup developing AI-powered smart toilet sensor technology, has succe...
[News Analysis] Deconstructing taliki's Seed Fast-Track Program: Financial Survival Strategies for Zebra and Impact Startups
1. Executive Summary: The Dawn of Fast-Track Social Impact Investing On July 24, 2026, taliki, a Japanese impact vent...
[News Analysis] Deconstructing the 2026 H1 Japan Startup Funding Ranking: Survival Strategies in the Age of Polarization
1. Executive Summary: The Current Landscape of Japanese Startup Funding On July 24, 2026, Nihon Keizai Shimbun, in pa...
[News Commentary] Timee's IPO: Deconstructing Market Entry and Platform Scaling Strategies
1. Executive Summary: The Strategic Significance of Timee's IPO In July 2024, Timee, Japan's premier spot-work matchi...
[Event Notice / Happening Today] VENTURE PITCH ONLINE Vol.116 Starts Today at 15:00 (JST)
Event Overview Happening today! We are pleased to announce that the online pitch event "VENTURE PITCH ONLINE Vol.116"...
[Event Notice / 3 Days to Go] This Thursday! VENTURE PITCH ONLINE Vol.116: Innovation in Sports, Med, and Mobility
Event Overview With only 3 days to go, we are pleased to announce that the online pitch event "VENTURE PITCH ONLINE V...
[Event Notice / 7 Days to Go] Innovation in Sports, Med, and Mobility! VENTURE PITCH ONLINE Vol.116 on July 23
Event Overview We are pleased to announce that the online pitch event "VENTURE PITCH ONLINE Vol.116" will be held in ...
[VPO Vol.116] Shodo Inc.: Automated Cyber Risk Prioritization and Remediation Software
Company Profile Company: Shodo Inc. Representative: Kosuke Takagi (CEO) Founded: May 1, 2025 Employees: 2 (2 full-t...
[VPO Vol.116] ValueTop Co., Ltd.: 24/7 App-Driven LCC Car Sharing Shaping the Future of Mobility
Company Profile Company: ValueTop Co., Ltd. Representative: Akio Sakuma (Representative Director) Founded: January ...
[VPO Vol.116] Kewel Inc.: Transforming Diagnostics with AI-Powered SaMD to Support Specialists
Company Profile Company: Kewel Inc. Representative: Takashi Shono (CEO) Founded: April 3, 2025 Employees: 3 Model: ...
[VPO Vol.116] Tabetech Co., Ltd.: Chem-Free Freshness Technology Revolutionizing Agricultural Exports
Company Profile Company: Tabetech Co., Ltd. Representative: Mayo Tanae (CEO) Founded: February 21, 2018 Employees: ...
[VPO Vol.116] CareLink Co., Ltd.: Reimagining Gig-Work for Nursing and Healthcare Sectors
Company Profile Company: CareLink Co., Ltd. Representative: Masafumi Nemoto (Representative Director) Founded: July...
[VPO Vol.116] Engate Inc.: Connecting Athletes and Fans Globally, the SportsTech Challenge
Company Profile Company: Engate Inc. Representative: Koichiro Kido (CEO) Founded: February 26, 2018 Employees: 12 M...
[Event Report] 6 Promising Startups Pitch at VPO Vol.116 to Shape the Future of Sports, Med, and Mobility
Event Summary On July 23, 2026, the online pitch event "VENTURE PITCH ONLINE Vol.116" concluded with great success. P...
Introducing the 6 Promising Startups Pitching at VPO Vol.116 on July 23
Detailed Features of Pitching Startups We have released individual in-depth profiles and interviews of the 6 innovati...
[Event Notice] Innovation in Sports, Med, and Mobility! VENTURE PITCH ONLINE Vol.116 on July 23
Event Overview We are pleased to announce the online pitch event "VENTURE PITCH ONLINE Vol.116" on July 23, 2026. * ...
MagicHolic Inc. Pitch Event Transcript
Pitch Details Background/Market Challenges The CEO of MagicHolic Inc. aims to deliver Japan's outstanding entertainme...
