Tokyo, 1 May 2026: Under the E-DISC Innovate Bridge Programme, ERIA successfully facilitated an innovation showcase and a series of business matching activities at Sus Hi Tech Tokyo 2026, strengthening cross-border collaboration between startups and industry stakeholders across Asia and beyond.

Building on the success of last year’s inaugural programme, ERIA continued its efforts to support and foster cross-border business collaboration amongst startups from ASEAN and India.

This year, the programme brought together 12 high-potential startups – ten from ASEAN and two from India – to participate in Sus Hi Tech Tokyo 2026, one of Asia’s largest startup conferences. Selected from over 70 applicants, these startups represented diverse sectors, including artificial intelligence, education technology, greentech and sustainability, software as a service, and IoT devices. They were chosen based on their strong potential for international collaboration, demonstrated through robust business models, innovative products and services, and proven track records of engaging with multi-stakeholder partners.

From 26 April to 1 May 2026, participating startups engaged in a comprehensive programme comprising exhibitions, curated business matching sessions, and dynamic networking events with local and global ecosystem stakeholders.

At Sus Hi Tech Tokyo 2026 (27–28 April), ERIA showcased the startups at the ERIA Pavilion, providing a dedicated platform for engagement with Japanese and international stakeholders across the innovation ecosystem. The pavilion attracted strong interest from corporates, investors, and policymakers seeking emerging solutions. It also received an official visit from the Governor of Hanoi and delegation, underscoring the growing recognition of ASEAN startups at the policy level.

On 28 April, ERIA organised a City Partner Session titled ’ERIA Innovate Bridge: Linking ASEAN & Indian Innovation Across Borders’ at the Wind Stage. The session featured startup pitches and insights from Ms Chieko Tanabe, Programme Manager for the Startup Ecosystem at ERIA, who highlighted the growing momentum for collaboration amongst ASEAN, India, and Japan.

‘Asia offers significant market potential, and many Japanese companies already have strong business foundations and networks in the region. By combining this with the speed and innovation of startups, there is a real opportunity to create new businesses together – not only locally, but across the region, ’ said Ms Tanabe.

A notable highlight of the programme was the achievement of Qarbotech, an agritech startup from Malaysia, which won the Grand Prize at the Sus Hi Tech Global Pitch. This milestone marks one of the first instances of an ASEAN startup receiving this recognition and reflects the region’s growing innovation capacity.

From 30 April to 1 May, startups also participated in one-on-one business meetings with leading corporations, venture capital firms, and industry stakeholders. These engagements were facilitated in collaboration with the Japan External Trade Organization (JETRO), which supported matchmaking and partner co-ordination. ERIA also organised site visits to key innovation hubs, including the Cambridge Innovation Centre Osaka, Nakanoshima Qross Building, and the University of Tokyo’s Matsuo Lab.

In parallel, ERIA hosted the Japan–ASEAN/India Open Innovation Exchange in Tokyo and Osaka. The event featured a panel discussion with venture capital representatives, including Mr Irawan Ganda (Spiral Ventures), Mr Rohan Chattwal (Maruti Suzuki India), Mr Florian Geier (Antler Japan), and Ms Beatrix Lungidita (Indogen Capital), who shared insights on investment trends and cross-border collaboration opportunities.

JETRO representatives also presented an overview of the ASEAN and Indian startup ecosystems, followed by startup pitching sessions and networking activities.

Overall, ERIA facilitated 15 meetings in Osaka and 43 meetings in Tokyo, reinforcing its role in enabling cross-border partnerships and fostering regional innovation.

In addition, ERIA collaborated with leading Asian ecosystem partners to organise the ASIA Mir AI Event, focusing on artificial intelligence and regional innovation. The event brought together partners including Startup Taiwan, Techsauce Thailand, KUMPUL Indonesia, Mitsubishi Research Institute, the Vietnam National Innovation Center, Inno Lab Asia, Tech Shake Philippines, the Selangor and Malaysia Digital Economy Corporation, and CDIB – reflecting a shared commitment to strengthening Asia’s innovation ecosystems.

Beyond the E-DISC Innovate Bridge Programme, ERIA remains committed to supporting startups and advancing cross-border collaboration by working closely with ecosystem players across the region.