THE SEED Announces Third Wave of Information for 'Startup Kansai 2026' on June 21 — Session 3: 'The Future of AI and Consulting: The Reality of Tectonic Shifts and Future Strategies' / Speakers from Accenture and PwC

THE SEED (Headquarters: Shibuya-ku, Tokyo; Representative: Taiki Hirosawa), a pre-seed/seed VC, today announced the theme and speakers for SESSION 3: 'The Future of AI and Consulting: The Reality of Tectonic Shifts and Future Strategies' as the third wave of information for 'Startup Kansai 2026 (11th Edition) ~The Frontier of Business and Careers in the AI Era~', to be held on Sunday, June 21, 2026, at 'Blooming Camp', JAM BASE 3F, North Building, Grand Green Osaka.

The first release covered SESSION 1: 'Entrepreneurs' AI Utilization Techniques: Inside the Minds of AI-Native Entrepreneurs', and the second release covered SESSION 2: 'Recruitment Theory in the AI Era: The Transformation of Required Talent and Organizations'. This third release focuses on the 'consulting industry', which is said to be undergoing the most significant structural changes due to AI, and unveils the full scope of the day's program.

◼️ Background of SESSION 3 Announcement: Why 'Consulting x AI' Now?

Strategy, finance, operations — much of the intellectual labor traditionally handled by the consulting industry is among the areas most rapidly and deeply impacted by the emergence of generative AI. Overseas major firms have reported revisions to their new graduate hiring numbers, and domestic firms are also quietly seeing changes in the nature of 'junior consultant work' such as research, document creation, and framework application.

Furthermore, in May 2026, it was reported that OpenAI and Anthropic each launched business entities focused on 'enterprise AI implementation'. AI companies, which previously provided APIs, are beginning to move directly into client companies to support implementation, reportedly stepping directly into the territory of consulting firms.

On the other hand, consulting firms continue to rank high in student job popularity rankings. The organizing team of Startup Kansai 2026 has received many voices from Kansai students, such as 'I want to go into consulting, but with AI becoming widespread, is there meaning in joining as a new graduate?' and 'Will the consulting industry shrink or grow from now on?' SESSION 3 is designed as a platform to address these questions, with practitioners leading AI implementation within the industry and a moderator with a consulting background and startup management experience presenting the reality of structural changes and future career strategies.

◼️ SESSION 3 | The Future of AI and Consulting: The Reality of Tectonic Shifts and Future Strategies

With AI beginning to penetrate the core of consulting work — strategy formulation, document creation, information gathering, framework application — how will the industry's structure change? Active consultants from Accenture and PwC Advisory will be joined by a moderator from the former consulting industry to draw out the current state and outlook of the industry.

Planned Discussion Topics

'Will document creation and information gathering be replaced by AI?' — What has actually been replaced and what hasn't

The AI-related work most demanded by clients at Accenture and PwC today, and the differences between them

Are the 'enterprise AI implementation' business entities launched by OpenAI and Anthropic in May 2026 a threat or an opportunity for coexistence?

The consulting market 10 years from now — areas that will shrink and areas that will grow

What value remains for human consultants in the AI era, and how will the requirements for new graduates change?

Speaker Information

Mr. Shun Yoshida, Associate Director, AI & Data Group, Business Consulting Division, Accenture Japan Ltd

Completed his master's degree at the Graduate School of Engineering, Kyoto University. After joining Accenture, he has participated in numerous DX support projects leveraging data analysis. He is also involved in company-wide reform support using AI and AI center operations. He has also worked in a management position at a joint venture.

Mr. Yuya Mukai, Senior Manager, PwC Advisory LLC

Graduated from the Faculty of Engineering, Nagoya University. Joined a startup as a new graduate in 2013. After the company's listing on the Tokyo Stock Exchange, he served as an Executive Officer and Director of a subsidiary from 2015, widely responsible for business/organizational development. Since joining PwC Advisory in 2016, he has been engaged in business turnaround, value-up, and M&A advisory services for management of distressed companies, while also promoting the use of generative AI.

Ms. Maako Yamashita, Former McKinsey & Company / Former Startup COO

After graduating from the Faculty of Law, Kyoto University, she joined McKinsey & Company in 2011. As a Manager, she led corporate strategy, new business development, and operational improvement primarily for consumer goods and retail companies. She was also involved in human resource development and recruitment. In June 2020, she joined Vivid Garden Inc., which operates the direct-from-farm e-commerce site 'Tabechoku', and became a Director and Executive Officer COO in May 2022, overseeing company-wide functions such as business strategy formulation, recruitment, and organizational design. She is currently a freelancer.

◼️ Recruitment of Student Staff

We are currently recruiting student staff to help run the event. If you are interested in startups or event management, please apply.

Student staff can participate in networking events with speakers, entrepreneurs, executives, sponsor companies, and VCs. Let's make Startup Kansai a success together.

Staff application here

◼️ Event Overview

Date & Time: Sunday, June 21, 2026, 13:00 - 18:30 (Doors open at 12:30)

Venue: Blooming Camp (JAM BASE 3F, North Building, Grand Green Osaka)

Capacity: 150 people

Target Audience: Primarily students graduating between 2027 and 2029, as well as students interested in AI, startups, or entrepreneurship, and U-25 working professionals considering starting a business.

Organizer: Seed Fund 'THE SEED'

Startup Kansai HP: https://startupkansai.com/2026/summer

Registration here

◼️ Sponsorship and Media Inquiries

Please contact us here.

Sponsorship slots are limited, so please contact us early.

◼️ Highlights from Previous Startup Kansai Events

Past event reports

Deep Tech entrepreneurs share their wisdom! The philosophy of creating a grounded business without being swayed by trends

Beyond the 'Employment vs. Entrepreneurship' debate. - A former GS banker who sat alongside the bitFlyer founder talks about the serendipity and inevitability of a career

Young entrepreneurs share their secrets! 'Finding your first partners and customers', the real first steps of student entrepreneurship

◼️ Introduction to THE SEED Portfolio Companies from Kansai (Excerpt)

New Innovations Inc.

New Innovations develops businesses centered on OMO, providing one-stop support from consulting to development and business expansion. Leveraging core technologies such as AI, cloud, and online control, they engage in hardware manufacturing and software construction focused on labor saving and automation. They operate their own product, the 'Smart Coffee Stand root C', at approximately 20 locations nationwide, and in June 2024, they launched the 'Kakigori Maker', a fully automatic shaved ice preparation robot (at Pronto Corporation stores in Osaka