"HOKKAIDO SPACE SUMMIT, SAPPORO LINK 2026" Speakers Announced, Including Interstellar Technologies and Iwatani Giken

SPACE COTAN Inc. (Headquarters: Taiki-cho, Hiroo-gun, Hokkaido; Representative Director, President & CEO: Yoshinori Odagiri) and the STARTUP HOKKAIDO Executive Committee (Location: Sapporo, Hokkaido; Secretary General: Kyohei Fujima) are pleased to announce the program and 12 speakers for "HOKKAIDO SPACE SUMMIT, SAPPORO LINK 2026," to be held on Tuesday, June 2, 2026, at New Otani Inn Sapporo in Chuo-ku, Sapporo.

This summit will feature keynote speeches conveying the forefront of space business and practical sessions. Furthermore, the SPECIAL PITCH, which connects startups with companies and investors, will introduce the space initiatives of startup companies, providing insights into the expansion of business from space transport to satellite data utilization and entry points into the industry.

A Diverse Program for Creating New Business Opportunities Centered on Space

This summit will be held for the first time in Sapporo, the economic center of Hokkaido, as a "starting point for accelerating industrial collaboration" that connects to the annual "Hokkaido Space Summit" held in Obihiro. This time, in addition to the keynote speech, sessions will be held on the themes of "Realization of Space Transport" and "Economic Utilization of Space and its Related Industries." By sharing concrete initiatives and deepening discussions among Hokkaido players beyond regional boundaries, the summit will provide opportunities to participate in the space business. In between sessions, startup companies will present their initiatives in a SPECIAL PITCH, seeking possibilities for business collaboration and co-creation with regional businesses. In addition, a networking event "MEETUP" will be held as a place to share the latest industry trends and case studies, and to directly connect with new business partners.

List of Speakers

Organizer's Address Yoshinori Odagiri, Representative Director, President & CEO, SPACE COTAN Inc.

Keynote Speech Hideyuki Urata, Director-General, Hokkaido Bureau of Economy, Trade and Industry, Ministry of Economy, Trade and Industry

Session 01: Space Transport Session Shota Kotani, Manager, Production Technology Section, Development Department, Interstellar Technologies Inc. Takahiro Suzuki, Manager, Rocket Business Promotion Office, Toyota Motor Hokkaido Co., Ltd. Soichiro Ueno, Founder & CEO, IDDK Inc. Kyohei Fujima, Secretary General, STARTUP HOKKAIDO Executive Committee: Moderator

SPECIAL PITCH Norimitsu Uemori, Representative Director, President, HIREC Inc. Rin Sato, Representative Director, CEO, Kick Space Technologies Inc.

Session 02: Space Utilization and Related Industries Session Keisuke Iwatani, Representative Director / Inventor, Iwatani Giken Inc. Makoto Higashijima, Group Leader, Space Group, Business Development Department, Japan Airlines Co., Ltd. Kenichi Sato, Space Business Development Group, Tourism Business Division, JTB Corp. Kenta Takahashi, Area Manager (Space), STARTUP HOKKAIDO Executive Committee: Moderator

Sponsors Hokkaido Broadcasting Co., Ltd., SOC Inc., NEC Networks & System Integration Corporation, Kuribayashi Shokai Co., Ltd., Hokkaido Electric Power Co., Inc., Regions Co., Ltd.

Event Overview Title: HOKKAIDO SPACE SUMMIT, SAPPORO LINK 2026 Date: Tuesday, June 2, 2026, 14:30-19:30 (Reception: 14:00) Venue: New Otani Inn Sapporo (1-1-1 Kita 2-jo Nishi 1-chome, Chuo-ku, Sapporo, Hokkaido 060-0002) Program: Keynote Speech, Talk Sessions, SPECIAL PITCH (14:30-18:00), MEETUP (18:00-19:30) Format: In-person event Participants: Keynote Speech, Talk Sessions: 300 people; MEETUP (networking event): 150 people Participation Fee: Keynote Speech, Talk Sessions: Free; MEETUP (networking event): 10,000 JPY/person Website: https://hokkaidospaceport.com/sapporolink/

To apply for participation in this summit, please apply via the following URL (Peatix). Application-only URL (Peatix) https://hokkaidospacesummit-sapporolink.peatix.com *Registration may close once the capacity is reached, so please register early.

Organizers SPACE COTAN Inc.

Co-organizers STARTUP HOKKAIDO Executive Committee (Sapporo City, Hokkaido, Hokkaido Bureau of Economy, Trade and Industry, Ministry of Economy, Trade and Industry, etc.)

Endorsers Ministry of Internal Affairs and Communications Hokkaido Bureau of Telecommunications, Ministry of Land, Infrastructure, Transport and Tourism Hokkaido Regional Development Bureau, Taiki-cho, Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency (JAXA), Hokkaido Economic Federation, Hokkaido Chamber of Commerce and Industry, Hokuyo Bank, Ltd., Hokkaido Bank, Ltd., Space Port Japan Association