Startups

More and more start-ups are using digital technologies to develop "digital medicines" to help treat diseases.

On the occasion of the CEATEC Japan 2020 virtual exhibition, Switzerland put the spotlight on the exceptional performance of the Swiss innovation ecosystem with the swisstech.Pitchinar 2020 organized by the Embassy of Switzerland in Japan.

A startup founded at the University of Tokyo has moved a step closer to developing flying cars by teaming with an aircraft component maker.

The startup, which is aiming to commercialize a single-passenger vehicle that flies with propellers, has formed a capital and business partnership with Yoshimasu Seisakusho, a Tokyo-based producer of aircraft engine parts.

Yoshimasu will invest 50 million yen ($470,000) into teTra and help the startup build titanium and aluminum components that need to withstand high temperatures.

A Japanese artificial intelligence startup that had its IPO last week has exceeded $1 billion in market capitalization, even though it has yet to build a solid earnings track record, in a sign that shows an overheating stock market.

Japanese startup ispace has launched a data service aimed at helping companies pursue business opportunities on the moon, part of the lunar rover developer's aim to become a "gateway" for commercial space activities.

The Tokyo Metropolitan Government (TMG) is seeking foreign and Japanese financial companies and startups providing innovative solutions and services that meet the Tokyo citizens’ needs and challenges. The three financial institutes with the best products will be presented with the Tokyo Financial Award 2020 as well as money prizes totaling 18M JPY.

Japan's MUFG Bank will use artificial intelligence to screen Asian startups for financing, looking beyond balance sheets to forge relationships with promising businesses who otherwise may not yet qualify for bank loans.

What is the future of batteries? From smartphones to drones to electric cars, the current source of energy is the lithium-ion battery. But startups in Japan are battling to create high-performance power packs that could become the next global standard.

Preferred Networks, a Japanese artificial intelligence startup, is looking for new lines of business. Although the company enjoys backing from a number of big names in Japan, its latest move is motivated by its founder's growing unease over how long it is taking to develop practical uses for its technology.

Taku Toguchi knew he wanted a career in artificial intelligence as far back as when he was a teenager. Now 36, the college dropout and serial entrepreneur has joined the ranks of Japanese founders building fortunes in AI, thanks to a stock-market rally that turned his company into one of the nation’s most richly valued.