Flex Capital to Sponsor IVS2026 KYOTO, Japan's Largest Startup Conference, as Gold Partner

Flex Capital, a debt financing solution for startups operated by Fivot Inc. (Headquarters: Minato City, Tokyo; CEO: Shogo Abe), announces its sponsorship of IVS2026 KYOTO, Japan's largest-scale startup conference, as a Gold Partner. The event will be held in Kyoto from July 1 (Wed) to July 3 (Fri), 2026.

During the conference, Flex Capital will operate a dedicated booth at the main venue (Miyakomesse) to provide financial consultation services for participating companies. Additionally, CEO Shogo Abe will speak at a main-stage session on the opening day, while COO Yuun Sugi will participate and speak at three side events throughout the conference.

IVS brings together not only startups but also venture capitalists, financial institutions, and government officials, fostering extensive networking and discussion. By sponsoring this conference as a Gold Partner and hosting booth exhibitions, consultation sessions, and networking opportunities, Flex Capital aims to promote optimal use of startup financing and contribute to the growth of the market itself. We invite all attendees to visit our booth and participate in our hosted events.

Main Conference Session

Date and Time: July 1 (Wed), 2026, 11:00–12:00

Venue: Miyakomesse UPDATE STAGE (9-1 Okazaki Seihojicho, Sakyo Ward, Kyoto)

Session Theme: "Diversifying Finance to Accelerate Growth: CVC Co-Creation, M&A, and Venture Debt as Strategic Options powered by Mitsubishi Estate, Fivot, and Information Strategy Technology"

Overview: Amid changing fundraising environments, corporate leaders are required to adopt more flexible capital strategies. This session will discuss growth strategies from multiple perspectives, including alliances with CVCs beyond simple investment, the latest M&A trends, and venture debt.

Speakers (in alphabetical order, no titles):

Dai Sunokawa (CEO, SmartRound Inc. / Representative Director, Japan Startup Association) (Moderator)

Yuta Hashimoto (Head of Collaborative Promotion & New Business Creation, Mitsubishi Estate Co., Ltd. / Co-Founder, BRICKS FUND TOKYO)

Shota Kawahara (Director, Information Strategy Technology Inc.)

Shogo Abe (CEO, Fivot Inc.)

Details: https://ivs.4s.link/sessions/up1-1

Overview of Side Events Featuring Participation by Flex Capital

Event Name

Date and Time

Venue

Overview

The Venture Debt by THE SUPER NIGHT

July 1 (Wed), 20:00–22:00

Ace Hotel Kyoto 2F (245-2 Kurumayacho, Nakagyo Ward, Kyoto)

A session featuring four leading Japanese venture debt providers discussing financing strategies and capital policy, offering a comprehensive view of venture debt.

Finance Mix Summit 2026 Summer Talk Session "How to Navigate Series A Fundraising"

July 2 (Thu), 13:00–14:00

QUESTION (390-2 Shimomaruyacho, Nakagyo Ward, Kyoto)

An in-depth discussion on fundraising strategies around Series A, focusing on "Finance Mix"—combining equity investment, loans, venture debt, and grants to secure growth capital.

Next Fundraising Round: What's the Right Move? CFOs Who Chose Venture Debt Share Their "Doubts and Decisions"

July 2 (Thu), 18:30–20:30

Ace Hotel Kyoto 2F (245-2 Kurumayacho, Nakagyo Ward, Kyoto)

A closed event where CFOs who have utilized venture debt share real experiences and decision-making processes. Flex Capital will operate a dedicated consultation booth, with COO and team members available for individual financial consultations.

The Venture Debt by THE SUPER NIGHT

Date: July 1 (Wed), 2026, 20:00–22:00

Venue: Ace Hotel Kyoto 2F (245-2 Kurumayacho, Nakagyo Ward, Kyoto)

Format: Networking reception + talk session + individual consultations

Overview: A major networking event held on the first night of IVS, featuring a dedicated venture debt session. Includes a panel discussion with four leading Japanese venture debt providers, individual consultation booths, and networking opportunities with speakers and attendees.

