OIST-Lifetime Startup Elevate 2026 to be Held

Venture capital firm Lifetime Ventures, in collaboration with the Okinawa Institute of Science and Technology (OIST), will host "OIST-Lifetime Startup Elevate 2026," an international conference for deep tech entrepreneurs, from November 4-6, 2026, at the OIST campus (Onna-son, Kunigami-gun, Okinawa Prefecture).

Applications for pitch-presenting startups will begin today, May 13.

■ Opportunity for Entrepreneurs: Three Days to Accelerate Fundraising and Global Connections

This conference is not just an event; it is a platform to achieve "fundraising, business partnerships, and research collaborations."
- Matching with top-tier domestic and international VCs, CVCs, and operating companies
- Mentoring and feedback opportunities from investors for pitch-presenting companies
- Building a network for global expansion

The inaugural event in 2025 achieved:
- 514 participants from 18 countries
- 370 investment matching opportunities
- Participant satisfaction: 97%, NPS over 60
These results directly led to fundraising and business collaborations.

Participants praised it as "a place for essential encounters that sets it apart from conventional pitch events."

■ Pitch Elevate: A Stage Exclusively for Selected Entrepreneurs

Only entrepreneurs who pass the selection process with an application rate of 5-10 times will have the opportunity to pitch to global investors.
- Up to 5 companies per day will present
- Practical pitches aimed at fundraising and business partnerships
- Pre-mentoring by VCs available

Applications are open from super early stage (including pre-incorporation). For those who unfortunately do not make it to the pitch stage, there is also a plan to participate on-site with a poster exhibition and network with investors.

■ Special Invited Guest

Benjamin Kim (Partner, Playground Global)
Special Judge & Panel Speaker for Life Science Day (November 4)

Benjamin Kim, a partner at Playground Global, is a venture capitalist who leads investments in innovative startups in the engineered biology sector.
He has previously led investments in next-generation bio and drug discovery startups such as Atomic AI, Infinimmune, Outpace Bio, and Manifold Bio.
He holds a Ph.D. in Bioengineering and Biomedical Engineering from Stanford University and has a background in research as an NSF Fellow.

At Startup Elevate 2026, Benjamin Kim will serve as a guest judge and panel speaker on Life Science Day, discussing the forefront of the bio and life sciences fields from the perspective of a global investor.
In addition to Mr. Kim, several other international investors are scheduled to be invited as guest speakers, making this a valuable opportunity for entrepreneurs in the life science and deep tech fields to directly discuss and connect with world-leading investors.

■ New Point for 2026: Establishment of "OIST Innovation Day"

This year, we will newly establish "OIST Innovation Day."
This day offers a valuable opportunity to directly access OIST's:
- Pre-startup research seeds
- Intellectual property and deep tech

As a platform where researchers, entrepreneurs, and investors come together, it provides significant value for entrepreneurs aiming for collaborative research and spin-offs.

■ Three Days Focused on Specific Domains

Day 1: Life Science (drug discovery, medical, bio, etc.)
Day 2: OIST Innovation Day (research seeds, collaborative research)
Day 3: Deeptech (energy, quantum, materials, etc.)

■ Why Deep Tech in Okinawa Now?

Japan is rapidly attracting attention from global investors due to:
- The world's 3rd largest R&D investment scale
- Accumulation of patents and research achievements

Startup Elevate is designed as a platform to connect "research x capital" in the shortest possible way.

Furthermore, Okinawa Prefecture has been selected by the Cabinet Office as a second-phase Startup Ecosystem NEXT Hub City, aiming to establish a unique economic model leveraging its island characteristics and become a "startup gateway" for international business expansion. Towards forming a "future-oriented blue economy hub," the following four fields are positioned as priority industries where economic impact can be realized:

"Healthcare"
"Energy"
"Circular Economy"