Startup Study #9 Attendance Report
Attended “Startup Study #9 | 日本のスタートアップはどう戦うべきか” held at Kumamoto Shintoshin Plaza on January 20, 2026.
Startup Study is a regular study group based in Kumamoto, and this was the 9th session. The event was organized by Yuma Sugiyama, CEO of Tooon Inc., along with other members.
The theme of this session was “How Should Japanese Startups Compete?”, featuring a panel talk on the current state of the startup ecosystem and Kumamoto’s unique startup culture.
Yukinori Fukatsu gave a presentation. He has the unique combination of being a pharmacist, lawyer, and novelist, while also working at a venture capital firm handling investments in healthcare and deep tech.
There were many off-the-record stories that you can only hear at in-person events, which made it very interesting. Being able to hear candid discussions that you wouldn’t get online is one of the best parts of attending in person.
Stayed for the networking session afterward as well. Thank you to everyone who took the time to chat.
That’s all from the Gemba for this Startup Study #9 report.