Niigata Food Tech Town (NFTT) Launches Startup Community 'Food Tech Ground' and Holds Kickoff Event

The Niigata Food Tech Town Executive Committee (Co-chairs: Hiroshi Ikeda, Kohei Takashima; hereafter 'NFTT Executive Committee'), an organization driving the Niigata Food Tech Town (NFTT) established by Oisix ra daichi Inc. and NSG Group, launched a community called 'Food Tech Ground' (tentative name) on Wednesday, April 15, 2026. The community aims to accelerate the business growth of startups in the food sector. Food Tech Ground was initiated to help startups break through the 'walls' they face in their businesses. On the same day, a kickoff event was held at 'oO SPACE Niigata' in Chuo-ku, Niigata City. Even though it was the first event, a total of 7 startups, including those from Tokyo as well as local Niigata companies, participated and engaged in enthusiastic discussions. The next upcoming initial event is scheduled to be held on Thursday, May 26, 2026, at the HARD OFF ECO Stadium Niigata.

[Image: Scene from the kickoff event]

■ About Food Tech Ground (Tentative Name)

Food Tech Ground is the name of the 'Food Tech Community' within NFTT. Established within the NFTT committee to help startups solve business challenges, it holds regular events and is positioned as a community open to anyone. Eiriku Furutsu, CEO of startup LacuS Inc., serves as the moderator. It is not merely a place to present success stories; startups frankly exchange opinions and drive concrete business negotiations and matchings on the spot. It is an organization where startups themselves—the main players moving the ecosystem—take the lead, while Oisix ra daichi and NSG Group invite corporations and supporters for direct discussions leading to problem-solving.

■ Comment from Moderator / Eiriku Furutsu, CEO of LacuS Inc.

I am personally one of the entrepreneurs utilizing the Food Tech Town and its ecosystem. As someone who launched a startup originating in Niigata, I felt that despite Niigata having ample assets related to food, there were few cases of leveraging startups. In this newly established community, we will gather next-generation food-tech entrepreneurs from across the country to create value that is only possible 'because of Niigata' together with everyone.

■ Kickoff Event Overview

Name: Food Tech Ground (Tentative Name) Kickoff Event
Date: April 15, 2026, 18:00 - 21:00
Location: oO SPACE Niigata (Furumachi, Chuo-ku, Niigata City)
Participants: Representatives of 7 startups,
Mr. Yoshinobu Hoshino, Representative Director of S Innovation Inc.
Future Food Fund Fund Manager/Capitalist

(Agenda)
- Opening / Toast / Explanation of NFTT and Food Tech Ground
- Short pitches by startup companies
- Group sessions
- Future Food Fund networking session
- Closing & Information on NFTT Summit

[List of Participating Startups]

LacuS Inc.: Development and provision of complete nutritional food for the elderly
vitom Inc.: Sales of 'Onimochi,' a rice-shaped portable food that can be stored for a year
Satoyama Public Relations Inc.: [Commuter Farming Business] Commercialization of 'commuter farming' where urban residents commute to satoyama to cultivate. Operates terraced rice field training for corporations and a membership farming community. [PR Business] PR consulting specialized in food/agri sectors and impact startups
Playeria Inc.: Operates NOUEI, which uses patented technology to process vegetables grown by Japanese farmers into pet food and deploys it on a D2C subscription model
for Crafts Inc.: Operates procurement AI agent 'CRFT'
Sadokatsu Inc.: Based in Sado City, operates a landscaping business from spring to autumn, and an oyster farming business at Lake Kamo in the winter
Uonuma Suppon Inc.: Operates soft-shell turtle farming utilizing hot springs

■ Event Highlights

At the beginning of the event, after the explanation of NFTT/Food Tech Ground, Mr. Yoshinobu Hoshino, Representative Director of the venture capital firm S Innovation Inc., took the stage. He spoke about his 'proactive investment stance close to seed-stage entrepreneurs,' providing a very reassuring guideline for the participating startups. In the subsequent short pitches by the startups, each company candidly presented its business overview and the 'walls they are currently facing.' During the group sessions that followed, startups not only shared hints for solving problems with each other but also passionately discussed the possibilities of co-creation by combining their mutual assets. Because they are players with the same ambitions, they reached out across interests with a perspective of how to elevate Japanese food as a whole; this is the essence of Food Tech Ground.