AssistMotion Co., Ltd.: The 2.9kg Wearable Robot "curara®" Shaping a Future Where Everyone Can Walk Independently in a Super-Aging Society
A Robot You Wear Like Clothing, Supporting the Joy of Walking Independently Hello, everyone. My name is Minoru Hashi...
ART-TRA Co., Ltd.: The Potential of the "Knowledge Mapping" Patent Technology and Card-Style UI for Search-Free, Intuitive Information Discovery
You Can\'t Find What You Don\'t Know Without a "Proper Query" Hello, everyone. My name is Reo Mizuno, CEO of ART-TRA...
Service Innovation Co., Ltd.: Changing the Decision-Making Process in the Custom Home Industry with "Housing AI Concierge"
The Massive Untapped Custom Home Builder Market in Regional Areas Hello, everyone. My name is Masatoshi Umemura, CEO...
NewLo Co., Ltd.: Web3 Infrastructure Socially Implementing Global "Value Circulation" by Fusing Stablecoins with Point Incentives (Poi-katsu)
With the Rulemaking of Stablecoins Progressing, Bringing Web3\'s "Seamless Value Exchange" into Daily Life Hello, ev...
remental Inc.: Online Counseling "KIMOCHI" Provided Exclusively by Nationally Certified "Licensed Psychologists," Bringing Mental Maintenance into the Daily Routine Like an Esthetic Salon
Providing True Preventive Care in a Modern Society Where "1 in 5" Suffers from Mental Conditions Hello, everyone. My ...
[Novias] Visualizing a Month of Nutritional Status with a Few Strands of Hair: The Innovation of Hair Analysis by a University Spin-off
大阪府立大学発ベンチャーが工学技術で挑む、ヘルスケア行動変容のブレイクスルー Hello everyone. I am Fumiyuki Inoue, CEO...
[Portus AI] "Humans Decide, AI Acts." The Future of White-Collar Work Transformed by Self-Initiating AI
指示待ちの「自動的なAI」から、自ら提案し実行する「自発的なAI」へ Hello everyone. I am Kazuki Watanabe, CEO of Portus ...
[Capitol Think] Boards 6x More Numerous Than Convenience Stores, a 6.5 Billion Yen Bill: Rule-Making to DX Showa-Era Analog Political Public Relations
元議員秘書・総務省アドバイザーが起業。逮捕リスクとルール解釈の壁を突破するルールメイキング Hello everyone. I am Arika...
[BuddyCloud] Expanding into Southeast Asian Markets with a Distribution Platform Hooked on Pet Health Management
From Keio Business School to Southeast Asia: The Trajectory of BuddyCloud Tackling Pet Market DX Hello, everyone. My ...
[Robosensor Technology Co., Ltd.] Digitizing the Sense of Touch: Eliminating Human Errors on Manufacturing Lines via \"Tactile Intelligence\" and AI
The Persistent Challenge of Manual Work in Ultra-Modern Factories Hello, everyone. My name is Masayoshi Omura, Repres...
[Influencer Tech Inc.] Cleaning Up the Entertainment Industry: Disrupting Intermediary Exploitation with \"Weaver,\" an AI-Driven Transparent Casting Platform
Targeting NASDAQ: Reforming the Archaic and Opaque Casting Industry Hello, everyone. My name is Yuta Kai, Representat...
DDR Corporation: Completing Divorce and Inheritance Procedures Anytime, Anywhere. The Innovation of "Smartphone Mediation" Challenging the Privatization and Democratization of Justice
The Concept of "Smartphone Mediation" Born from My Own 10-Month Struggle with Divorce Mediation Nice to meet you, eve...
[IoZ Inc.] Trusted by 2,000 Users Daily: Expanding from Face-Recognition Personnel Management to Vehicle Telematics
A Decades-Long IT Career: Yamaha Router Development, DeNA Roots, and a New Launch in Oita Hello, everyone. My name is...
