Event Report: 'TOKAI NEXT' Connects Startups with Tokai Village

Dooox Inc. (headquartered in Shinagawa-ku, Tokyo; CEO: RyoSuke Kubodera), where the CEO serves as a director, announced that the general incorporated association D&T (headquartered in Hitachi City, Ibaraki Prefecture; Representative Director: Masayuki Kudo) successfully held the first-ever 'TOKAI NEXT' event on July 12, 2026 (Sunday), at the Tokai Village Industry and Information Plaza (I-Ville), under the sponsorship of Tokai Village, Ibaraki Prefecture.

Background of the Event

Known as a hub for nuclear and quantum science research, Tokai Village hosts advanced scientific institutions while also facing various regional challenges. TOKAI NEXT was designed not merely as a one-way initiative where startups solve local issues, but as the first step toward building a collaborative relationship—where Tokai Village provides real-world testing grounds and networks, and startups co-create solutions alongside the community.

Event Overview

Name: TOKAI NEXT

Concept: Transforming local challenges into opportunities; making Tokai Village a town that nurtures startups. From challenges to opportunities—toward the next future from Tokai.

Date and Time: July 12, 2026 (Sunday), 13:00–17:00

Venue: Multipurpose Hall, Tokai Village Industry and Information Plaza (I-Ville) (1-1-1 Funakoshikawa Ekimae, Tokai-mura, Naka-gun, Ibaraki 319-1118)

Organizer: General Incorporated Association D&T

Sponsor: Tokai Village, Ibaraki Prefecture

Event Highlights

Opening Ceremony with National, Prefectural, and Local Representatives — High Expectations for the Initiative

Following an opening address by Masayuki Kudo, Representative Director of D&T, guest speakers took the stage. D&T also announced its vision to position the northern Ibaraki region as a 'real-world testing city' for domestic and international startups, leveraging three key regional strengths: concentration of advanced science, diverse testing fields, and human resources supporting industry.

Pitches by 8 Startups — From Daily Life to Space

Eight startups across diverse sectors—including food, agriculture, disaster prevention, healthcare, space, and AI—presented how their technologies could be applied within Tokai Village.

- Byte Bites Inc. (Food & FoodTech): Proposing new food experiences and possibilities through 3D food printing for product development and prototyping. - Japan Plants Technologies Inc. (Agriculture & FoodTech): Advancing regional agriculture through stable production via plant factories and hydroponics. - Quick Inc. (Disaster Prevention & AI): AI-powered analysis of emergency calls (119) to support fire department dispatch and reduce disaster response time. - Genics Inc. (Medical & Robotics): Enhancing oral care efficiency with fully automated toothbrushes and other oral care robotics. - Milk. Inc. (Medical & Healthcare): Applying hyperspectral camera image analysis for early cancer detection and other medical uses. - Minato Rocket Inc. (Space & Aviation): Developing safe, low-cost hybrid rockets for future space transport and small satellite launches. - Amateras Space Inc. (Space & Healthcare): Creating next-generation space suits with dual-use applications in radiation protection and heatstroke prevention. - Dooox Inc. (Regional Revitalization & AI Support): Supporting local enterprises in generative AI adoption through collaboration with municipalities and regional banks (participated as organizer).

One-on-One Meetings with the Village Mayor and Networking — Turning Encounters into Immediate Actions

Following the pitches, a networking session was held. Each of the eight participating startups engaged in a 7-minute one-on-one meeting with the mayor of Tokai Village, enabling direct dialogue on potential pilot projects and collaborations. Additional conversations between guests and startups were facilitated during the networking session. The event was intentionally designed to transform initial encounters into concrete discussions and actionable next steps on the same day.

Participant Feedback

- "Despite being a Sunday, many people attended—I could feel the energy." - "We hope pilot testing can be actively promoted in Tokai Village." - "The short presentations effectively conveyed each company’s mission and approach—very engaging." - "It was great to learn about companies and technologies we don’t usually interact with, and explore potential partnerships."

*Excerpts from open-ended responses in participant surveys.

Event Outcomes

Approximately 100 attendees participated, including representatives from nuclear research institutions, power companies, local financial institutions, major manufacturers, and national lawmakers—key stakeholders in the region’s industry and governance. Survey results showed high satisfaction and strong interest in future participation, with many expressing a desire to attend the next event.

This inaugural event successfully brought together startups and local enterprises/administrators who previously had few opportunities to connect, creating initial partnerships focused on Tokai Village. Concrete discussions linked real local challenges with startup technologies, and plans are now advancing for D&T to establish a local office and consultation desk within Tokai Village.

Future Outlook (Roadmap)

- Summer–Autumn 2026: Establish D&T’s local base and consultation desk in Tokai Village - 2027: Host the 2nd 'TOKAI NEXT' event - 2027: Launch a 'Global Pitch' event involving startups from India, Taiwan, the USA, and Japan

*Ongoing dialogue between Tokai Village and startups will continue year-round to advance pilot testing initiatives.

D&T will continue working alongside Tokai Village to realize real-world testing and regional development. The connections formed during this event will not be fleeting—they will be nurtured to expand Tokai-born innovation across northern Ibaraki and beyond, to the world.

About the Organizing Entities

General Incorporated Association D&T Representative Director: Masayuki Kudo (Representative of SUNKING) Headquarters: 1-22-1 Namerikawa Honcho, Hitachi City, Ibaraki Prefecture Founded: July 2025 Business Activities: Based in Hitachi City, D&T strengthens collaboration between highly skilled enterprises and promising startups, fostering synergy among diverse stakeholders. The organization aims to build environments and systems enabling startups to conduct real-world testing, support corporate new business development, and create globally competitive innovations.

Dooox Inc. CEO: RyoSuke Kubodera Headquarters: 2F, Gotanda JP Building, 8-4-13 Nishigotanda, Shinagawa-ku, Tokyo Founded: June 2021 Website: https://dooox.co.jp/ Under the vision of "making challenges a part of breathing," Dooox supports new ventures across multiple domains. Centered on the 'Special Mission CEO Office®,' which supports non-urgent but critical business initiatives, Dooox develops multiple services—including 'Special Mission Regional Revitalization Office,' 'Special Mission India Office,' 'Special Mission AI Office,' and 'Special Mission AI Dojo'—to accelerate new initiatives and empower local communities as protagonists in self-sustaining regional revitalization projects.