[IVS2026 Side Event] StartPass and NEXs Tokyo to Co-host "Pre-Connection Matching! An Outcome-Driven Event to Schedule Meetings with Your Target Audience" (Co-hosted by SYSLEA Inc. / Sponsored by Kanmu Inc.)

StartPass Inc. (Headquarters: Shinjuku-ku, Tokyo / CEO: Seiyo Obara) will jointly host an event for IVS2026 participants, "Pre-Connection Matching! An Outcome-Driven Event to Schedule Meetings with Your Target Audience [NEXs Tokyo x StartPass]" on July 2, 2026, at Kyoto Tsutaya Books SHARE LOUNGE, in collaboration with "NEXs Tokyo," Tokyo's startup support hub.

▼Event Details & Application

https://4s.link/ja/7a8c7b44-58c9-4f3d-8597-0bd8a54ff3e5

This event is co-hosted with SYSLEA Inc., and their AI-native CRM "Frictio" will provide support. Through Frictio, AI will automatically structure and accumulate discussion points, assisting in connecting to the next steps.

The event is also held with the sponsorship of Kanmu Inc.

Background of the Event

While Japan's largest startup conference, "IVS," attracts many entrepreneurs, investors, and corporations annually, there are also common sentiments such as:

"I couldn't meet the investors I wanted to meet."

"It just ended with exchanging business cards."

"I don't know who to consult."

StartPass has heard these challenges frequently through supporting over 1,100 startups to date.

Therefore, this time, we have planned an "outcome-driven" event that designs meetings with "the people you should really meet" based on pre-event interviews, rather than relying on chance encounters.

We aim to facilitate meetings with VCs, CVCs, corporations, senior entrepreneurs, and experts, arranged in advance, to connect IVS encounters with fundraising, collaborations, hiring, and business growth.

Event Features

- Clarification of challenges through pre-event interviews - Acceptance of requests for desired meeting partners - Meeting matching by StartPass - One-on-one meetings with VCs, CVCs, corporations, and entrepreneurs - AI-generated minutes of meeting content - Continued follow-up including online introductions after the event

Our concept is to realize "meetings that lead to results," rather than just a networking event.

Event Overview

Date & Time: July 2, 2026 (Thu) 1:00 PM - 8:00 PM Venue: Kyoto Tsutaya Books SHARE LOUNGE Event Space

1:00 PM - 6:00 PM: Meetings with Mentors 6:00 PM - 8:00 PM: Networking Reception

Participants can attend during their preferred time slot within the event hours.

Participation Fee: Free *Separate fee applies for the networking reception.

▼Event Details & Application

https://4s.link/ja/7a8c7b44-58c9-4f3d-8597-0bd8a54ff3e5

Participating Mentors (in Japanese alphabetical order)

Kitaro Abe

Representative Director, Zero Logic Partners Inc. Former CFO, Aidma Holdings Inc. After working at a securities firm and a corporate turnaround consulting firm, he led the IPO as CFO of Aidma Holdings Inc. Post-listing, he contributed to growth exceeding 10 billion yen in sales and 80 billion yen in market capitalization through financial strategy and M&A. He is a practitioner with experience in corporate turnaround, capital policy, M&A, and IPO.

Yusuke Ohashi

Representative Director & CEO, SYSLEA Inc. After gaining sales experience in IT ventures and foreign IT companies targeting SMEs and large corporations, he served as Head of New Business, Product Marketing Manager, and Sales Enablement at Uzabase's FORCAS business. He founded SYSLEA Inc. in 2023 and developed the AI-native CRM "Frictio." In March 2026, the company raised 610 million yen in seed funding, led by JAFCO.

Hidetoshi Takano

Representative Director, Keepers Inc. He has invested in over 80 companies, with 9 of his investments going public. He experienced IPOs as an executive at CrowdWorks and Medley. Having conducted over 11,000 career consultations, he has long led startup recruitment and executive support.

