Dear Friends,
On July 16, Japan Society will host one of our signature events of the year — the 16th Annual Innovation Awards Symposium at Stanford University. You need to be there! (Before reading any further, sign up here.)
This is one of my favorite days on the calendar, and this year’s program is shaping up to be one of our best yet. We have some outstanding Awardees, including:
- Anthropic, one of the most important and talked-about companies in the world right now
- Sakana.AI, Japan’s leading and most valuable AI company
You’ll get the chance to meet people from both companies and hear firsthand how they’re thinking about the future of AI.
We’ll also hear from five outstanding Showcase companies — earlier-stage Japanese startups selected for their innovative accomplishments, out of a highly competitive field of 50 nominees. This year’s honorees are:
- Hacarus — an AI software company working with clients in manufacturing, construction and infrastructure
- I Peace — a regenerative-medicine company utilizing iPSC technology
- Kortuc — a medical device company developing tumor treatments
- Ookuma Diamond Device — a developer of next-generation diamond semiconductor devices
- Pale Blue — a manufacturer of propulsion systems for small satellites
We’ll hear an update from LegalOn Technologies, a past Innovation Award honoree, presented by Vanessa Davis, its Chief Product Officer.
And we’ll close with a fireside chat between Jim Adler, Founder and General Partner of Toyota Ventures and Suzanne Basalla, partner at Geodesic Ventures and Japan Society’s Board Chair, covering physical AI in Silicon Valley and Japan.
Of course, my favorite part of the Innovation Awards is always the audience — a great mix of Japanese and U.S. strategic partners, investors, corporates, startups and students. It’s a wonderful place to make real connections and find business partners.
Let me share a personal example.
More than ten years ago, when I was running a strategic consulting boutique, I met Yusuke Imaoka, CEO of Altitude, a Japanese company, at the Innovation Awards. We stayed in touch after the event.
Some months later, when my wife and I were considering a move to Japan, I asked Yusuke if he might sponsor my visa application. He kindly agreed, and my family and I ended up living in Japan for two wonderful years. Yusuke became a great friend and colleague who had a real impact on my life and work — and it all started with a conversation at the Innovation Awards.
Since then, I’ve met many other people, companies and clients through this event, and I never get tired of learning about the innovative new companies we recognize each year.
I hope you’ll be able to join us on July 16 at Stanford’s Frances C. Arrillaga Alumni Center and, like me and so many others, take part in a day that can lead to new thinking, new connections and new business. I look forward to seeing you there!
Sincerely,
Steve
