Every major tech conference has themes. Most are vague enough to mean everything and nothing at the same time. SusHi Tech Tokyo 2026 does something different: four narrowly defined technology areas, each supported by live demonstrations, dedicated exhibition floors, and sessions featuring the people who are actually building and funding these technologies on a global scale.
TechCrunch is joining forces with SusHi Tech Tokyo 2026 as an official media partner, and our Startup Battlefield team will be on the ground to select a standout SusHi Tech Challenge semi-finalist to advance to the TechCrunch Disrupt Startup Battlefield 200 – one of the most prestigious launch pads in tech. Here’s what’s on the ground.
AI: beyond the hype, into the infrastructure
Sessions featuring Howard Wright (Nvidia), Rob Chu (AWS), and Eric Benhamou (Benhamou Global Ventures) cut through the noise to examine where AI is truly being deployed at scale and where the real risks lie. On the ground, AI-themed university startups are presenting alongside global players, and the AI Film Festival Japan, a partner event at the Tokyo Innovation Base in Yurakucho, explores how artificial intelligence is reshaping culture in real time.
Robotics: physical AI has arrived
SusHi Tech’s robots are not behind glass: they are on the ground and interactive. On stage, Nissan, Isuzu and Applied Intuition’s Qasar Younis examine how software-defined vehicles are reshaping transportation. Physical AI is not a future trend. It’s in Tokyo on April 27.
Resilience: cities that survive what’s to come
NEC’s Eva Chen (Trend Micro) and Noboru Nakatani take on cyber defense, while leading climate tech venture capital firms Breakthrough Energy and Cleantech Group examine where global investment is flowing. A virtual reality disaster simulator and guided tours of Tokyo’s underground flood control infrastructure make the stakes viscerally real.
Entertainment: Japan’s cultural powerhouse meets AI
Sessions with the CEOs of Production IG, MAPPA and CoMix Wave Films discuss what needs to be done for Tokyo to become the Hollywood of animation. On the ground, startups are using AI to translate manga globally, generate music from text prompts, and bring Japanese intellectual property to life in anime form – broadcast globally.
Can’t come to Tokyo? You can always be there
Missing SusHi Tech Tokyo doesn’t necessarily mean missing anything. Remote attendees benefit from much more than a live stream: on-site staff will travel on your behalf, wearing a device that displays your face so you can interact with attendees and exhibitors in real-time, face-to-face. It’s the closest thing to being there.
Techcrunch event
San Francisco, California | October 13-15, 2026
Note: Please note that some sessions may not be available for viewing.
Request remote participation with on-site staff assistance here.
You can’t swing that either? Ticket holders can stream sessions online and access programming from anywhere. Browse the full list of sessions here.
Alongside the startup event, the Tokyo Metropolitan Government is also hosting a meeting of leaders from 55 cities across five continents. They will discuss the theme “A new urban future built on climate and disaster resilience”. The city leaders’ summit is part of G-NETS (Global City Network for Sustainability), organized by the Tokyo Metropolitan Government since 2022 as a multi-city forum to discuss how to solve common challenges with a new focus on urban climate disaster resilience and citizen well-being. The summit can be watched by the general public on YouTube in real time and after the event.
SusHi Tech Tokyo 2026 will take place from April 27 to 29 at Tokyo Big Sight. Business days are April 27-28; The public day (free entry) is April 29. Register here.
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