Intercity Innovation Institute
Extra Day in Shibuya to be held for the first time on March 1 in Shibuya City, Tokyo
2023.02.21
~ As an official after-content of “City-Tech.Tokyo,”
organized by the Tokyo Metropolitan Government and other organizations,
an urban festival (Shibuya’s version of SXSW) will be held at multiple locations. ~
EDGEof INNOVATION, LLC (headquartered in Shibuya city, Tokyo; Alex Taisuke Odajima, CEO) and the Intercity
Innovation Institute. (located in Shinagawa city, Tokyo; Keisuke Urushibata, Representative Director), as the secretariat of Extra Day in Shibuya Executive Committee, will hold the first “Extra Day in Shibuya” on March 1, 2023, at several locations in Shibuya Ward, Tokyo. This will be an urban festival-style event held as an official side event of "City-Tech.Tokyo" to be held by the Tokyo Metropolitan Government and other organizations from February 27 to 28, 2023.
◆ Extra Day in Shibuya official website
https://www.extra-day-in-
Extra Day in Shibuya is a "city event of startups, by startups, for startups" to enjoy Shibuya, a center of culture and innovation. Various events will be held simultaneously in various locations throughout Shibuya Ward, Tokyo, including pitch events, exhibitions and meetup events, all of which will be enjoyed by startups and those interested in startups.
◆ Extra Day in Shibuya Event Overview (as of February 10, 2023)
Date: Wednesday, March 1, 2023
Location: Multiple locations in Shibuya Ward, Tokyo
Fee: Free of charge
Secretariat: EDGEof INNOVATION, LLC, Intercity Innovation Institute.
Content cooperation, venue cooperation and hosting cooperation: Shibuya Ward, Tokyu Land Corporation, Advantage Austria, BYDCPT, Code Chrysalis, DMZ, Endeavor, German Entrepreneurship, NAVA, Nordic Innovation House, OMNILINKS, Peatix, Plug and Play Japan, Shibuya Open Innovation Lab, Shibuya-QWS, Shibuya Startup Support (in no particular order/excerpt)
◆ Event contents to be implemented (as of February 10, 2023/selected excerpts)
① PROP-TECH EXPO
An exhibition and social gathering of startups with unique technologies from Japan and abroad under the
theme of "Real Estate Tech (Prop Tech)."
▼For more information, please click here.
https://eds-prop-tech-expo.
② CVC STARTUP PITCH] Partner: First CVC
A pitch and networking event that brings together the CVC divisions of Japan's leading large corporations and
startups from Japan and abroad. In association with: First CVC
▼For more information, please click here.
https://eds-cvc-startup-pitch.
③ DIVE INTO METAVERSE
A practical workshop event to learn the basics of metaverse such as ETH, NFT and Avatar.
▼For more information, please click here.
https://eds-dive-into-
④ BUSINESS IN THE WEB3 ERA
A session-type event that broadly explores the state of Internet business in the Web3 era, from
introductory to applied.
▼For more information, please click here.
https://eds-business-in-web3-
⑤ WOMEN ENTREPRENEUR MEETUP, Partner: DMZ
A meet-up event to design a new mechanism to deeply investigate gender issues in Japan from the aspect
of entrepreneurship support.
▼For more information, please click here.
https://eds-women-
⑥ ENDEAVOR ENTREPRENEUR MEETUP, Partner: Endeavor
Meetup event connecting Endeavor, the world's largest global entrepreneurial community, with entrepreneurs
who want to make their mark on the world
▼For more information, please click here.
https://eds-endeavor-
⑦ HEALTH-TECH POPUP LAB
A pop-up lab where startups from around the world gather to discuss new forms of "health."
▼For more information, please click here.
https://eds-healthtech-popup-
⑧ SOFTWARE IN JAPAN: Challenges and Opportunities
A talking session-type event where experts in engineering education will explain the challenges and
opportunities facing Japan's software industry.
▼For more information, please click here.
https://eds-software-in-japan.
In addition to the above events, we are also preparing a variety of other invitation-only events, such as exclusive parties and events at the latest night spots overlooking the Tokyo nightscape. Please check the official website regularly for more updates on events and contents.
