Scaling Innovation Across Germany & Japan: Pitch Competition

On Friday, 25 September, Munich's innovation scene and a delegation from Sapporo City will come together for an evening built around one goal: giving standout European startups a real, funded route into Japan.

The event, "Scaling Innovation Across Germany & Japan," is hosted by Start2 Group at its Munich office in partnership with STEP Sapporo, Sapporo City's program for bringing high-potential international startups into Japan. It builds directly on the decades-long sister-city relationship between Munich and Sapporo, turning that connection into something concrete rather than ceremonial.

Ten startups, selected from late seed to Series B, will pitch live for a STEP-funded return trip to Japan in front of investors, corporates, and industry leaders from both ecosystems. The focus is squarely on deep tech and life sciences: AI, Biotech, Healthcare, Climate & GreenTech, and Space, with Semiconductors and Food & AgriTech also represented on stage. Startups that don't win the top prize aren't left empty-handed either: finalists are fast-tracked into German Accelerator's Japan Market Discovery program, extending the opportunity well past the night itself.

The Evening

17:00 to 17:30, Registration
17:30 to 17:40, Welcome and Opening
17:40 to 18:00, Sapporo City Overview
18:00 to 18:55, Startup Pitch Competition, Part 1
18:55 to 19:15, Break
19:15 to 20:10, Startup Pitch Competition, Part 2
20:10 to 22:15, Networking and Dinner
22:15 to 22:30, Award Ceremony

The evening is intentionally kept small and curated, bringing together founders, investors, corporates, and ecosystem leaders from Munich, Sapporo, and beyond for a night of substantive connection rather than a large formal gathering.

Full details and registration: https://luma.com/c9atgjmw

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