[DATAREIN Corporation] Redirecting Labor to the Frontlines: How the AI School \"Mirai\" for Children is Reforming Japanese Industry
A 21-Year-Old's Patriotism and the Stigma Against Essential Manual Labor Hello, everyone. My name is Ryoja Yoshikawa,...
[AOGU Corporation] Overcoming the Limits of Human Care: "Koko-chan," an AI-Powered Companion Doll Implementing Person-Centered Dementia Care
Born from Personal Struggle: My Grandmother's Alzheimers and the Limits of Family Care Hello, everyone. My name is Yu...
[FULLLIFE Co., Ltd.] No Melt for 1 Hour: Golden State-of-the-Art Strawberry Polyphenol Reforming the Ice Cream Sector
Born from a Whipping Cream Complaint: The Miracle Discovery of Melt-Resistant Ice Cream Hello, everyone. My name is T...
[MeeeetUp Inc.] The \"Offline Cookie\": Unlocking Real-World Customer Behavior via Encrypted Face-Recognition IDs
Replicating Online Cookie Analytics in Physical Spaces Hello, everyone. My name is Kazuya Takahashi, Representative D...
[Zaimo Corporation] Liberation from Excel Hell. Next-Gen XP&A Platform where AI Agents Automatically Generate Business Plans to Realize \"Collective Management\"
Solving the Planning & Analysis Trade-off: Building the AI Co-pilot for CFOs Hello everyone, I am Takumi Kojo, Repres...
[WAVEE Inc.] Realizing the \"Securities Market for Talent\" through Web3.0 and AI. A Revolutionary Platform Yielding Continuous Returns from Talent Placement
Disrupting Siloed Matching: Integrating Global Talent Data via Blockchain Hello everyone, I am Yuta Hayakawa, CEO of ...
[Capsule Hub Inc.] DXing the Massive 150-Billion-Yen Gacha Market. Game Change Driven by NFC Add-on Payment, Data Utilization, and Powerful Chinese Manufacturing Network
Responding to the Disconnect at Tomica Expo: Confronting a Black-Boxed 150-Billion-Yen Market Hello everyone, I am To...
[Liberius Technology Co., Ltd.] Overcoming the Hospitality Crisis: Empowering Hotel Staff with \"Hotelwee,\" an AI Partner Preserving Practical Expertise
Executive Board Cleaning Rooms: The Severe Labor Collapse in the Hotel Sector Hello, everyone. My name is Hiroyuki Na...
【Fruor Inc.】RIZAP-style Career Coaching Not Premised on Job Change. The Strategy of "Meet Career" to Solve the 1 Trillion Yen Career Mismatch via Accumulated Data and Human Touch
The "Value Mismatch" Affecting 15 Million People Annually: Unresolvable by Skills and Conditions Matching Nice to mee...
[Ashirase Inc.] Eliminating Navigation Accidents for the Visually Impaired. Honda-born Startup #1 Launches the World's First Wearable and Indoor 3D Mapping Revolution
Preventing Falls Caused by Divided Attention: A Concept Centered on Focusing 100% on Safety Hello everyone, I am Ayum...
【Social Services Co., Ltd.】Saving Mothers from the Isolation and Tragedy of Postpartum Depression. Reforming Municipality and Medical Cooperation via a Cognitive Behavioral Therapy App Developed with Japan's Top Psychiatric Research Institute
The Reality of Perinatal Depression Affecting 20% of Healthy Mothers: Left Untreated in the Gaps of Medical Care Nice...
【Edgewater Corporation】AI Analysis of Immune and Genetic Data with RIKEN. The Medical Revolution of the "Mail-In Easy Collection Model" for Real-World Data (RWD) That Pharmaceutical Companies Covet
You Can't Prevent Without Predicting: Integrated AI Analysis of Immune, Genetic, and Environmental Factors in Partner...
[Beef Sommelier Co., Ltd.] Science of \"Quantifying Beef Deliciousness.\" How the 12-Month-Old Beef Quality Prediction AI Triggers Livestock & Distribution Revolution
Resolving Brand Proliferation through Science: Challenging the 300+ Brand Beef Chaos Hello everyone, I am Toshiki Mat...
