Red Bull Basement Japan Final 2026 to be held on May 17 (Sunday) at STATION Ai (Aichi Prefecture)
Red Bull will host the Japan Final of "Red Bull Basement," a global incubator program supporting students and aspiring entrepreneurs, on May 17, 2026, at STATION Ai. With an application process enhanced by AI technology, a record 3,020 ideas were submitted, and the winner will advance to the World Final in San Francisco.
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- 📰 Published: May 1, 2026 at 19:00
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Red Bull will host the "Red Bull Basement Japan Final 2026," the Japan representative selection round for "Red Bull Basement," a global incubator program that leverages mentoring and AI tools to help students and first-time entrepreneurs develop their ideas into products. The event will take place on Sunday, May 17, 2026, at STATION Ai (Nagoya City, Aichi Prefecture), one of Japan's largest open innovation hubs.
This year's competition saw a record-breaking 3,020 idea submissions from across Japan, significantly surpassing the 1,191 submissions in the previous 2024 fiscal year.
Red Bull Basement this year significantly updated its application flow with "AI technology." The environment, which allowed individuals to develop their pure "ideas" and "awareness of societal issues" into concrete concepts through dialogue with AI, regardless of specialized knowledge or advanced skills, encouraged many to take on the challenge.
On the day of the event, 10 elite finalist teams, who successfully passed a rigorous selection process, will gather. They will passionately present (pitch) their ideas, and the Japan representative will be decided. The winning team will earn the right to advance to the World Final, to be held from Monday, June 1 to Wednesday, June 3, 2026, in San Francisco, USA, a mecca of technology, aiming for even greater heights alongside innovators from around the world.
Judges active in diverse fields will gather
The judges for the Japan Final include Rui Ueda, a Red Bull athlete who competes on the world stage and is also an entrepreneur; Hironori Nozaki, Executive Officer and CTO of Microsoft Japan Co., Ltd.; Masato Sekine, Sales Engineering Manager, Commercial Sales Division, AMD Japan Co., Ltd.; and AK-69, a leading hip-hop artist who continues to take on multifaceted challenges as a businessman. This lineup brings together leaders from the forefront of business, technology, sports, and culture. They will evaluate the finalists' pitches with keen insights that transcend genres, from sports to entertainment and cutting-edge IT.
Free Admission
This event is open to the public for free admission. Please come and experience the overwhelming passion of the finalists!
[Event Overview]
Date: Sunday, May 17, 2026
Venue: STATION Ai (1-2-32 Tsurumai, Showa-ku, Nagoya City, Aichi Prefecture 466-0064)
Judges: Rui Ueda (Professional Mountain Runner, Red Bull Athlete, Representative Director of Mountain Frontier Inc.)
Hironori Nozaki (Executive Officer and CTO, Microsoft Japan Co., Ltd.)
Masato Sekine (Sales Engineering Manager, Commercial Sales Division, AMD Japan Co., Ltd.)
AK-69 (Hip-hop Artist, Representative Director of Flying B Entertainment Inc.)
MC: Hasen Kuniyama
Admission Fee: Free
Event HP: https://www.redbull.com/jp-ja/events/red-bull-basement-japan-2026
Event Schedule
14:00 - 14:30 Doors Open
14:30 - 16:00 Stage Pitches (2 minutes pitch / 3 minutes Q&A per team)
16:00 - 17:00 Judges' Deliberation Time
17:15 - 17:45 Announcement of Results
17:45 - 19:00 Networking
[Notes on Viewing]
・Admission is free. (No admission for those under 16 years old)
・Admission to the venue will be on a first-come, first-served basis at the reception on the day, but please note that seating capacity is limited, so admission may not be guaranteed.
[Judge Profiles & Comments]
Rui Ueda
Won two world championships in trail running (2019/21) and achieved a Guinness World Record for a single-stroke ascent of Mt. Fuji in 2022. While active as a top athlete, he established Mountain Frontier Inc. in 2020. He also has an entrepreneurial side, working on his original brand 'Ruy,' and continues to challenge boundaries between sports and business.