◆ The heart behind "Extra Day in Shibuya”
■ Mr. Alex Taisuke Odajima, CEO, EDGEof INNOVATION, LLC
Before Covid-19, I ran an innovation hub called “EDGEof” in Shibuya, which had over 15,000 visitors from more than 50 countries in two years. We have hosted international startup-related events on a weekly basis, and have been visited by not only entrepreneurs, artists and other innovators from around the world, but also a wide range of people, from the ministers of Colombia and Malaysia to the King and Queen of Sweden, making Shibuya the international gateway to Japan's startup ecosystem. As the international gateway to Japan's startup ecosystem, Shibuya was a very exciting place to be. However, the outbreak of the Covid-19 disaster brought international foot traffic to a complete halt, and the momentum came to an unexpected and abrupt stop. I still cannot forget the sight of the crowds themselves disappearing from the streets of Shibuya, leaving it a ghost town, not to mention the international visitors.
Nearly three years have passed since then, and the city is finally regaining its original excitement. Restrictions on travel from abroad have largely been lifted, and we are gradually seeing more and more foreign tourists taking pictures of the scramble crossing. However, as a global innovation hub, it is still far from the overwhelming momentum it had then, and there is a sense as if time has stood still. Although my base itself has closed, there are still many facilities with great potential scattered throughout Shibuya, including the new ones that have opened since Covid-19. Above all, Shibuya's strength lies in the many people who are passionate about the city, including Shibuya Ward Mayor Ken Hasebe and other members of the Shibuya Ward Office, the Tokyu Group, which has been responsible for the development of Shibuya in both name and reality, and the many startups and companies that are based in the city. Extra Day in Shibuya is an event with the hope of bringing these people's ideas to the world and making Shibuya shine once again as the gateway to innovation in Japan.
As a side event of City-Tech.Tokyo, an event hosted by the Tokyo Metropolitan Government that brings together over 200 startups from more than 30 cities around the world, we want to create a festival that connects innovators from around the world and the Japanese ecosystem in a way that incorporates the charm of the Shibuya. To achieve this goal, we did not want to gather everything in one venue, but rather to create a "town festival" style where mini-events on a variety of topics would be held throughout the city, with a sense of distance that would allow exhibitors and attendees to communicate with each other. We hope to create an opportunity for many people to encounter innovation based on the fun and familiarity that only Shibuya can offer.
◆ About "City-Tech.Tokyo”
City-Tech.Tokyo is an event for realizing a sustainable society through open innovation with startups. With a target of 300 startup booths and 10,000 participants from 100 cities in 30 countries, the event will create opportunities for concrete collaboration and increased investment in infrastructure, social infrastructure, the environment and other themes that will lead to new urban visions based on diverse ideas and technologies. In addition, a 10-million-yen pitch contest will be held to determine the "City-Tech" No. 1, and business meetings will be held between decision makers from Japanese companies and high-level startups from Japan and abroad.
• City-Tech.Tokyo official website
https://city-tech.tokyo/
◆ Overview of "City-Tech.Tokyo" events (as of February 10, 2023)
Date: February 27 and 28, 2023
Venue: Tokyo International Forum *Hybrid of offline and online events
Execution Committee: Tokyo Metropolitan Government, Japan Business Federation, Keizai Doyukai (Japan Association of Corporate Executives), New Economic Federation, Tokyo Chamber of Commerce and Industry, Japan Venture Capital Association, Startup Ecosystem Association, Inc.
◆ Message of support from "City-Tech.Tokyo”
■ Mr. Shinichi Fukunaga, Director General, Special Zone Promotion, Policy Planning Bureau, Tokyo Metropolitan Government (Executive Director, Global Event 2023 Executive Committee)
On February 27 (Mon) and 28 (Tue), 2023, we will hold "City-Tech.Tokyo" (https://city-tech.tokyo/), one of Japan's largest global events on the theme of "City Tech," the first attempt by the Tokyo Metropolitan Government. It is very encouraging that "Extra Day in Shibuya" will be held as a related event on Wednesday, March 1, the day after that event. “City-Tech.Tokyo" and "Extra Day in Shibuya" will work together to build momentum for innovation! We look forward to your continued attention and cooperation in promoting "Sustainable High City Tech Tokyo = SusHi Tech Tokyo," which creates sustainable new value through the use of advanced technology.
*The names of companies and products mentioned in this document are the registered trademarks or trademarks of the respective companies.
[Contact for inquiries regarding this matter]
Secretariat, Intercity Innovation Institute
Person(s) in charge: Okamoto and Kimoto
Email: pr@iii.or.jp