TechCrunch is heading to Tokyo — and it’s bringing the Startup Battle with it

TechCrunch is affiliated with SusHi Tech Tokyo 2026Asia’s largest international exhibition, taking place on April 27-29 at Tokyo Big Sight. And we’re not just showing off – our Startup Battlefield program manager, Isabelle Johannessen, will be sitting as a judge for the SusHi Tech Challenge, the conference’s biggest international competition.

For the winner, the stakes couldn’t be higher: The recipient of the SusHi Tech Challenge Grand Prix will be entered into the TechCrunch Disrupt Startup Battlefield Top 200 – making them eligible to step on one of the most coveted platforms in the world.

What is SusHi Tech Tokyo?

Now in its fourth year, SusHi Tech Tokyo – short for Theirspossible Hellogh City Tech Tokyo – has grown to become the largest tech conference in Asia, drawing startups, investors, entrepreneurs, and city leaders from around the world. This year’s edition is even bigger: 750 exhibitors from 60 countries, more than 10,000 leading business meetings, and 60,000 prospective attendees in three days.

The conference is organized by the Tokyo Metropolitan Government with a clear goal: to bring together the best experts from around the world to build the sustainable cities of the future.

At the show, 62 businesses – including Sony, Google, Microsoft, and Mizuho – are holding back-to-back tours and looking for partners, making it a market-like convention. And the program reflects that desire.

Four regions on the border

SusHi Tech 2026 focuses on four technological areas that are reshaping humanity: AI, Robotics, Resilience, and Entertainment. Expect demonstrations of humanoid robots, sessions on the evolution of autonomous car software, deep dives into cyber security and climate technology, and candid discussions about how AI is rewriting the music and anime industries around the world.

Speakers include Howard Wright (Nvidia), Rob Chu (AWS), Eva Chen (Trend Micro), Qasar Younis (Applied Intuition), Christine Tsai (500 Global), Kathy Matsui (MPower Partners), and Tokyo governor Yuriko Koike, among many others. About 60% of the speakers are from outside Japan, and about half are women.

What about living in Tokyo? Don’t miss it. Get your tickets here.

SusHi Tech Challenge

The competition attracted 820 participants from 60 countries and regions – 437 from around the world, 383 from Japan. Twenty semifinalists compete on April 27, seven finalists advance to the finals on April 28, and one Grand Prix winner takes home ¥10,000,000 and joins the TechCrunch Disrupt Startup Battlefield Top 200.

Beyond the stage

The meeting is still going on in the conference hall. City leaders from 49 cities on five continents – from Los Angeles to Nairobi to Singapore – will meet at the G-NETS Leaders’ Summit to make concrete commitments on climate resilience and urban sustainability. At the show, 62 companies, including Sony, Google, Microsoft, and Mizuho, ​​are holding a back-to-back game and looking for partners.

And because this is Tokyo, the events don’t stop at 6 o’clock in the afternoon: Classical music performances from La Folle Journée, cruises along Tokyo Bay, and a series of Tokyo Innovation NIGHTs round out the program.

Before you go, download the app

This elder SusHi Tech Tokyo 2026 official program that’s your ground control. Before you arrive, AI-powered matchmaking recommends the right startups, investors, and partners for you to connect with — and let you book meeting rooms in advance. On-site, GPS maps, QR business card exchanges, and real-time push notifications keep you focused on the Tokyo Big Sight. Download to iOS or Android.

SusHi Tech Tokyo 2026 runs April 27-29 at Tokyo Big Sight. Business days are April 27-28; Public Day (free admission) is April 29.