【illumista Inc.】Preventing Excel Manual Management and Operational Collapse. The Hybrid Solution of "WorkinG" Parental Leave SaaS & Business Process Outsourcing (BPO)
Pressure to Meet the 85% Government Target: HR Overwhelmed and Teams Exhausted Hello, everyone. My name is Nobuyuki T...
【DROBE Inc.】Saving "Fashion Orphans" in the 8 Trillion Yen Apparel Market. How "Selectbox" Pulls Offline Retail Shoppers into the Online Space via AI & Professional Styling
From Management Consulting to Fashion Tech: Saving the 70% of Women Who Love Fashion but Lack Confidence Nice to meet...
【JOYCLE Corporation】Untransported, Unburned, and On-Site Waste Upcycling: Solving Logistical & Incineration Crisis via Distributed Infrastructure "JOYCLE BOX"
A Logistical Meltdown and the Decline of Incinerators: The Urgent Need for On-Site Waste Upcycling Infrastructure Hel...
【Marbull X Corporation】Revitalizing Local Communities by Unearthing Niche "Buried Content" Through NFT & Gamification
Unearthing Buried Content by a Team of Strategy & Creative Experts from Accenture Hello everyone. I am Shotaro Ogawa,...
【MOVIN Inc.】A Mobility Revolution at 1,500 Yen for 12 Hours: Solving Regional Transportation Shortages Through Sports Teams & Corporate Sponsorship
A Former Avispa Fukuoka Intern Tackles Regional Mobility and Surging Rental Car Prices Hello everyone. I am Mitsuo Ar...
【GOGEN Inc.】Completing Real Estate Transactions via LINE: DXing a Legacy Giant Industry through Ecosystem Integration & AI
A Former Developer Tackles the Digital Shift of Legacy Real Estate Transactions Hello everyone. I am Hiroaki Wada, CE...
【iFarm Co., Ltd.】World-Class Japanese Strawberries Grown in the Land of Ice with 1/5th the Electricity Cost: Global Food-Tech Powered by Iceland’s First Plant Factory
Cultivating the World’s Most Delicious Japanese Strawberries in Iceland with 100% Renewable Energy Hello everyone. I ...
【amoibe Co., Ltd.】Solving Engineer Shortage with "Virtual OJT" and AI Mentors. Digital Job Training "amoibe OJT" Driving AI Shift and In-house Development in the SI Industry
Structural Reform in the SI Industry Starting with the Rise of AI. Breaking the "Project Gacha" to Revitalize Enginee...
【Quick Inc.】Preventing the Collapse of Emergency Medicine with AI & Taxi Transportation. A New Medical Infrastructure for 119 Triage and Transportation Optimization Created by Medical Students
One in Two is Mildly Ill. Saving Japan's Emergency Medicine on the Verge of Collapse with the Expertise of Doctors an...
【CAPER Co., Ltd.】AI Agent Saves 80 Hours of HR Labor per Month! "OpenSeek" - A Direct Recruiting Support Platform Drastically Enhancing Hiring Power for Tier-2 Companies Struggling with Brand Awareness
No Excellent Talents Come by Just Waiting. The Fatal Challenges of Direct Recruiting: Follow-up Leakage and Lack of R...
【Teach Inc.】Preventing "Family Collapse" Caused by Overheated Junior High School Exams. "Teach," a Home Learning Gig-Work App Matching Students with Elite Tutors Without Interviews Under a Time-Saving Model
Junior High School Exams Increasing for Nine Consecutive Years. Knowing the Crisis of Family Breakdown and Communicat...
【Hello Technologies Co., Ltd.】Preventing Solitary Deaths Just by Replacing a Light Bulb! "Hello Light" - The World's First IoT Monitoring Light Bulb Requiring No Construction or Wi-Fi, Covering 80 Countries
Monitoring Loved Ones Without Changing Daily Scenery. "Gentle Technology" Addressing the Issue of 68,000 Solitary Dea...
