Karatsu Startup PITCH CONTEST 2026 Held

Karatsu City, Saga Prefecture (Mayor: Tatsuro Mine, hereinafter 'Karatsu City'), through the Karatsu City DX Innovation Center (hereinafter 'KDIC') which it operates, held the 'Karatsu Startup PITCH CONTEST 2026' on Tuesday, March 24, 2026. The purpose was to discover and support startups responsible for solving regional issues and creating new businesses.

This event was implemented as an initiative to foster local entrepreneurs and create startups, with SB Players Inc. (Headquarters: Chuo-ku, Tokyo; Representative Director and President & CEO: Hiroaki Fujii, hereinafter 'SB Players') responsible for its planning and operation.

■Background of the Event

In recent years, as population decline and changes in industrial structure progress nationwide, securing opportunities for new business creation and for young talent to challenge new ventures in the regions has become a critical issue. Facing these social challenges, Karatsu City is working to revitalize the regional economy through entrepreneurship support and growth support, under the concept of 'The first step of challenge starts from Karatsu.' This event was held as part of that initiative. It aims to create opportunities for entrepreneurs addressing regional and social issues to present their ideas and connect with supporters, local companies, and the administration.

■Event Day Highlights

The day began with opening remarks by Karatsu City Deputy Mayor Akishige Nakanishi, who, under the contest's theme of 'The first step of challenge starts from Karatsu,' demonstrated the stance of supporting entrepreneurs' challenges across the entire region.

Following this, a keynote speech titled 'The Chances of Local Entrepreneurship in a Digital Society' was delivered by Mr. Keisuke Murakami, former Director-General of the Digital Agency and Specially Appointed Professor at the University of Tokyo and Keio University Graduate School. He spoke about the perspectives necessary for local startups to achieve sustainable growth and the potential of combining regional resources with digital technology, to which participants listened intently.

In the pitch contest, 12 finalists, who had successfully passed a rigorous selection process from applicants nationwide, took the stage and presented diverse business ideas aimed at solving regional issues and achieving social implementation. After the presentations, a lively Q&A session took place, and the venue was filled with anticipation for the birth of next-generation startups from Karatsu.

The Grand Prize was awarded to Mr. Keita Takashige, President and CEO of HiBee Inc. Mr. Takashige presented a business idea based on his own experiences, aiming to solve issues in foreign employment. His approach, which seeks to achieve secure and stable employment while coexisting with the local community, was highly praised. Moving forward, he plans to work in collaboration with Karatsu City towards commercialization.

■Event Overview

• Name: Karatsu Startup PITCH CONTEST 2026