Why Tokyo is the most important tech destination of 2026
Every major tech conference has themes. Most are vague enough to mean everything and nothing at the same time. SushiTech Tokyo 2026 does something different: four tightly defined technology domains, each supported by live demonstrations, special exhibition floors and sessions with the people who actually build and finance these technologies worldwide.
TechCrunch has partnered with SusHi Tech Tokyo 2026 as an official media partner, and our Startup Battlefield team will select a standout SusHi Tech Challenge semifinalist on-site to advance to the TechCrunch Disrupt Startup Battlefield 200 – one of the most prestigious launchpads in tech. This is what’s on the floor.
AI – beyond the hype, to the infrastructure
Sessions with Howard Wright (Nvidia), Rob Chu (AWS) and Eric Benhamou (Benhamou Global Ventures) cut through the noise to explore where AI is actually being deployed at scale and where the real risks lie. On the floor, AI-themed university startups are pitching alongside global players, and the AI Film Festival Japan, a partner event at the Tokyo Innovation Base in Yurakucho, explores how artificial intelligence is reshaping culture in real time.
Robotics – physical AI has arrived
The robots at SusHi Tech are not behind glass, but stand on the floor and are interactive. On stage, Nissan, Isuzu and Applied Intuition’s Qasar Younis explore how software-defined vehicles are reshaping transportation. Physical AI is not a future trend. It’s April 27 in Tokyo.
Resilience – the cities that survive what is coming
NEC’s Eva Chen (Trend Micro) and Noboru Nakatani tackle cyber defense, while top climate tech VCs from Breakthrough Energy and Cleantech Group explore where global investment is flowing. A VR disaster simulator and on-site tours of Tokyo’s underground flood control infrastructure make the stakes viscerally real.
Entertainment — Japan’s cultural engine meets AI
Sessions with the CEOs of Production IG, MAPPA and CoMix Wave Films discuss what it will take for Tokyo to become the Hollywood of animation. On the floor, startups are using AI to translate manga globally, generate music through text prompts, and bring Japanese IP to life as anime – delivered worldwide.
Can’t come to Tokyo? You can still be there
Missing SusHi Tech Tokyo doesn’t have to mean you miss anything. Remote participants get more than just a live stream: on-site staff walk the floor on your behalf, carrying a device that displays your face so you can interact with visitors and exhibitors in real time and face-to-face. It’s the closest thing to actually being there.
WAN event
San Francisco, CA
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October 13-15, 2026
Please note: Please note that some sessions may not be available to view.
Register here for remote participation with on-site staff support.
Can’t you swing that too? Ticket holders can stream sessions online and take advantage of the programming wherever they are. View the full session list here.
In conjunction with the startup event, the Tokyo Metropolitan Government is also hosting a meeting of leaders from 55 cities on five continents. They will discuss the theme ‘A new urban future, built on climate and disaster resilience’. The summit of city leaders is part of G-NETS (Global City Network for Sustainability), which has been organized by the Tokyo Metropolitan Government since 2022 as a multi-city forum to discuss how to solve common challenges, with a focus now on resilience to urban climate disasters and citizen well-being. The summit can be viewed by the general public on YouTube in real time and after the event.
SusHi Tech Tokyo 2026 will take place from April 27 to 29 at Tokyo Big Sight. Business days are April 27-28; public day (free admission) is April 29. Register here.
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