【MamaWell Co., Ltd.】Preventing Premature Birth Experienced by 1 in 3 Pregnant Women! "MamaWell" Protects Pregnant Women's Careers and Health Through Data and Midwife Hybrid Care
Preventing "Over-activity or Under-activity" in Pregnancy. Research Insight Reducing Pregnancy Complications by 40% t...
【Zrek Corporation】Realizing Autonomous Factories Where Machines Self-Think and Improve! Robotics DX Creating the "Brain" of Autonomous Robots Combining Image Recognition and Generative AI
Machines Self-Thinking and Improving. The Roadmap to Building the Most Efficient Autonomous Factory on Earth Thank yo...
【EVA Therapeutics Inc.】Saving Premature Babies with Ig Nobel Prize-Winning "Enteral Ventilation (Enteral Respiration)"! A University-Launched Bio-venture Overcoming the Limits of Neonatal Medicine with a Lung-Independent Respiratory Support
Protecting Babies Whose Lungs Do Not Open. The Dilemma of Existing Ventilators with Side Effects and Limits of Neonat...
【A10 Lab Inc.】Peer Support of 5-Member Teams for Fun Behavioral Change! Driving Insurance Business DX with "Minchare", Japan's Largest Smoking Cessation & Lifestyle Disease App
Developing Habits by Encouraging Each Other in 5-Member Teams. Achievements of the Smartphone App "Minchare" Boasting...
【Return Helper Co., Ltd.】Drastically Reducing the Cost of "International Returns" for Cross-Border EC! "Return Helper" Integrates Local Returns & Re-commerce in 17 Countries
20% Return Rate and 10,000 Yen Return Shipping Barrier. The Serious Return Problem Pressuring Cross-Border EC Merchan...
【IB Co., Ltd.】Consolidating Insurance Policies with Generative AI! "Hokenbo", a Claim Omission Prevention App That Even Diagnoses Blind Spots Like "Getting Injured Can Be Covered by Fire Insurance?"
The Absurdity I Learned from Volunteering After the Great East Japan Earthquake: "No One Even Knows What Insurance Pa...
Association Office Inc.: Revolutionizing the Future of Business with Generative AI Products—From Automated Customer Acquisition to Workflow Efficiency and Education
My name is Motoki Izumi from Association Office Inc. We are a company that self-develops and sells cutting-edge gener...
cynaps Inc.: "BA Cloud" — Wireless, Serverless Energy-Saving IoT Retrofit System Specializing in Ventilation Control Without Large-Scale Construction
My name is Yusuke Iwaya from cynaps Inc. We develop "BA Cloud," a smart building solution designed to drastically imp...
SkySense LLC: HAPS — Autonomous Airships Providing Low-Cost, High-Frequency, Ultra-High-Resolution Data from 20 km Altitude in the Stratosphere
My name is Adin Pavel from SkySense LLC. We are developing the "Stratospheric Platform (HAPS: High Altitude Platform ...
Cominal Inc.: "Koino" — The AI Networking Platform That Uncovers Real Needs Without Requiring Surveys
My name is Emi Maeda from Cominal Inc. Today, I would like to introduce our data platform, "Koino," designed to maxim...
TSK Inc.: Replacing Rare Metals with Iron—Kyoto University-Born "Iron Catalyst Technology" Targeting Display Materials and "Iron Fulvic Acid" for Agriculture
My name is Eun-Chul Son from TSK Inc. We are a deep-tech venture spun out of Kyoto University, aiming for the social ...
【MaaS Tech Japan Inc.】Building the Groundwork for Urban Mobility: Integrating and Visualizing Transport Data for the Era of Population Decline
Delivering Innovation to Support Everyday Mobility: Origin Story in the Railway Industry and Commitment to MaaS My na...
【Crassone Co., Ltd.】Transforming the Demolition Industry Through a B2B SCM Platform and Smart Demolition in a 1.5 Trillion JPY Market
Cultivating a Culture of Urban Regeneration: The Market Potential of a Growing Demolition Industry Amid Aging Infrast...
