Physical AI / Robotics Day (Deep Tech Forum Tokyo Side Event)
🦾 Physical AI Day: Connecting Japan’s Deep Tech to Global Capital
The Exclusive Gateway to Japan’s Hidden Robotics Ecosystem.
While the global AI conversation is dominated by digital software, Japan is quietly engineering the next frontier: Physical AI. The challenge? These breakthroughs are often hidden behind language barriers and local networks.
Physical AI Day changes that. This is the premier, English-first side event of the Deep Tech Forum Tokyo 2026, specifically designed to bridge the gap between global investors and high-potential Japanese robotics startups.
🚀 Why This Event?
1. Uncover "Hidden Gems"
Meet curated Japanese startups in Physical AI, sensing, and manipulation that rarely appear at overseas events. These founders are specifically looking to build international cap tables and strategic global partnerships.
2. 100% English-First
No translators needed. We have curated a group of founders ready to engage in high-bandwidth, direct communication with global VCs and partners.
3. Strategic Networking & One-on-Ones
We go beyond the stage. The venue is available for dedicated One-on-One meetings immediately following the formal sessions. To facilitate efficient matching, startup funding stages will be shared with approved investors and partners in advance, allowing you to prioritize the conversations that matter most to your portfolio.
Panel Discussion: The Deep Tech Landscape in Japan: Trends, Challenges, and Opportunities
We’re pleased to welcome a distinguished group of leaders and investors who bring deep experience across global innovation ecosystems, with special expertise in Japan’s rapidly evolving deep tech scene:
Chiamin Lai (Facilitator), Managing Partner, FIRSTLIGHT Capital & Director at the Japan Venture Capital Association: with extensive experience in corporate digitization and operational reform projects across Japan and Europe, she developed a unique VC perspective shaped by hands-on startup management, business strategy leadership, and Asian expansion initiatives.
Duncan Turner, General Partner, SOSV & Managing Director HAX: with a global portfolio of early-stage deep tech startups, part of the world’s first and largest VC-backed program for hard tech, he has invested in over 100 hard tech companies and serves on multiple boards in the climate, industrial and healthcare sectors. His extensive entrepreneurial background and deep experience fundraising and growing businesses across the globe brings unique value to the emerging Japanese ecosystem.
Simon Lancaster, General Partner, Omni Ventures: a veteran in manufacturing business development and tech, Simon’s perspective bridges Japanese innovation with global markets, exploring opportunities for cross-border collaboration and commercialization.
Tetsuya Mori, New Business Development Director, Emerald Ventures: at the forefront of driving new initiatives, Tetsuya brings hands-on expertise in business strategy, ecosystem building, and translating cutting-edge research into real commercial value within Japan’s deep tech landscape developed from a corporate angle.
Together, this panel will shed light on the forces shaping deep tech today — the opportunities they’re most excited about, the persistent challenges founders and investors face in Japan, and what the future might hold for this dynamic and increasingly influential market.
🎙 Featured Startups (Ready for Global Scale)
Connect with the founders defining the future of the physical world:
Closer Inc. – Modular, high-speed picking robots for food and logistics.
Connected Robotics Inc. – AI and robotics enable previously impossible food packaging operations in factories.
FingerVision Inc. – Breakthrough "tactile-vision" sensors giving robots a human-like sense of touch.
GROOVE X, Inc. – Pioneers in emotional robotics with the world-renowned "LOVOT" platform.
Kidou Systems — The Physical AI Conductor for industrial space. Sync to physical reality. Orchestrate people, forklifts, and robots. Drive SQDC relentlessly.
Kobot Inc. – Integrating industrial real-time control and AI to build and deploy robotic systems for the food industry.
QibiTech Inc. – Hybrid autonomous/remote-control systems for complex environments.
(And more to be announced)
🔍 Program Highlights
Keynote & Panel Discussion: Deep dives into what it actually takes for Japanese Physical AI startups to scale globally and how overseas VCs can underwrite these companies with confidence.
Founder Perspectives: Honest insights on the gaps between the Japanese ecosystem and global investment norms.
Post-Event 1:1 Meetings: Use the venue to accelerate your due diligence and build direct relationships.
📅 Context: Physical AI Week Tokyo
Physical AI Day is a key pillar of Physical AI Week Tokyo. We highly recommend participants also attend the flagship Deep Tech Forum Tokyo 2026 and check the Full Event Calendar for more networking opportunities and site visits.
🎟 Registration & Terms
Attendance is free, but capacity is strictly limited. Priority is given to active overseas investors and selected Physical AI practitioners to ensure a high-signal environment.
Priority Approval: Please note that holders of a Deep Tech Forum Tokyo 2026 ticket will be given priority for registration approval. If you haven't secured yours yet, you can do so here.
Privacy Notice: By applying to attend this event, you acknowledge and agree to our terms of data handling. Please review the Deep Tech Forum Privacy Policy and Privacy Policy | Japan External Trade Organization - JETRO before submitting your application.