Daisuke Tamura

Representative, PARK Inc. / Copywriter After working at面白法人カヤック (Omoshiro Hojin Kayac), he founded PARK in 2015. He has supported numerous startups such as LayerX, SmartHR, hacomono, Heralbony, and StartPass in defining their mission, naming, and brand design, assisting them in articulating their business value through words.

Ryuji Terada

Partner, PERSOL VENTURE PARTNERS With diverse experience in business development, entrepreneurship, angel investing, and CVC capital investment, he supports startups from both investor and entrepreneur perspectives. Currently, at the PERSOL Group's CVC, he promotes investments that lead to the transformation of "work," including generative AI, industrial DX, and operational efficiency.

Tetsujiro Nakagaki

General Partner, Theta Times Ventures He has been at the forefront of the VC industry for approximately 30 years. He has invested in companies such as SHIFT, S.M.S., and Rakoon Holdings, with a track record of 13 IPOs and 10 M&As. He co-founded DNX Ventures, managing approximately $600 million in total. In 2025, he co-founded Theta Times Ventures, aiming to establish a fund of 10 billion yen.

Tetsuya Nakajima

Partner, i-nest capital Previously a General Partner at COLOPL NEXT, he supported investments in the initial rounds of Taiy and the IPOs/M&As of portfolio companies including Adish. He has achieved 24 exits and ranked 10th in the Nikkei newspaper's VC/IPO profit rankings in 2025.

Hiroshi Hata

Former General Manager, Startup Business Development Department, AWS Japan He was a founding member of iTicket (a healthcare startup later acquired by M3, Inc.). At AWS, as the head of startup support, he launched Japan's largest CTO community "CTO Night and Day" and "CTO of the Year," and led the establishment of AWS Loft Tokyo. He is currently a freelancer supporting startups and leading an AI community.

Kento畠山 (Hatakeyama)

Certified Public Accountant / Certified Tax Accountant He practices automation of accounting and tax operations using Claude Code and freee, supporting approximately 60 clients without hiring staff. He disseminates new operating models for accounting firms and back-office labor saving in the AI era.

Kazuhiro Hanai

Managing Executive Officer, CSO, freee Inc. After PwC, he joined freee in 2015. He launched several new financial businesses, including alliances with financial institutions and the "freee Card Unlimited." Currently, as Managing Executive Officer and CSO, he is responsible for corporate strategy. He combines expertise as a certified public accountant with business development experience.

Kenta Matsuyama

Representative Partner, New Commerce Ventures After gaining experience in business development at Yahoo and GYAO, he served as co-representative of the seed support program "Code Republic" at YJ Capital (now Z Venture Capital). In 2022, he co-founded New Commerce Ventures, specializing in DX/SX for retail and distribution, and provides growth support including collaboration with operating companies.

Wataru Yamaki

Representative Director & Executive Officer CEO, Kanmu Inc. He founded Kanmu in 2011. He grew the flagship service "Bundl Card" to over 14 million downloads and achieved a capital and business alliance with MUFG Bank in 2023. He is a Fintech entrepreneur currently expanding the business into areas such as corporate financing and installment payments.

Shingo Yamada

Principal, Femto Partners After gaining experience in investment and lending at the Shinsei Bank Group, he joined Femto Partners in 2017. With the motto "Let's build mega-ventures," he plays a core role in an investment team that focuses on seed and early-stage investments and growth support, with initial investments of 200-500 million yen and up to 2 billion yen in total.

StartPass Inc. Company Profile

Company Name

StartPass Inc.

Representative

Representative Director Founder CEO Seiyo Obara

Location

24F Shinjuku Sumitomo Building, 2-6-1 Nishi-Shinjuku, Shinjuku-ku, Tokyo 163-0224

Business Description

Planning, development, and provision of the startup management planning office "StartPass"

Established

November 2021

Capital

100 million yen

Corporate Website

https://startpass.jp/