【Seamr Inc.】Eliminating MRI Inspection Bottlenecks in Japan, the World's Most MRI-Dense Country, Through Large-Scale Medical Equipment Sharing
The Paradox of a Nation: Why Patients Wait Months for Scans in the World’s Leading Country for MRI Density My name is...
【LinkT&B Co., Ltd.】Filling the "Last Mile" of EV Adoption: Vehicle Tag Authentication and Portable Chargers as the New Standard for Value-Added EV Fleet Operations
Learning from Norway’s 90% Adoption Rate: Overcoming the Ultimate Barrier to an EV Society—Charging Infrastructure Sh...
【4kiz Co., Ltd.】"World's Number One Kids' SNS Platform" for Children Under 12 to Safely Express and Connect
Self-Introduction and Mission to Pioneer the Kids' Tech Domain Hello, everyone. My name is Katsuhiro Motoyama, the re...
【Path Being Co., Ltd.】Revitalizing African Farmland: Global South Agricultural Innovation through "Biochar x Carbon Credits"
Self-Introduction and 12 Years of Entrepreneurial Experience in Africa Hello everyone, I am Atsushi Ito, the represen...
【PuzzleHunters Co., Ltd.】"Photo Restoration": Restoring and Animating Old Photos with AI and Hardware Integration for Seniors
Self-Introduction and Pioneers in the Generative AI Domain Hello everyone, I am XIAO XIONG (Sean), the CEO of PuzzleH...
【CATALYST Co., Ltd.】"Job Seeker Data Platform" Automatically Generating Resumes and CVs in 5 Minutes Using Generative AI
Self-Introduction and CATALYST's Mission Hello, everyone. My name is Ito Yamamoto, the representative of CATALYST Co....
【mizuhachi Co., Ltd.】Reclaiming Barren Sea Urchins Into Premium Urchins! Opening Up a 50 Trillion Yen Aquaculture Frontier with a Proprieatry Land Aquaculture System
Reclaiming Barren Urchins Into Valuable Resources: Ocean Challenges and the Origin of Entrepreneurship Experienced in...
【WeGlobal Co., Ltd.】"Cross Border Works" Accelerates Overseas Expansion by Connecting Japanese Companies with Local Experts Holding Primary Information
Self-Introduction and Mission in the Global HR Field Hello everyone. I am Ruoyi Zhou (Shu), the representative of WeG...
Tokoshie Inc.: Democratizing Manufacturing with Fully Automated Continuous 3D Printers and AI
Toward a World Where "Anyone Can Make What They Want, Exactly How They Want" Hello, everyone. My name is Ryutoku Wata...
ENELL Co., Ltd.: Generating Water from Air and Sterilizing All Sources with "Autonomous Decentralized Micro-Water Sources" to Upgrade Global Infrastructure
Confronting Aging Infrastructure and PFAS Contamination: A New Normal for Water Supply Nice to meet you, everyone. My...
Knowledge Holdings Inc.: Combining Subsidies with "AXiY" Marketing Tool for Low-Cost In-House Store DX
From Rapid Growth in Telecommunications Sales to Tackling Store Marketing Challenges Hello, everyone. My name is Tomo...
Imachika Inc.: Driving Store Marketing In-House Operations with an AI-Powered SNS Automation and Management SaaS
Automating SNS Operations for Small-to-Medium Stores Troubled by Labor Shortage and Creative Block Hello, everyone. M...
Liquid Mine Co., Ltd.: Replacing Painful "Bone Marrow Tests" with "Blood Tests." Whole-Genome Analysis Monitoring to Detect Leukemia Recurrence Early
The Heavy Burden of Painful "Bone Marrow Tests" Tormenting Leukemia Patients Hello, everyone. My name is Rinwa Kishim...
[meleap] Unleashing "Magic" with AR Technology: HADO's Ambition to Captivate 5 Million Players in 40 Countries
サッカーや野球に続く「テクノスポーツ」という数十兆円規模の新産業を切り開く Hello everyone. I am Hiroshi Fukuda, CEO o...