TechGALA Japan 2026 Speakers Announcement: Gold Medalist, Economist, Nobel Prize Winner, and More
In January 2026, TechGALA Japan 2026, a startup event, will be held in Central Japan (–Nagoya, Aichi). TechGALA Japan 2026 is being positioned as an entrance for players in the startup ecosystem from around the world to connect with Central Japan, with the goal of promoting collaboration between a variety of players and strengthening the branding of the Central Japan startup ecosystem in order to increase its international presence.
The event will be held for three days, from Tuesday, January 27, to Thursday, January 29, 2026. In addition to keynote speeches by world famous speakers and sessions and exhibitions by Japanese and international startups, businesses, research institutes, and investors, projects to promote culture involving art and music are also planned.
Keynote Speakers: TechGALA Japan 2026
Day 1 (Tuesday, January 27)
Monika Bielskyte: As a futurist, she utilizes her expertise in information technology and immersive media (VR/XR, AI, UI/UX) to prototype joyful visions of the future while considering both the possibilities and the dangers of innovation.
Day 2 (Wednesday, January 28)
Shradha Sharma: YourStory has featured stories on over 200,000 entrepreneurs and game-changers and boasts 10 million readers. Beyond its media business, it also organizes hackathons and ecosystem events for startups, and provides consulting services.
Day 3 (Thursday, January 29)
Hiroshi Amano: Director and Professor, Institute of Materials and Systems for Sustainability, Nagoya University. A recipient of the Nobel Prize in Physics, along with the late Dr. Isamu Akasaki and Professor Shuji Nakamura, for the “invention of efficient blue light-emitting diodes which has enabled bright and energy-saving white light sources.”
High Profile Speakers
Jacques Attali: Economist and philosopher. Dr. Jacques Attali was a Special Advisor to former French President François Mitterrand for 10 years (1981–1991). He has notably been involved in initiating large-scale urban development projects and is a leading proponent of the concept of the “Economy of Life.”
Ayumi Tanimoto: Achieved an Olympic first in Judo history by winning consecutive gold medals at both the 2004 Athens Olympics and the 2008 Beijing Olympics, securing victory in every match by ippon (the highest score). Athletes’ Commission Chairperson for the Aichi-Nagoya Asian Games and Asian Para Games Organizing Committee（AINAGOC）.
Peter Lewis: He serves as Chief Commercial Officer at South by Southwest (SXSW), where he leads the commercial strategy and execution. He oversees teams that ensure the forward-thinking community that comes to SXSW is deeply engaged and connected.
Chika Kako: Executive Vice President, Advanced R&D and Engineering Company, Toyota Motor Corporation. She also serves as an Outside Audit & Supervisory Board Member of Toyoda Gosei Co., Ltd., and as Executive Member of the Board of Directors General Affairs at the Society of Automotive Engineers of Japan.
<<Event Overview>>
Date and Time: Tuesday, January 27–Thursday, January 29, 2026
Location: Nagoya City, Aichi Prefecture Sakae District and Tsuruma District
Venue: Chunichi Building, NADYA PARK, Urban Net Nagoya Nexta Building, Matsuzakaya Nagoya Store South Wing, STATION Ai
〇Website URL
https://techgala.jp (Japanese)
https://techgala.jp/en/ (English)
*Registration for newsletters related to the event is available.
Japan External Trade Organization (JETRO) Nagoya
Contact Persons: Watanabe (052-589-6210), Kameta
Email: Hiroki_Watanabe1@jetro.go.jp
*JETRO Nagoya has outsourced overseas PR for the Central Japan Startup Ecosystem Consortium to Foreign Press Center Japan (FPCJ).
Photos (from the left):
1. TechGALA Japan 2026 logo
2. TechGALA Japan 2026 contents theme
