DGDV Hosts "Global Founders Summit" ~OpenAI, Replit, Tokyo Deputy Governor Miyasaka, Former Minister Kato, Stanford Professor, and others speak, with approximately 300 attendees~

DG Daiwa Ventures (hereinafter referred to as DGDV) planned and held the global startup event "Global Founders Summit" on Thursday, March 26, 2026, at the "Tokyo Innovation Base (TIB)" in Yurakucho, Tokyo, to connect startups from Silicon Valley and Japan.

Approximately 300 people attended, including domestic entrepreneurs, as well as investors, researchers, entrepreneurs, and policy makers from overseas. Lively discussions took place among public and private sector leaders on concrete strategies for Japanese startups to scale up in the global market.

■ Background and Objectives of the Event

DGDV has been supporting Japanese startups in earning foreign currency in the global market. This event aimed to invite leading players from Silicon Valley, who are at the forefront of creating cutting-edge technology, such as Stanford University professors, top technology companies like OpenAI, and overseas investors and accelerators, to Tokyo. The goal was to connect them directly with Japanese entrepreneurs and facilitate the sharing of advanced knowledge. Furthermore, leaders from the Tokyo Metropolitan Government and the national government, who have been focusing on startup policies, delivered strong messages regarding the development of Japan's startup ecosystem and the acceleration of overseas expansion.

■ Event Highlights

1. Opening Message by Manabu Miyasaka, Deputy Governor of Tokyo

Deputy Governor Manabu Miyasaka of the Tokyo Metropolitan Government, which is supporting this event, took the stage. He began by commending the establishment of the "Council for Promoting Investment in Overseas Startups." In his speech, he discussed Tokyo's initiatives to realize "Startup City Tokyo," including the "Global Innovation Strategy 2.0 STARTUP & SCALEUP" promoted by the Tokyo Metropolitan Government, and initiatives like SusHi Tech Global, which supports startups aiming for global expansion. He expressed strong backing for the creation of unicorn companies within Japan. He also encouraged active participation from domestic and international ecosystem players in "SusHi Tech Tokyo 2026," scheduled to be held from April 27th to 29th.

2. Strong Support from the Political Sphere: Special Address by Katsunobu Kato, Former Minister of Finance and Financial Services

Katsunobu Kato, a member of the House of Representatives and former Minister of Finance and Financial Services, spoke on behalf of the government and ruling party, which are promoting startup policies from a national perspective. He expressed his agreement with the purpose of establishing the "Council for Promoting Investment in Overseas Startups." Comparing the growth of AI in Japan, informed by global knowledge, to the Meiji Restoration, he indicated the government's commitment to advancing economic growth centered on AI and startups as a national strategy.

3. "The Potential of Japanese Startups" Discussed from a Silicon Valley Perspective

Dr. Richard Dasher (Director of the US-Asia Technology Management Center at Stanford University) spoke from a Silicon Valley perspective about the rapid expansion of Japan's startup ecosystem. He addressed challenges unique to Japan, such as the shortage of investors who have experienced fundraising and exits as entrepreneurs, and how to overcome them. The moderator was Yamato Watanabe, Managing Director of DGDV.

4. Speech and Session on Collaboration Solutions for Startups by OpenAI

Jaewon Lee, a Solutions Architect for startups at OpenAI, gave a keynote speech. This was followed by a session with guests from Replit, a leading AI coding tool, and Inception Studio, a prominent AI accelerator. Kenji Makiguchi of DGDV moderated the session, where the importance of incorporating and utilizing evolving AI in corporate systems and real-time information about what is happening in Silicon Valley and San Francisco, the birthplace of AI development competition, were shared. Entrepreneurs in attendance commented, "I was able to directly feel the global speed and high-level perspective."

■ Future Outlook

Taking this event as a starting point, DG Daiwa Ventures will continue to foster a community and provide support for Japanese startups to scale globally and take flight, in collaboration with companies and overseas investors who share this vision. We will accelerate the birth and growth of the next generation of global startups from Tokyo and Japan to the world.

■ Event Overview

Name: Global Founders Summit

Sponsors: Japan Venture Capital Association, Tokyo Metropolitan Government

Date: Thursday, March 26, 2026, 16:30 - 20:15

Venue: Tokyo Innovation Base, 3-8-3 Marunouchi, Chiyoda-ku, Tokyo

Key Speakers (in order of appearance):

・Manabu Miyasaka (Deputy Governor of Tokyo)

・Dr. Richard Dasher (Founding Partner of Global Hands-On VC, Professor at Stanford University, Director of US-Asia Technology Management Center)

・Yamato Watanabe (DG Daiwa Ventures)

・Jaewon Lee (OpenAI, Solution Architect, Startups)

・Katsunobu Kato (Member of the House of Representatives, Former Minister of Finance and Financial Services)

・John Whaley (Inception Studio, Founder & CEO / UnifyID)

・Megan Ruan (Replit, Head of International Partnership)

・Kenji Makiguchi (DG Daiwa Ventures)

■ About DGDV
DGDV is a Tokyo-based venture capital firm that invests primarily in seed and early-stage startups. Headquartered in Japan, we have built deep relationships with top global investors in North America and other regions through co-investment and joint events. DGDV has been dedicated to fostering cutting-edge technologies in various fields, actively investing not only in software areas such as AI and security but also in a wide range of fields including deep tech and robotics. DGDV's mission is to bridge various gaps between Japan and the global market, and to transform the startup ecosystem as a whole through investments in startups challenging innovation on a global scale.

URL: https://dg-daiwa-v.com/