Two Days of Business Co-Creation from Shizuoka: START CAMP 2026 to Be Held in July at the Same Venue as 'TECH BEAT Shizuoka' with 10,000 Attendees

IMA Inc. (Minato-ku, Tokyo; CEO: Satoshi Unno; hereinafter "IMA") has published the full program for the business co-creation conference "START CAMP 2026 in SHIZUOKA" (hereinafter "START CAMP 2026"), to be held at GranShip Shizuoka on July 23 (Thu)–24 (Fri), 2026, on its dedicated website. The sessions now revealed span five domains—primary industries, manufacturing, AI, environment, and cultural capital—covering 10 themes. Over two days, with around 50 speakers and 200 participants, the event aims to generate 30 new co-creation projects.

The application deadline is July 9 (Thu), 2026.

START CAMP 2026 in SHIZUOKA Official Website URL: https://ima-inc.world/startcamp/2026/

Full Program of "START CAMP 2026" Now Published on Dedicated Site

In March 2026, IMA announced the launch and participant recruitment for START CAMP 2026.

Now, session themes, speakers, and the detailed two-day timeline have been finalized and published on the dedicated website (https://ima-inc.world/startcamp/2026/).

Co-Location with "TECH BEAT Shizuoka 2026"

START CAMP 2026 will be held at the same venue and time as TECH BEAT Shizuoka, a large-scale business matchmaking event co-organized by Shizuoka Prefecture and Shizuoka Bank (TECH BEAT Shizuoka 2026 will run from July 23–25).

TECH BEAT Shizuoka serves as an "open innovation platform" connecting local Shizuoka companies with domestic and international startups. Since its first edition in 2019, the event has grown annually, attracting a record 10,000 attendees in 2025.

This year, the eighth edition, will see startups with cutting-edge technologies gathering in Shizuoka in the largest scale yet, showcasing advanced technologies such as AI, conducting business meetings with local companies, and hosting numerous sessions featuring leading Japanese experts.

While START CAMP will operate independently from TECH BEAT Shizuoka, it will leverage the shared venue to embody a robust ecosystem for innovation originating from Shizuoka. As a fully selective conference dedicated to business co-creation, START CAMP’s primary goal is for each participant to leave with a concrete co-creation project.

*Attendance at START CAMP 2026 requires free registration for TECH BEAT Shizuoka 2026.

Please register via the event website below.

TECH BEAT Shizuoka 2026 Event Site: https://join.techbeat.jp/event/16337

TECH BEAT Shizuoka Official Site: https://techbeat.jp/

Event Overview

Event Name

START CAMP 2026 in SHIZUOKA

Dates

July 23 (Thu) – 24 (Fri), 2026

*July 22 (Wed) Welcome Party (optional)

Venue

Shizuoka City GranShip (DAY1 & DAY2) 2-3-1 Higashishizuoka, Suruga-ku, Shizuoka City

Participant Scale

Approx. 200 participants

Application Deadline

July 9 (Thu), 2026

Application URL

https://ima-inc.world/startcamp/2026/

Organizer

IMA Inc.

Co-Creation Partners

The Shizuoka Bank, Ltd.

NTT DOCOMO, Inc.

Culture Convenience Club Co., Ltd.

Higashi-Mikawa Food Valley

SCOPE Inc.

Support

TECH BEAT Shizuoka

Program Overview

▼ Welcome Party (July 22, Wednesday / Optional)

A networking opportunity will be held at Hitoyado Hall in Shizuoka City’s Hitoyado district.

▼ DAY 1 (July 23, Thursday)

The event begins with an Opening Session at Shizuoka City GranShip, followed by 10 thematic sessions across five domains (theme discussions). In the evening, participants will deepen connections at a networking reception at Nihondaira Hotel.

▼ DAY 2 (July 24, Friday)

At Shizuoka City GranShip, co-creation workshops, pitch presentations, and a Closing Session will be held based on Day 1 discussions. Optional tours are also planned.

Goal: Creation of 30 business co-creation projects over two days

*The schedule is subject to change.

Session Agenda: 5 Domains, 10 Themes

Participants from diverse fields, including theme owners, will be invited.

*For the latest theme discussions and speaker information, visit: https://ima-inc.world/startcamp/2026/event

1 Primary Industries

1. Rethinking the Future of Japanese Agriculture:

Can Japan’s agriculture be preserved through "technology exports" rather than "product exports"?

2. Rethinking the Future of Agricultural Production:

Can technology bring new energy to agriculture?

