Spice Factory to Participate for Second Consecutive Year in Kansai-Led Economic Activation Event 'RISE KANSAI 2026' Combining Economy, Culture, and Entertainment

Co-Creation Forum Launching the Future from Kansai: RISE KANSAI 2026

Spice Factory Inc. (Headquarters: Minato-ku, Tokyo; Representative Director and CEO: Hiroshige Takagi; hereinafter "the company"), a company supporting digital transformation, will participate for the second consecutive year in "RISE KANSAI 2026," a crossover-type economic activation event launched from Kansai combining "Economy × Culture × Entertainment," to be held on Wednesday, August 26, 2026, at Nanba Hatch in Osaka City, Osaka Prefecture.

On the day, Ayano Nagato, Director and Chief Sustainability Officer (CSO) of the company, will serve as a judge in the pitch contest, while Rensho Yasukawa, Kansai Hub Leader, will take on the role of executive committee member, responsible for planning and operations of the event.

The company opened its Kansai Hub in March 2026 at THE VILLAGE OSAKA in Chuo-ku, Osaka City, promoting co-creation opportunities where businesses, startups, government, and educational institutions can interact. This participation also aims to support collaboration and community formation across industry, government, academia, and local communities in the Kansai region.

Related Information:

Ginger Lab Launches Community Co-Creation Program at THE VILLAGE OSAKA Starting May 2026

Spice Factory's Kansai Hub, Implementing the Vision of the World Expo into Society, Officially Launches

Event Overview: RISE KANSAI 2026

Creating and Sharing New Value from Kansai Through Cross-Genre Co-Creation

RISE KANSAI is a co-creation event that combines the power of economy, culture, and entertainment to unlock new possibilities in Kansai.

Entrepreneurs, business leaders, creators, artists, students, and others who are challenging themselves in diverse fields gather to engage in dialogue, build connections, and take new steps forward—transcending industries, positions, and titles.

Centered on the three themes of "Borderless Economy," "Resonating Culture," and "Play Driving Society," the event will transmit new values from Kansai that move society forward—through cross-sector collaboration, the spread of empathy through art and music, and the creative power of play.

Event Date and Time: Wednesday, August 26, 2026, 12:30–20:00 (Doors Open at 12:00) Venue: Nanba Hatch, 1-3-1 Minatomachi, Naniwa-ku, Osaka City, Osaka Prefecture Organizer: RISE KANSAI 2026 Executive Committee Ticket Prices: General: ¥9,900 / Student: ¥3,300 / VIP: ¥55,000

RISE KANSAI 2026

RISE KANSAI Final Pitch 2026

"RISE KANSAI Final Pitch 2026" is a pitch contest for next-generation startups, creators, and performers.

This pitch contest will select startups that bring new value to society and industry, focusing on Deeptech, Sustainable, and entertainment and cultural fields. Startups from early stage to Series A are eligible to apply, with finalists participating in RISE KANSAI 2026.

Dedicated Pitch Contest Website

Ayano Nagato, Director and CSO, Spice Factory Inc.

Ayano Nagato, Director and CSO, Spice Factory Inc.

＜Profile＞ After working as a public relations professional for small and medium-sized enterprises, she became an independent freelance PR consultant and served as Representative of With Media, providing PR and strategic consulting services to startups. In 2017, she supported the PR strategy of Musca Inc., a bio-resource venture, and became its Representative Director and CEO in 2018. She received top awards and SDGs awards in numerous business competitions and was selected as a J-Startup by the Ministry of Economy, Trade and Industry. After contributing to the company's increased visibility and fundraising, she stepped down in 2020. In 2021, she became Director and CSO (Chief Sustainability Officer) of Spice Factory Inc. In March 2026, she founded Ginger Lab Inc. and became its Representative Director.

Rensho Yasukawa, Kansai Hub Leader, Spice Factory Inc.

Rensho Yasukawa, Kansai Hub Leader, Spice Factory Inc.

＜Profile＞ Born in Nara Prefecture, currently residing in Osaka. After graduating from university, he joined a local bank in the Kansai region, where he gained experience in foreign exchange and loan operations. He later took on corporate sales, providing loan and asset management proposals and supporting M&A and business succession. Since April 2022, he has worked at a government-affiliated support organization, responsible for industry-academia-government-finance collaboration, including promoting large corporate partnerships to support Kansai-area startups. He has launched acceleration programs, managed large-scale events, and supported startups for the Osaka-Kansai Expo (supporting over 50 exhibitors). In June 2025, he became Kansai Hub Leader at Spice Factory Inc. Following his involvement in the RISE KANSAI 2025 event last year, he will again serve as an executive committee member in 2026.

Spice Factory Inc.

Spice Factory is a DX support company that acts as a "catalyst (spice)" to drive digital transformation in businesses and government agencies through an agile mindset. To date, the company has engaged in DX across various industries, including education, healthcare, local governments, primary industries, logistics, manufacturing, and entertainment, achieving rapid value creation through agile development approaches and supporting business growth by addressing social and customer challenges. The company comprehensively supports clients from strategic management issues to on-site business challenges, broadly addressing digital domain issues. It provides end-to-end support, including business and service concept development, system development, UI/UX, and marketing support. Simultaneously, going beyond traditional commissioned development, the company collaborates with client companies and government agencies, centered on user-centric design, to co-create solutions while enhancing responsiveness and agility. Our Mission is "Catalyst for Innovation," and our Purpose is "Make the world better, one pixel at a time." We strive to solve social issues and contribute to the creation of new businesses and innovations.

Company Name: Spice Factory Inc. Representative: Representative Director and CEO Hiroshige Takagi Founded: March 2016 Capital: 307,008,000 JPY (including capital reserves) Head Office: 20F South, Trade Pier Odaiba, 2-3-1 Daiba, Minato-ku, Tokyo Kansai Hub: 10F, THE VILLAGE OSAKA, 1-6-17 Hommachi, Chuo-ku, Osaka Fukuoka Hub: Fukuoka Growth Next, 2-6-11 Daimyo, Chuo-ku, Fukuoka Business: 360° Intelligence Firm

Official Website: https://spice-factory.co.jp Official Magazine: https://spice-factory.co.jp/allspice/ LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/spice-factory note: https://note.com/spice_factory/ Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/spicefactoryinc/ X: https://twitter.com/spicef