IVS2026

IVS is Japan's largest startup conference, launched in 2007. It brings together founders, investors, corporates, public-sector leaders, and students around the creation of new businesses. Originally an invitation-only, closed conference held across Japan, IVS transitioned to a ticketed format in 2023. Now based in Kyoto, it has grown to welcome 10,000 attendees annually and has become a platform for the entire startup ecosystem. No new business starts alone. IVS exists to create the connections between those who hold the technology, capital, customers, and experience needed to build it. The program features sessions led by frontline practitioners, a Startup Market with 300 companies from Japan and abroad, and an ever-expanding range of side events organized by participants themselves. IVS LAUNCHPAD has drawn over 5,000 cumulative entries; of its past presenters, more than 60 companies have exited and over 100 have raised more than 1 billion yen. Across three days, planned encounters and unexpected ones intersect, sparking turning points for businesses. Every participant takes a step toward solving social challenges and shaping new industries. "A catalyst for the next generation." That is our mission.