Global Gathering 2026, Looking at Japan Beyond Tokyo

Last week, the Global Gathering 2026 hosted by Venture Café Global Institute brought together more than 1,200 participants and 177 speakers from around the world.

We had the opportunity to attend a panel discussion exploring a question we care deeply about at Innovation Dojo Japan.

What happens when you look at Japan beyond Tokyo?

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Capital vs Infrastructure

Ryusuke Komura from Venture Café Tokyo put it clearly

“Most VC capital is in Tokyo, so you’re not missing that by not going to Kansai. But you are missing the infrastructure Kansai provides to enable innovation.”

💡 Capital matters. But execution infrastructure, manufacturing access, university density, decision-maker proximity all determine whether collaboration actually moves.

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‍Speed Matters for Hardware and Deeptech

JUNIK BAE from Innovation Dojo Japan added:

“When HQ and manufacturing are co-located, the distance between decision making and where PoCs are executed is shorter. This can make the PoC process more efficient.”

💡 For hardware and deeptech, that speed is decisive.

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Japan Is Not One Market

Ayano Kagami from CIC Japan reminded us:

“Many overseas companies treat Japan as one single market. But each region has its own ecosystem. Understanding that is critical.”

💡 Japan isn’t one market. It’s multiple ecosystems.

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Preparation Over Prestige

Marisa Watanabe, Japan Country Manager from UNSW reinforced something many underestimate:

“Even as a top global university like UNSW, that has birthed multiple unicorns, we must understand who is in the room, what role they play, and who holds decision-making power.”

💡 Prestige doesn’t replace preparation.

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Why Innovation Dojo Japan Chose Kansai

Innovation Dojo Japan was established in Kansai in 2021 by deliberately. The region offers one of the strongest cost performance balances in Japan, including:

• Dense corporate HQ presence
• Strong manufacturing clusters
• Lower operating costs than Tokyo
• High university concentration (including the prestigious Kyoto University and Osaka University

Over five years, Kansai has enabled us to:

• Support 800+ startups
• Build a strong operational base
• Grow our team and expand into Tokyo

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Kansai isn’t competing with Tokyo but it complements it. Tokyo concentrates capital, and Kansai often concentrates execution.

The question isn’t “Tokyo or Kansai?”, it’s “at what stage does Kansai accelerate what you’re trying to build?”.

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Thank you to Venture Café Tokyo for hosting a fantastic Global Gathering!