🌟 Fukuoka at InnoVEX 2025 — Turning Heads, Making Waves, Building Bridges 🇯🇵🌏🇹🇼

From May 20–23, Fukuoka City brought bold energy and real-world innovation to InnoVEX 2025, Asia’s leading startup expo, held in Taipei. As the event celebrated its 10th anniversary, over 450 startups from around the world convened—and Fukuoka stood tall as Japan’s gateway for global innovation.

Fukuoka City Pavilion: Your Launchpad into Japan

At the heart of the Japan Pavilion, the Fukuoka City Pavilion showcased why Fukuoka is Japan’s most accessible startup hub, powered by:

The country’s first and most successful Startup Visa program

Streamlined support via Global Business Support

A fast-growing, founder-friendly ecosystem of startups, academia, and global partnerships

This wasn’t just a booth—it was an invitation to plug into the future of Japanese innovation.

Founders That Flew the Fukuoka Flag

From pitch contests to demo days, these Fukuoka-born startups brought the tech and took the spotlight:

yocto – Smart yoga meets AI for a healthier world

Napps Technologies – Building agentic AI that truly adapts

Logipeace – Logistics DX designed for a borderless future

Postalk – Next-gen digital marketing with a personal touch

F.MED – Precision surgical robotics shaping the future of healthcare

FT NEXT Taiwan–Japan Exchange: Cross-Border Collaboration in Action

One of the most impactful moments of the week was the FT NEXT Taiwan–Japan Exchange, jointly guided by Taiwan’s Small and Medium Enterprise and Startup Administration (SMESA) and the Fukuoka City Government.

Held on May 21 at the SMESA Pavilion Stage, the event was co-organized by Startup Terrace Kaohsiung and Fukuoka Growth Next (fgn.)—with a mission to promote deep, innovation-driven ties between the two ecosystems.

During the program:

Mr. Shun Ono, Global Business Advisor of FGN, and

Ms. Amanda Yeh, Project Manager at Startup Terrace Kaohsiung

shared how their hubs are driving international startup growth, emphasizing the importance of ecosystem integration, market expansion, and bilateral partnerships.

🚀 10 Startups Pitched (5 from Taiwan, 5 from Japan) across AIoT, robotics, logistics, medtech, metaverse, and retail tech.
👥 Notable names: DeepWave, Dentall, Meta Intelligence, Ret[AI]ling, and from Japan, yocto, Logipeace, Postalk, and Napps Technologies.
💡 Investors including Darwin Venture, CDIB Capital, AVA, and Duoinsight Venture offered live feedback and interest in follow-up discussions.

As a finale to the event, Mr. Ryo Osera rounded it off nicely, with a roll call to all current and future nomads, enticing them with further quality of life and community gems that Fukuoka City has to offer.

👉 This exchange marked a new chapter in Taiwan–Japan startup cooperation, with intentions to deepen this collaboration step by step—setting the stage for long-term innovation and economic growth between Kaohsiung and Fukuoka.

Founders After Hours: Deals, Drinks, and Dialogue

On May 20, Fukuoka joined fellow founders, VCs, and ecosystem partners at Founders After Hours: VIP Connection Night, hosted by Startup Terrace. The vibe? Electric. The conversations? Game-changing. A huge thank-you to our hosts for bringing the innovation community together in such a meaningful way.

AI Global SCM & MFG Alliance Pre-Launch

Fukuoka also participated in the Pre-Launch of the AI Global SCM & MFG Alliance Initiative, setting the foundation for cross-border collaboration in smart manufacturing and AI supply chains.

Fukuoka to the World—and Back

We showed Taipei—and the world—that Fukuoka isn’t just a great place to start a business in Japan. It’s where cross-border collaboration begins, where global ambition is welcome, and where real partnerships take root.

“We’re not just building startups—we’re building bridges.”

Let’s Build What’s Next, Together.

Whether you’re:

・ A startup ready to scale into Japan

・ An investor looking for fresh global talent

・ Or a city exploring international partnership models

Fukuoka is ready to meet you.

There is no I in Fukuoka but there is a U!

Feel free to drop by anytime or shoot us a message. We look forward to hearing from you and supporting you on this exciting and wonderful journey.

Global Business Support

Opening hours: Monday to Saturday 10:00-17:00 (Days closed : Sundays and Holidays)

Location:

Fukuoka Growth Next (FGN)

Fukuoka Growth Next 1F, 2 Chome-6-11 Daimyo, Chuo Ward, Fukuoka 810-0041

As there is no on-site parking or bicycle parking available, we kindly ask that you utilize nearby parking facilities or bicycle parking areas.

Cambridge Innovation Center（CIC）

ONE FUKUOKA BLDG. 7F, 1-11-1 Tenjin, Chuo-ku, Fukuoka 810-0001

Please use the contact form on our website to make an inquiry.