Godot Selected for World Economic Forum’s ‘Technology Pioneer 2026’ Program

The Annual Meeting of the New Champions (also known as 'Summer Davos'), hosted by the World Economic Forum (WEF), will take place in Dalian, China, from June 23 to 25, 2026. Ahead of this international conference, which gathers startups, investors, and policymakers from around the world, Godot Inc. (Kobe, Hyogo Prefecture; Representative Director: Ken Moriyama) announces its selection as a 2026 member of the WEF’s 'Technology Pioneer Program.' Godot was selected in the 'AI Excellence' category, receiving recognition for the technological and social significance of its innovations.

[About the WEF 'Technology Pioneer Program']
The Technology Pioneer Program, led by the World Economic Forum, is an esteemed program that selects startups worldwide developing innovative technologies or business models with the potential to shape future industries. Each year, 100 companies are selected after a rigorous screening process, and they participate in the WEF’s global platform for two years.

Past alumni include globally prominent companies like Google, Airbnb, and Spotify, making the program a gateway for front-runners driving global sustainable growth. As a 2026 member, Godot will contribute to building international public-private cooperation systems for solving global challenges through initiatives and working groups at the Forum’s specialized centers.

[The 'AI Excellence' Category and Evaluation of Godot]
'AI Excellence,' one of the World Economic Forum’s specialized centers, is a global platform that promotes innovation to bring positive transformation to industries, economies, and society through the power of AI, data, and intelligence. In this category, companies are selected if their cutting-edge technological implementations can better transform and optimize existing systems and structures.

Godot’s proprietary AI simulation technology, rooted in the principles of human behavior, has evolved into a sophisticated technological foundation that structurally grasps and predicts an increasingly complex society. This advanced approach, leveraging R&D to transform social systems, aligned with the ideals of this category, leading to the selection.

[Social Context and Godot's Role: Education and New Social Systems Through AI]
Modern society faces an urgent need to address complex structural agendas in the labor market, such as changes in employment structures and widening skill gaps caused by rapid technological innovation. There is a global demand for building new social systems that extend human potential through technology and support growth.

Godot’s AI simulation technology enables the design of optimal environments and measures for next-generation human resource education by structurally predicting the characteristics and growth processes of diverse individuals. Towards realizing an inclusive society where humans can adapt to an AI-driven era and actively participate in economic activities, Godot contributes to creating concrete value based on 'Trustworthy AI.'

[Future Developments: Participation in 'Summer Davos' in China]
Following this selection, Godot will participate in the WEF’s global platform. As a first step, CEO Ken Moriyama will attend the Annual Meeting of the New Champions in Dalian, China, from June 23 to 25, 2026. Through this meeting, the company aims to build cooperation systems and strengthen partnerships to address global challenges by fostering relationships with startups, investors, and policymakers.

[Comment from Ken Moriyama, Representative Director, Godot Inc.]
'I am honored to be selected for the WEF’s prestigious Technology Pioneer community, especially in the ‘AI Excellence’ category, which is at the heart of our business. We have pursued our unique AI simulation technology based on the philosophy of 'Trustworthy AI' to address complex structural challenges like labor market changes. We take this selection as a sign of expectation that Godot’s technology can become an important infrastructure for shaping next-generation social and economic systems. We want our participation in the Summer Davos in China this June to be the first step in building an international public-private cooperation framework for solving global challenges.'

[Brief Biography]
Born in Kobe, raised in Seattle. After completing graduate studies at Johns Hopkins University, he worked at Goldman Sachs and later co-founded a social business. He then studied at the Blavatnik School of Government at Oxford University and served as a visiting researcher there. Based on his cross-border career between the US, UK, and Japan, he has observed the differences in sensory and behavioral patterns across cultural spheres. In 2022, he founded Godot Inc., promoting R&D with the core theme of 'Behavioral Change x AI.' With 15 registered patents, he is dedicated to implementing technology that designs human meaning-making and behavioral change through sensory input and physical experience. He also serves as a board member of Policy Garage, an NPO tackling policy issues using behavioral science and design thinking.

[Future Outlook]
Through its two-year involvement in the Technology Pioneer Program, Godot will deepen its collaboration with the global public-private network of the WEF. The company will accelerate the global standardization and social implementation of its research on human behavioral principles, aiming to narrow gaps in labor markets, education, and health, and build an inclusive socio-economic system.