2 Manufacturing

1. Reverse Innovation:

Re-defining Japanese manufacturing by working backward from challenges in emerging countries

2. Implementing Japan’s "Well-being" Vision Globally:

Exploring the potential of healthcare technology

3 Technology & AI

1. Coexisting with Physical AI:

Assessing the societal impact from the forefront of technology

2. Solving Global Challenges with Cutting-Edge Technology:

How should we live in a world where generative AI and quantum computing are commonplace?

4 Environmental Regeneration & Resilience

1. Coexistence of Planetary Health and Business Management:

What is needed for sustainable business development through natural capital visualization based on TNFD?

2. BLUE REGENERATION:

Japan as a maritime nation leading nature-positive societal implementation

5 History, Culture & Regional Resources

1. DEEP TOURISM: "Receiving History, Culture, and Landscape":

Creating uniquely Japanese deep inbound tourism by transforming cultural capital into industry

2. Global Implementation of Japanese "Food" Brands:

Co-creating to elevate regional resources into global brands

About START CAMP

START CAMP is an annual business co-creation conference hosted by IMA Inc. since 2020 across various regions in Japan. Under the mission of "creating encounters that spark hope-driven industries," the event has hosted six editions to date, with 920 individuals and 300 organizations participating cumulatively, and has built partnerships with regions such as Miyazaki, Mie, and Hokkaido.

Bringing together stakeholders essential for solving social issues—large corporations, startups, local governments, NPOs, and experts—START CAMP aims to foster open innovation and generate co-creation projects through collective vision for a better society.

The program follows a three-step process: Theme Discussions (diverging visions and clarifying challenges) → Project Setting (defining challenges with resonant peers) → Co-Creation Workshops & Pitches (concretizing ideas and committing to action), enabling new co-creation projects to launch on-site. The event has already produced numerous cross-industry and cross-organizational collaborations.

Figure) The 5 Steps Leading to Project Creation

Photo) Closing Ceremony of START CAMP 2025 in MEIWA

≪The Future START CAMP Aims For≫

With the launch of START CAMP 2026 in SHIZUOKA, the following vision, mission, and concepts have been defined.

Vision — The Future START CAMP Aims For

Illuminating the Future of the World

Through the Creation of "Hope Industries*"

Mission — START CAMP’s Mission

Creating Encounters That Spark

the Birth of Hope Industries

Concept — How the Mission Is Achieved

Taking action together with like-minded peers by re-examining the world from a relative perspective

Action

01. Break your own common sense by encountering the unknown

02. Find co-creation partners to take a new step forward

03. Start small, but start—and make it real

*What Are "Hope Industries"?

Social Issues × Metacognition × Growth Markets = Hope Industries

At START CAMP, industries born from the intersection of social issues, global relative perspectives, and growth markets are defined as "Hope Industries." We believe it is not enough to simply address social issues; it is crucial that these efforts continue to evolve and grow toward the future.

By viewing the world from a relative perspective and confronting challenges without being bound by existing norms, and by combining this perspective with growth markets and diverse partnerships, we believe new value creation—and ultimately hope industries—can emerge.

≪What You Can Gain from START CAMP≫

1 Update your vision and management strategy

Clarify or refine personal and organizational visions

Discover directions for solving management challenges and potential collaborators

2 Create new business opportunities

Launch new businesses or ventures

Engage in direct dialogue and networking with key industry leaders in Japan

3 Build a network of partners

Expand your circle of collaborators for new initiatives

Connect not only with peers in your field but also with professionals from other industries

4 Gain awareness of diverse social issues

Learn about various social issues such as rural depopulation and aging, agriculture, marine environments, and D&I

Discover intersections between these issues and your personal or organizational vision

About IMA Inc.

IMA operates under the mission of "Stir Up the Present," acting as a catalyst for cross-organizational co-creation. The company supports new business development and organizational transformation in areas where social challenges intersect with growing industries and markets. IMA builds ecosystems that organically connect entrepreneurs, large corporations, government, and local communities, and runs initiatives including the business co-creation conference "START CAMP," Japan’s largest social career event "Social Career Fes," and "DEEP DIVE CAMP," an offsite corporate training program that unlocks individual passion through dialogue at the frontlines of social issues. From 2026 onward, IMA will particularly strengthen its business expansion in the rapidly growing Global South.

Company Name

IMA Inc. (Formerly CarpeDiem Inc.) *Pronunciation: Ima

CEO

Satoshi Unno

Headquarters

4F Sunrise Nishiyama Building, 1-20-10 Nishishinbashi, Minato-ku, Tokyo

Founded

March 2020

Business Activities

Planning and operation of the business co-creation conference START CAMP, open innovation support

URL

https://ima-inc.world/about