[Startup World Cup 2026 Nagoya Regional] Lii Inc. Wins Ticket to Silicon Valley World Finals!
Lii Inc., a developer of digital sports support for children with developmental disabilities, won the first-ever Startup World Cup regional held in Nagoya. They will compete in the World Finals in Silicon Valley this November.
📋 Article Processing Timeline
- 📰 Published: April 26, 2026 at 16:00
- 🔍 Collected: April 26, 2026 at 07:31
- 🤖 AI Analyzed: April 26, 2026 at 07:35 (3 min after Collected)
Pegasus Tech Ventures (San Jose, California; CEO: Anis Uzzaman) held the Startup World Cup 2026 Nagoya Regional on Thursday, April 23, at STATION Ai and Okaya Hagane Nagoya Public Hall. Among 10 finalists selected from approximately 120 applicants, Lii Inc. was crowned the winner!
Startup World Cup 2026 is one of the world's largest business pitch contests, featuring regional qualifiers in over 130 countries and regions with a grand prize of approximately 150 million yen in investment. This first-ever Nagoya event featured pitch contests, special seminars, exhibitions, and networking across two venues, attracting about 2,000 visitors. The event also included '1-minute speeches' by local startups and a 'Youth Pitch Contest' for students. High-profile attendees included Aichi Governor Hideaki Omura, Nagoya Mayor Ichiro Hirosawa, and leaders from the business and academic sectors.
### Top 3 Companies of the Nagoya Regional
The top 10 companies, selected through a rigorous screening process from 120 applicants, delivered intense pitches. Lii Inc. (Aichi; CEO: Ayumi Hirose) secured the top spot. The company provides a digital sports support service that combines digital content and exercise, enabling children with developmental disabilities to close exercise gaps while enjoying a game-like experience. Lii Inc. will represent Japan at the Startup World Cup World Finals in San Francisco this November.
Second place went to AstroX (Fukushima; CEO: Shobu Oda), a space development company aiming to dramatically lower the cost of space transportation. Third place was awarded to iBody (Aichi; CEO: Yo Amakusa), which develops antibody platforms for pharmaceuticals and diagnostics.
### List of Finalists (Alphabetical Order):
1. AstroX Inc.
2. Deats Food Planning Inc.
3. FLIGHTS Inc.
4. Gecipe Inc.
5. iBody Inc.
6. Lii Inc.
7. Location AI Inc.
8. Map4 Inc.
9. Metro Weather Co., Ltd.
10. Reborn Inc.
### Youth Pitch Contest
In a first for the Startup World Cup Japan regionals, a Youth Pitch Contest was held for elementary to high school and vocational college students. Reita Shikata, who developed a gluten-free certification mark and a multilingual restaurant search app, won. He is scheduled to appear on the World Finals stage in San Francisco on November 6.
### Guests and Special Speakers
Governor Hideaki Omura and Mayor Ichiro Hirosawa delivered passionate messages regarding the revitalization of the Tokai region's startup ecosystem. Other distinguished guests included Anna Wang (Principal Officer, US Consulate Nagoya), Shinichi Odo (Director/Senior Advisor, NGK Spark Plug), Naoko Kitagawa (President, Tokai Tokyo Securities), and Takehiro Suzuki (President, Bank of Aichi).
Startup World Cup 2026 is one of the world's largest business pitch contests, featuring regional qualifiers in over 130 countries and regions with a grand prize of approximately 150 million yen in investment. This first-ever Nagoya event featured pitch contests, special seminars, exhibitions, and networking across two venues, attracting about 2,000 visitors. The event also included '1-minute speeches' by local startups and a 'Youth Pitch Contest' for students. High-profile attendees included Aichi Governor Hideaki Omura, Nagoya Mayor Ichiro Hirosawa, and leaders from the business and academic sectors.
### Top 3 Companies of the Nagoya Regional
The top 10 companies, selected through a rigorous screening process from 120 applicants, delivered intense pitches. Lii Inc. (Aichi; CEO: Ayumi Hirose) secured the top spot. The company provides a digital sports support service that combines digital content and exercise, enabling children with developmental disabilities to close exercise gaps while enjoying a game-like experience. Lii Inc. will represent Japan at the Startup World Cup World Finals in San Francisco this November.
Second place went to AstroX (Fukushima; CEO: Shobu Oda), a space development company aiming to dramatically lower the cost of space transportation. Third place was awarded to iBody (Aichi; CEO: Yo Amakusa), which develops antibody platforms for pharmaceuticals and diagnostics.
### List of Finalists (Alphabetical Order):
1. AstroX Inc.
2. Deats Food Planning Inc.
3. FLIGHTS Inc.
4. Gecipe Inc.
5. iBody Inc.
6. Lii Inc.
7. Location AI Inc.
8. Map4 Inc.
9. Metro Weather Co., Ltd.
10. Reborn Inc.
### Youth Pitch Contest
In a first for the Startup World Cup Japan regionals, a Youth Pitch Contest was held for elementary to high school and vocational college students. Reita Shikata, who developed a gluten-free certification mark and a multilingual restaurant search app, won. He is scheduled to appear on the World Finals stage in San Francisco on November 6.
### Guests and Special Speakers
Governor Hideaki Omura and Mayor Ichiro Hirosawa delivered passionate messages regarding the revitalization of the Tokai region's startup ecosystem. Other distinguished guests included Anna Wang (Principal Officer, US Consulate Nagoya), Shinichi Odo (Director/Senior Advisor, NGK Spark Plug), Naoko Kitagawa (President, Tokai Tokyo Securities), and Takehiro Suzuki (President, Bank of Aichi).