IVS2026 Introduces Japan's First "Referral Ticket" System, Plus a Free Campaign for the First 3,000 Attendees! #IVS2026
Japan's largest startup conference, "IVS2026," is introducing the country's first "Referral Ticket" system. This allows participants to invite friends for free, and a campaign offers a free IVS PASS (normally ¥39,800) to the first 3,000 registrants.
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- 📰 Published: April 15, 2026 at 02:06
- 🔍 Collected: April 14, 2026 at 17:31
- 🤖 AI Analyzed: April 19, 2026 at 15:07 (117h 35m after Collected)
Japan's largest startup conference, "IVS2026," will be held for three days from Wednesday, July 1st to Friday, July 3rd, 2026, with Miyakomesse and Hotel Okura Kyoto as its main venues.
Starting this year, we will fully implement the "Referral Ticket" system, a first for a domestic conference in Japan (*). To commemorate its introduction, we will launch a campaign offering a free IVS PASS (normally ¥39,800, tax included) to the first 3,000 people who register via a referral ticket.
* As a referral-based ticket system introduced at a domestic conference with 10,000 attendees (according to IVS research, as of April 2026).
Referral Tickets
Invite people you want to attend IVS with for free, making IVS even more meaningful.
IVS PASS adopts the "Referral Ticket" system of the ticket platform "4S (Force)". Those who receive a referral code can obtain a PASS for free until the limit of 3,000 people is reached, and will also be issued two referral codes themselves.
Receive an invitation → Participate → Invite someone yourself
This is the "Referral Ticket" system.
How to receive a referral code
Referral codes will be delivered by one of the following methods:
1. Invitation from IVS STAFF:
Distribution will begin from IVS STAFF.
2. Invitation from Speakers:
Speakers will distribute them to their respective contacts.
3. Referral codes will be delivered by one of the above methods.
Those who receive it should obtain a PASS and send the referral code issued to them to "people they want to attend with."
The number of people you can invite is limited to two per person. These "two tickets" ensure the quality of the referral. Instead of inviting anyone without limit, you send a referral code to someone you genuinely want to attend with. That's why we believe it creates a chain of trust.
Furthermore, information on who referred whom is planned to be viewable by participants on 4S. By visualizing the referral connections, it will also serve as a starting point for networking at the venue. Those who do not have a referral code can purchase a PASS through general sales.
About the 4S platform
The "Referral Ticket" system operates on "4S," the official participant platform for IVS. On 4S, in addition to issuing and managing referral tickets, it is planned to support participant matching, searching and registering for side events, and checking in at multiple venues.
From sending referral codes to visualizing referral connections, everything will be completed on 4S.
First 3,000 Free Campaign
To commemorate the introduction of the "Referral Ticket" system, IVS PASS (normally ¥39,800, tax included) will be offered for free to the first 3,000 people who obtain a PASS via referral. For students, the first 1,000 people who register via referral will also be free (normally ¥4,980, tax included).
PASS | Referral Price | General Sale Price
--- | --- | ---
IVS PASS | Free (First 3,000) | ¥39,800 (tax included)
IVS PASS Student | Free (First 1,000) | ¥4,980 (tax included)
* Free tickets are on a first-come, first-served basis and will end once the limit is reached.
* The number of eligible free tickets may change.
After the first 3,000 free campaign ends, if you purchase an IVS PASS via a referral code, you can buy the IVS PASS, which normally costs ¥39,800, for ¥9,800 (tax included) until June 14th. From June 15th, it will be ¥19,800, and from July 1st, it will be ¥29,800.
Scientifically approaching networking
Since its establishment in 2007, IVS operated as a completely invitation-only closed conference until 2022. The number of participants was in the hundreds. Because it was a place where only trusted people gathered, the quality of encounters was naturally guaranteed.
With the Kyoto event in 2023, it transitioned to a ticketed system. This was a decision to further expand the community cultivated under the invitation system and increase the number of people involved in startups. The number of participants instantly reached 10,000.
Starting this year, we will fully implement the "Referral Ticket" system, a first for a domestic conference in Japan (*). To commemorate its introduction, we will launch a campaign offering a free IVS PASS (normally ¥39,800, tax included) to the first 3,000 people who register via a referral ticket.
* As a referral-based ticket system introduced at a domestic conference with 10,000 attendees (according to IVS research, as of April 2026).
Referral Tickets
Invite people you want to attend IVS with for free, making IVS even more meaningful.
IVS PASS adopts the "Referral Ticket" system of the ticket platform "4S (Force)". Those who receive a referral code can obtain a PASS for free until the limit of 3,000 people is reached, and will also be issued two referral codes themselves.
Receive an invitation → Participate → Invite someone yourself
This is the "Referral Ticket" system.
How to receive a referral code
Referral codes will be delivered by one of the following methods:
1. Invitation from IVS STAFF:
Distribution will begin from IVS STAFF.
2. Invitation from Speakers:
Speakers will distribute them to their respective contacts.
3. Referral codes will be delivered by one of the above methods.
Those who receive it should obtain a PASS and send the referral code issued to them to "people they want to attend with."
The number of people you can invite is limited to two per person. These "two tickets" ensure the quality of the referral. Instead of inviting anyone without limit, you send a referral code to someone you genuinely want to attend with. That's why we believe it creates a chain of trust.
Furthermore, information on who referred whom is planned to be viewable by participants on 4S. By visualizing the referral connections, it will also serve as a starting point for networking at the venue. Those who do not have a referral code can purchase a PASS through general sales.
About the 4S platform
The "Referral Ticket" system operates on "4S," the official participant platform for IVS. On 4S, in addition to issuing and managing referral tickets, it is planned to support participant matching, searching and registering for side events, and checking in at multiple venues.
From sending referral codes to visualizing referral connections, everything will be completed on 4S.
First 3,000 Free Campaign
To commemorate the introduction of the "Referral Ticket" system, IVS PASS (normally ¥39,800, tax included) will be offered for free to the first 3,000 people who obtain a PASS via referral. For students, the first 1,000 people who register via referral will also be free (normally ¥4,980, tax included).
PASS | Referral Price | General Sale Price
--- | --- | ---
IVS PASS | Free (First 3,000) | ¥39,800 (tax included)
IVS PASS Student | Free (First 1,000) | ¥4,980 (tax included)
* Free tickets are on a first-come, first-served basis and will end once the limit is reached.
* The number of eligible free tickets may change.
After the first 3,000 free campaign ends, if you purchase an IVS PASS via a referral code, you can buy the IVS PASS, which normally costs ¥39,800, for ¥9,800 (tax included) until June 14th. From June 15th, it will be ¥19,800, and from July 1st, it will be ¥29,800.
Scientifically approaching networking
Since its establishment in 2007, IVS operated as a completely invitation-only closed conference until 2022. The number of participants was in the hundreds. Because it was a place where only trusted people gathered, the quality of encounters was naturally guaranteed.
With the Kyoto event in 2023, it transitioned to a ticketed system. This was a decision to further expand the community cultivated under the invitation system and increase the number of people involved in startups. The number of participants instantly reached 10,000.