WMATCHA & CO. Selected as Finalist for "Minna no Yume AWARD16," Japan's Largest Social Entrepreneurship Pitch
WMATCHA & CO., based in Wazuka-cho, Kyoto, has been selected as a finalist for "Minna no Yume AWARD16," Japan's largest social entrepreneurship pitch contest, through its direct trade platform "WTEA," which aims to solve structural issues in the Japanese tea industry. The company also presented at "Boost Pitch KOBE #4," showcasing its efforts to connect Japanese tea producers with international markets.
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- 📰 Published: April 27, 2026 at 17:00
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WMATCHA & CO. (Wazuka-cho, Kyoto) has been selected as a finalist for "Minna no Yume AWARD16," Japan's largest social entrepreneurship pitch contest, through its direct trade platform "WTEA," which aims to solve structural issues in the Japanese tea industry. Concurrently, the company presented at "Boost Pitch KOBE #4," a prominent startup pitch event in the Kansai region.
■ Selected as a Finalist for "Minna no Yume AWARD16"
"Minna no Yume AWARD16," held at LINE CUBE SHIBUYA in Tokyo, is Japan's largest social entrepreneurship pitch event, bringing together entrepreneurs from across Japan who are dedicated to solving social issues.
On March 12, WTEA presented as a finalist at "Minna no Yume AWARD16," Japan's largest social business pitch contest, held at LINE CUBE SHIBUYA in Tokyo. We introduced our initiative to improve access to international markets for Japanese tea and enhance transparency of origin and production background, through a direct trade platform that connects independent Japanese tea producers with overseas cafes, tea stores, and buyers. We also received positive evaluations from judging companies Suntory and Sanyo Bussan. Through this event, we were able to share our vision with entrepreneurs and investors committed to social impact, and reaffirmed the potential for Japanese tea to contribute to the world in the context of culture, sustainability, and craftsmanship.
Scene from the venue
■ Presentation at "Boost Pitch KOBE #4"
On March 9, with the support of ANCHOR KOBE, WTEA presented its business at "Boost Pitch KOBE #4," a startup pitch event organized by Creww Inc. We were given the opportunity to participate through a recommendation from Kyoto Capital Partners.
On the day of the event, amidst participating companies and organizations such as Kobe Shimbun, OS Co., Ltd., TOA Corporation, and Kawasaki Heavy Industries, we introduced "WTEA," a direct trade platform that directly connects independent Japanese tea producers with overseas cafes, tea stores, and buyers. This participation was a valuable opportunity to interact with companies and investors in the Kansai region and to feel new collaborations and possibilities for delivering Japanese tea to the world.
Scene from the venue
As a result, WTEA has shown its potential not just as a distribution reform, but as a new industrial foundation that spans:
Japanese Tea × Regional Industry × International Market
About WTEA
WTEA is a direct trade platform that directly connects Japanese tea producers with overseas buyers.
It is building a new distribution model where producers themselves set prices and stories, delivering Japanese tea to the world, including the philosophy and background of its creators.
WMATCHA & CO.'s challenge has just begun.
HP: https://linktr.ee/wmatchaco
Keywords:
■ Selected as a Finalist for "Minna no Yume AWARD16"
"Minna no Yume AWARD16," held at LINE CUBE SHIBUYA in Tokyo, is Japan's largest social entrepreneurship pitch event, bringing together entrepreneurs from across Japan who are dedicated to solving social issues.
On March 12, WTEA presented as a finalist at "Minna no Yume AWARD16," Japan's largest social business pitch contest, held at LINE CUBE SHIBUYA in Tokyo. We introduced our initiative to improve access to international markets for Japanese tea and enhance transparency of origin and production background, through a direct trade platform that connects independent Japanese tea producers with overseas cafes, tea stores, and buyers. We also received positive evaluations from judging companies Suntory and Sanyo Bussan. Through this event, we were able to share our vision with entrepreneurs and investors committed to social impact, and reaffirmed the potential for Japanese tea to contribute to the world in the context of culture, sustainability, and craftsmanship.
Scene from the venue
■ Presentation at "Boost Pitch KOBE #4"
On March 9, with the support of ANCHOR KOBE, WTEA presented its business at "Boost Pitch KOBE #4," a startup pitch event organized by Creww Inc. We were given the opportunity to participate through a recommendation from Kyoto Capital Partners.
On the day of the event, amidst participating companies and organizations such as Kobe Shimbun, OS Co., Ltd., TOA Corporation, and Kawasaki Heavy Industries, we introduced "WTEA," a direct trade platform that directly connects independent Japanese tea producers with overseas cafes, tea stores, and buyers. This participation was a valuable opportunity to interact with companies and investors in the Kansai region and to feel new collaborations and possibilities for delivering Japanese tea to the world.
Scene from the venue
As a result, WTEA has shown its potential not just as a distribution reform, but as a new industrial foundation that spans:
Japanese Tea × Regional Industry × International Market
About WTEA
WTEA is a direct trade platform that directly connects Japanese tea producers with overseas buyers.
It is building a new distribution model where producers themselves set prices and stories, delivering Japanese tea to the world, including the philosophy and background of its creators.
WMATCHA & CO.'s challenge has just begun.
HP: https://linktr.ee/wmatchaco
Keywords: