Judges Decided for Student Entrepreneur Pitch Contest "SPIKES Pitch in IVS2026"

4S Corporation (Headquarters: Minato-ku, Tokyo; Representative Director: Keitaro Hagiwara) is pleased to announce the judges for the student entrepreneur pitch contest "SPIKES Pitch in IVS2026."

Student Entrepreneur Pitch Contest "SPIKES Pitch in IVS2026"

This contest will be held within "SPIKES," an area for students, by students, concurrently with "IVS2026," one of Japan's largest startup conferences, taking place from July 1st (Wed) to 3rd (Fri), 2026, at Miyakomesse and Hotel Okura Kyoto.

Our aim is not just a "student category" presentation ending in applause, but a platform where ventures are evaluated as serious businesses in front of investors, entrepreneurs, and the market.

We are pleased to announce that the top judges who will evaluate the contestants in the main round have been decided. Additionally, in the main round, approximately 50 VC and investor judges will cast "Interview Offer Votes," reflecting the real intentions of investors in the judging results.

Pitch Site URL: https://spikes.4s.link/spikes-pitch

Introduction of Top Judges

We introduce the top judges confirmed as of today. (Titles omitted, in Japanese alphabetical order)

*The number of judges may increase before the event date.*

Nacht Inc. Representative Director Yuuki Adachi

Born in 1993, graduated from Chuo University Faculty of Law. While studying abroad in New York, he launched an influencer business during his student days. Founded Nacht Inc. in 2018. Achieved rapid growth with strengths in SNS advertising and influencer marketing, reaching sales of 31 billion yen in its 8th year. In terms of organizational development, it won first place in Japan in the medium-sized company category of the "2026 Version of the Best Workplaces in Japan Ranking." Currently, it has grown into a corporate entity with 526 employees. He is the investor providing the winner's prize of up to 100 million yen in funding for this pitch contest.

DMM.com LLC Chairman Keishi Kameyama

Born in Ishikawa Prefecture in 1961. Started his entrepreneurial journey at the age of 19 as a street vendor, and after running a video rental store, founded DMM.com in 1999.

He has developed over 60 businesses, including video distribution, anime production, online games, English conversation, finance, 3D printers, and operating a Belgian soccer team, growing the group to approximately 428.7 billion yen in sales and over 5,000 employees. He is a serial entrepreneur who has challenged numerous new businesses and actively supports young entrepreneurs, including continuous participation in IVS.

ABABA Inc. President and CEO Shunki Kubo

Born in 1997 in Akashi City, Hyogo Prefecture. While attending Okayama University, he was inspired by a friend's dejection after failing the final job interview and founded "ABABA," a scout-type service that evaluates the job-seeking process.

The service has since expanded to be used by over 3,500 companies and a cumulative total of over 200,000 job seekers. He has raised approximately 2 billion yen in cumulative funding, joined Keidanren as the youngest member at age 26, and is a notable young entrepreneur in the HR field, selected for Forbes 30 Under 30 Asia 2025. He also works as a commentator on Tokyo MX's "Hori Jun Live Junction."

mint Inc. General Partner Keisuke Kogure

Born in 1991. Involved in venture capital since his university days, he founded the independent VC "TLM" in 2015.

Known for investments in seed-stage companies like Cover.

In 2021, he co-founded "mint," a VC specializing in early-stage startups, and serves as General Partner. He is an investor who has supported the founding of seed-stage startups for over 10 years.

SHE Inc. Representative Director CEO/CCO Eri Fukuda

Born in Shiga Prefecture in 1990. Studied abroad in San Francisco while attending Osaka University, and upon returning, launched a web design course for women. After working at Recruit Holdings, she founded SHE Inc. in 2017. Its flagship business, the career school for women "SHElikes," has surpassed 250,000 cumulative registrations and continues to grow rapidly as a platform for realizing "a life lived true to oneself." She has been selected for Forbes JAPAN's "Japan's Entrepreneurs Ranking" TOP 20 for four consecutive years (2023-2026), has raised a cumulative 4.4 billion yen, and is an entrepreneur leading career transformation for women. Her book, "Transforming 'I'm Nothing Special' into 'Because It's Me' - How to Build Lifelong Confidence," was published in 2026.

"Interview Offer Votes" by Approximately 50 VC and Investor Judges

In the main round, in addition to scores (out of 100 points) from top judges, approximately 50 VC and investor judges will each hold two "Interview Offer Votes." Votes will be cast for student entrepreneurs who they feel "want to talk to" or "want to know more about," reflecting their interest in the final rankings.

This is not merely a popularity contest; it's designed to incorporate the real intentions of investors into the judging. This scale is unusual for a student pitch event, and the evaluation can directly lead to the next stage of funding and business partnerships.

Features of SPIKES Pitch in IVS2026

Up to 100 Million Yen Investment Opportunity from Nacht

To ensure it doesn't end with just praise, main partner Nacht offers the winner an investment opportunity of up to 100 million yen. The design looks beyond evaluation to growth opportunities.

*Investment is not guaranteed and is subject to individual review and discussion.*

Interview Offer Votes by Approximately 50 VC and Investor Judges

Investors' desire to "meet" is directly reflected in the judging.

A Connection Point for the Next Challenge, Held within IVS

At the heart of IVS, Japan's largest startup conference, we connect student entrepreneurs' challenges to funding, recruitment, business partnerships, and opportunities for exposure.

About the Main Round

Main Round Presenters: 12

Main Round Pitch Time: 6 minutes

Judging Method:

The main round will not include a Q&A session. Judging will be based on the completeness of the pitch itself, vision, execution capability, and scalability. Top judges will score out of 100 points, and the final rankings will be determined by incorporating the interview offer votes from 50 VC and investor judges.

For inquiries regarding STAFF or sponsors, please contact us here.

Event Overview

Name: SPIKES Pitch in IVS2026

Date: July 2, 2026 (Thursday)

Venue: Within Miyakomesse, Kyoto, at the IVS2026 venue

Organizer: 4S Corporation

Main Partner: Nacht Inc.

Company Profile

4S Corporation

A community production studio that connects diverse "worlds" through planning/production capabilities and digital solutions. By combining community management production with DX, we accelerate the growth of Japanese industries.