Co-organizers: Funds Startups, Aozora Corporate Investment, Resona Bank, Flex Capital (Fivot)

Speakers (no titles):

Hiroyuki Maekawa (CEO, Funds Startups)

Akira Kubo (CEO, Aozora Corporate Investment)

Yusuke Ogawa (Group Leader, Startup Strategy Group, Resona Bank)

Yuun Sugi (COO, Flex Capital / Fivot)

Details: https://4s.link/ja/962cbf95-1214-44c8-95a1-9e6bc00e3d30

Finance Mix Summit 2026 Summer Talk Session "How to Navigate Series A Fundraising"

Date: July 2 (Thu), 2026, 10:30–15:30 (Talk session: 13:00–14:00)

Venue: QUESTION (390-2 Shimomaruyacho, Nakagyo Ward, Kyoto)

Format: Talk session + Q&A + individual consultation

Overview: Co-hosted by INQ Inc., this event centers on "Finance Mix"—how startups can combine equity investment, loans, venture debt, and grants to secure growth capital. The summit brings together startups, entrepreneurs, VCs, financial institutions, venture debt providers, and support organizations for networking and discussion. Flex Capital will participate in the talk session and host individual financial consultations for entrepreneurs at the venue.

Organizers: INQ Inc. (Co-hosts: Fivot Inc., SEVENRICH Accounting Inc., KANMU Inc., Mynavi Bridge Inc., Japan Finance Corporation, Yoii Inc., Funds Startups Inc., IPPO Inc., Siiibo Securities Co., Ltd.)

Speakers (no titles):

Shunta Sato (Tokyo Startup Support Plaza, Japan Finance Corporation)

Junichi Taguchi (Executive Officer, Investment Division 2, Mitsubishi UFJ Capital Co., Ltd.)

Daisuke Kon (Innovation Enterprise Review Department, Mizuho Bank)

Yuun Sugi (COO, Flex Capital / Fivot)

Details: https://4s.link/ja/fmx_ivs

Next Fundraising Round: What's the Right Move? CFOs Who Chose Venture Debt Share Their "Doubts and Decisions"

Date: July 2 (Thu), 2026, 18:30–20:30

Venue: Ace Hotel Kyoto 2F (245-2 Kurumayacho, Nakagyo Ward, Kyoto)

Format: Closed session + individual consultations and networking

Overview: A closed event where CFOs who have utilized venture debt share real experiences and decision-making processes. Flex Capital will operate a dedicated consultation booth, with COO Yuun Sugi and team members available for individual consultations starting at 19:30.

Organizers: Funds Startups, Resona Bank

Speakers:

Hiroyuki Maekawa (CEO, Funds Startups Inc.) (Moderator)

Yutaro Koshi (Representative Partner, Angel Bridge Inc.) (Commentator)

Shuzo Ueki (CFO, Acompany Inc.)

Fuga Sawada (CFO, emole Inc.)

Schedule:

18:30–18:40 Opening and event overview

18:40–19:30 Talk session

19:30–20:30 Individual consultations and networking

Details: https://4s.link/ja/d99b1684-9137-47bc-a384-b389a733572f

IVS Event Overview

Event Name: IVS2026 KYOTO / IVS Crypto 2026 KYOTO

Dates: July 1 (Wed) – July 3 (Fri), 2026

Venues: Kyoto City Exhibition Hall "Miyakomesse", ROHM Theatre Kyoto, and others

Organizer: IVS KYOTO Executive Committee

Details: https://www.ivs.events/

About Flex Capital

Flex Capital provides venture debt, revenue-based financing (RBF), and invoice advance payment services ("Flex Capital Invoice") to startups and growing companies without diluting equity. Under the slogan "Deep with data, fast with AI," the company leverages cutting-edge AI technology to build advanced credit assessment models. To date, Flex Capital has provided over ¥17 billion in cumulative financing to more than 500 companies, achieving both high operational agility and stability with a default rate of approximately 0.3%.

About Fivot

Founded in 2019 with the mission of creating new financial flows for a new industrial structure, Fivot Inc. is a challenger bank startup. Through its two core business units—"Flex Capital," a debt financing platform for startups, and "IDARE," a cashless savings app for individuals—Fivot aims to provide essential liquidity to society and contribute to the creation of new value.

Company Name: Fivot Inc.

Headquarters: Toranomon 33 Mori Building, 3-8-21 Toranomon, Minato City, Tokyo

Representative: Shogo Abe, CEO

Founded: October 2019

Official Website: https://fivot.co.jp/

IDARE: https://idare.jp/

Flex Capital: https://flex-capital.jp/

Awards and Recognition: Special Jury Prize, Impact Pitch at FIN/SUM2024 (March 2024); Selected for Forbes JAPAN "Rising Stars 2024: Japan's 100 Most Promising Startups" (December 2023); CEO Shogo Abe selected for Forbes JAPAN "Japan's 400 Entrepreneurs" (November 2024); Grand Prize winner, ASPIC Cloud Awards 2024 sponsored by the Ministry of Internal Affairs and Communications (November 2024); First place, Tokyo Financial Award 2024, Financial Innovation Category, hosted by Tokyo Metropolitan Government (February 2025)