GKHF Aug 2026 Panel | Why Japan’s Regional Industries are the Next Frontier for Cross-Border Deep Tech
Leave a Nest Singapore is pleased to announce the panel session “Why Japan's Regional Industries Are the Next Frontier for Cross-Border Deep Tech”, to be held as part of the Global Knowledge Hub Forum (GKHF). The session explores why Southeast Asian startups should look now to Japan's regional industries — particularly Tohoku — bringing together speakers at the forefront of investment, business development, and cross-border collaboration to discuss both the rationale and the concrete pathways forward.
Overview
Startups across Southeast Asia, with Singapore at the center, have long sought connections with Japan's large corporations. Yet many promising technologies stall in the “valley of death” — the gap between a working prototype and full-scale manufacturing and deployment. A demo in the lab and implementation on the factory floor are entirely different things, and across borders this valley runs especially deep.
So who bridges it? One answer lies with Japan's regional champions. As the country's regions confront depopulation, aging, and labor shortages, the search for solutions is driving new collaboration with startups, especially in Southeast Asia. Companies with real manufacturing capability and established customer bases have begun investing in these startups and building new businesses together.
Why are regional champions drawing attention now? What makes them distinctive, and on what basis should Southeast Asian startups partner with them?
This session focuses on Tohoku, and opens with a keynote by a representative of The 77 Bank, a leading financial institution of the region. UntroD Capital Asia then facilitates a panel discussion joined by JR East and ACE, exploring the potential to bridge Japan's regional industries and Southeast Asia — with perspectives from the ground in both markets.
Session Panelists:
- Moderator: Mr. Daiki Kumamoto, Executive Director, UntroD Capital Asia Pte. Ltd.
- Panelist: Mr. Keiichiro Irie, Executive Officer, THE 77 BANK, LTD.
- Panelist: Mr. Junichi Eto, Managing Director, JRE VENTURES PTE.LTD.
- Panelist: Mr. Patrick Lim, CEO, ACE SG
Event details:
- Date: 14th August 2026, Friday
- Time: 11:00-12:00 SGT
- Venue: 9 Kent Ridge Drive, Singapore 119241
- Participation fee: FREE
For more information regarding the Global Knowledge Hub Forum, please visit our website main page for GKHF Aug 2026.