Key Takeaways
- • Global Startup EXPO 2026 (GSE2026) will convene October 5–7, 2026, in Osaka, Japan, attracting 5,000+ global attendees including Nobel Prize laureates, leading venture capital firms, startups, and corporate leaders.
- • The event features a keynote fireside chat between Ben Horowitz (cofounder of Andreessen Horowitz) and Kathy Matsui, alongside sessions with key opinion leaders and Nobel laureates focused on deep-tech innovation.
- • GSE2026 is positioned as an entry point for overseas venture capital firms to access emerging opportunities in Japan, with dedicated business-matching platforms connecting investors, startups, and corporations.
- • The event will showcase selected deep-tech startups across high-growth sectors including life sciences, quantum technology, fusion energy, semiconductors, AI, advanced robotics, and space.
- • Venues span Umekita and Nakanoshima Qross in Osaka, with ticket sales already underway as of the September 2026 announcement.
Summary
Global Startup EXPO 2026 (GSE2026) is positioned as one of the world's leading international events focused on deep-tech innovation and will take place over three days from October 5–7, 2026, in Osaka Prefecture. The event will be hosted across multiple venues including Umekita and Nakanoshima Qross and is expected to draw more than 5,000 global attendees encompassing investors, business leaders, corporate representatives, and members of the startup ecosystem.
The conference programming reflects an emphasis on high-caliber thought leadership and networking. A centerpiece will be a keynote fireside chat between Ben Horowitz, cofounder of Andreessen Horowitz (a16z)—one of the world's leading venture capital firms known for major positions in SpaceX, Airbnb, GitHub, Slack, and Coinbase—and Kathy Matsui. The event will also feature sessions with Nobel Prize laureates and key opinion leaders from Japan and abroad, underscoring its positioning as a platform for cutting-edge scientific and technological discourse.
A critical component of GSE2026 is its structured business-matching infrastructure, designed to generate concrete outcomes for participants. The platform enables direct connections between investors, startups, and corporations seeking collaboration. Themed matching programs and side events will focus on specialized sectors including life sciences, investor networks, large corporations, and manufacturing. This matchmaking emphasis positions GSE2026 as an intentional bridge for overseas venture capital firms seeking entry into Japanese deep-tech opportunities and for domestic Japanese startups pursuing international capital and partnership.
The startup cohort showcasing at the event will span multiple high-growth deep-tech sectors, including life sciences, quantum technology, fusion energy, telecommunications and semiconductors, AI and advanced robotics, and space. The event's focus on deep tech and its international scope align with broader momentum in the venture capital and innovation communities to accelerate development in transformative technology domains.
The conference programming reflects an emphasis on high-caliber thought leadership and networking. A centerpiece will be a keynote fireside chat between Ben Horowitz, cofounder of Andreessen Horowitz (a16z)—one of the world's leading venture capital firms known for major positions in SpaceX, Airbnb, GitHub, Slack, and Coinbase—and Kathy Matsui. The event will also feature sessions with Nobel Prize laureates and key opinion leaders from Japan and abroad, underscoring its positioning as a platform for cutting-edge scientific and technological discourse.
A critical component of GSE2026 is its structured business-matching infrastructure, designed to generate concrete outcomes for participants. The platform enables direct connections between investors, startups, and corporations seeking collaboration. Themed matching programs and side events will focus on specialized sectors including life sciences, investor networks, large corporations, and manufacturing. This matchmaking emphasis positions GSE2026 as an intentional bridge for overseas venture capital firms seeking entry into Japanese deep-tech opportunities and for domestic Japanese startups pursuing international capital and partnership.
The startup cohort showcasing at the event will span multiple high-growth deep-tech sectors, including life sciences, quantum technology, fusion energy, telecommunications and semiconductors, AI and advanced robotics, and space. The event's focus on deep tech and its international scope align with broader momentum in the venture capital and innovation communities to accelerate development in transformative technology domains.
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