Japan Sake & Startup in San Francisco

​Thinking about Japan? Let's talk about it — over sake.

Japan Sake & Startup in San Francisco is a one-night gathering for founders curious about the Japanese market, hosted by KDDI and Digital Garage.

Two Japanese AI startups selected for KDDI Beyond Borders Accelerator cohort — AironWorks and LR — are in town, and we're opening the room to San Francisco's startup community for a night of honest conversation, direct connections, and sake straight from Japan.

What's on
- Founder Panel — "The Reality of Entering Japan": unfiltered stories from founders on selling into Japan, finding partners, navigating regulation, and hiring.
- Networking & Sake — no pitch decks, no name tags to hide behind. Grab a cup of sake and talk shop directly with the founders and with KDDI.

This is for you if
- You're a San Francisco-based startup weighing a move into Japan.
- You want a direct line to Japanese AI startups building in Enterprise SaaS, AI agents, cyber security, and beyond.
- You're simply curious what "entering Japan" actually looks like, from people who are living it.

Details
- Wed, September 16, 2026 · 5:00 PM PT
- DG717 (Digital Garage), 717 Market Street, San Francisco

Space is limited to 50 guests — RSVP on Luma to reserve your seat.

Hosted by KDDI and Digital Garage