"I'm very excited to witness the moment when ideas that make society better are born! Let's get our wings from Red Bull Basement and fly to the world!"
Hironori Nozaki
Executive Officer and CTO, Microsoft Japan Co., Ltd.
Before joining Microsoft, he started a...
This year's competition saw a record-breaking 3,020 idea submissions from across Japan, significantly surpassing the 1,191 submissions in the previous 2024 fiscal year.
Red Bull Basement this year significantly updated its application flow with "AI technology." The environment, which allowed individuals to develop their pure "ideas" and "awareness of societal issues" into concrete concepts through dialogue with AI, regardless of specialized knowledge or advanced skills, encouraged many to take on the challenge.
On the day of the event, 10 elite finalist teams, who successfully passed a rigorous selection process, will gather. They will passionately present (pitch) their ideas, and the Japan representative will be decided. The winning team will earn the right to advance to the World Final, to be held from Monday, June 1 to Wednesday, June 3, 2026, in San Francisco, USA, a mecca of technology, aiming for even greater heights alongside innovators from around the world.
Judges active in diverse fields will gather
The judges for the Japan Final include Rui Ueda, a Red Bull athlete who competes on the world stage and is also an entrepreneur; Hironori Nozaki, Executive Officer and CTO of Microsoft Japan Co., Ltd.; Masato Sekine, Sales Engineering Manager, Commercial Sales Division, AMD Japan Co., Ltd.; and AK-69, a leading hip-hop artist who continues to take on multifaceted challenges as a businessman. This lineup brings together leaders from the forefront of business, technology, sports, and culture. They will evaluate the finalists' pitches with keen insights that transcend genres, from sports to entertainment and cutting-edge IT.
Free Admission
This event is open to the public for free admission. Please come and experience the overwhelming passion of the finalists!
[Event Overview]
Date: Sunday, May 17, 2026
Venue: STATION Ai (1-2-32 Tsurumai, Showa-ku, Nagoya City, Aichi Prefecture 466-0064)
Judges: Rui Ueda (Professional Mountain Runner, Red Bull Athlete, Representative Director of Mountain Frontier Inc.)
Hironori Nozaki (Executive Officer and CTO, Microsoft Japan Co., Ltd.)
Masato Sekine (Sales Engineering Manager, Commercial Sales Division, AMD Japan Co., Ltd.)
AK-69 (Hip-hop Artist, Representative Director of Flying B Entertainment Inc.)
MC: Hasen Kuniyama
Admission Fee: Free
Event HP: https://www.redbull.com/jp-ja/events/red-bull-basement-japan-2026
Event Schedule
14:00 - 14:30 Doors Open
14:30 - 16:00 Stage Pitches (2 minutes pitch / 3 minutes Q&A per team)
16:00 - 17:00 Judges' Deliberation Time
17:15 - 17:45 Announcement of Results
17:45 - 19:00 Networking
[Notes on Viewing]
・Admission is free. (No admission for those under 16 years old)
・Admission to the venue will be on a first-come, first-served basis at the reception on the day, but please note that seating capacity is limited, so admission may not be guaranteed.
[Judge Profiles & Comments]
Rui Ueda
Won two world championships in trail running (2019/21) and achieved a Guinness World Record for a single-stroke ascent of Mt. Fuji in 2022. While active as a top athlete, he established Mountain Frontier Inc. in 2020. He also has an entrepreneurial side, working on his original brand 'Ruy,' and continues to challenge boundaries between sports and business.
"I'm very excited to witness the moment when ideas that make society better are born! Let's get our wings from Red Bull Basement and fly to the world!"
Hironori Nozaki
Executive Officer and CTO, Microsoft Japan Co., Ltd.
Before joining Microsoft, he started a...