Pegasus Tech Ventures hosted the Startup World Cup 2026 Kyushu preliminary on October 6, 2026 at Kumamoto Castle Hall under the theme of regional recovery and startup-led revitalization. The event drew about 800 attendees and featured a pitch contest, a business trends seminar, an exhibition, and a networking party. Among roughly 250 applicants, Piezo Sonic claimed the top prize and advanced to the global final.
Main Contest Results
Ten finalists competed after a rigorous document screening process from a field of about 250 companies. The winner was Piezo Sonic, a Kumamoto-based developer of ultrasonic motors that operate in vacuum and strong magnetic field environments, as well as autonomous transport robots for uneven indoor and outdoor terrain. The company will represent Japan at the Startup World Cup global final in San Francisco in November.
Manpuku Holdings placed second with a food-focused business succession platform that groups small and medium-sized enterprises through mergers and acquisitions to support owners without successors. A Star Quantum took third place for its quantum AI cloud service, which optimizes data analysis and resource allocation at high speed. The remaining finalists included ACCELStars, Arsaga Partners, Alm, Farmers Support, find, Genial Light, and Ikeuchi.
Youth Pitch Winner
The youth pitch contest recognized moco Earth, a team from Setagaya City Funabashi Kibou Junior High School, as the Kyushu preliminary winner. The team presented a lantern-shaped portable trash container designed to address litter problems at tourist destinations. As the youth representative, moco Earth will appear on the global final stage in San Francisco on November 6.
Leaders and Expert Discussions
Kumamoto City Mayor Kazufumi Onishi attended the event, and Kumamoto Governor Takashi Kimura delivered a video message supporting the region's startup ecosystem. Higo Bank President Yoshihisa Kasahara and Higo Capital President Isao Tajima also joined as guests. A panel discussion on global innovation among large companies, startups, and investors was moderated by Hitotsubashi University Professor Emeritus Seiichiro Yonekura.
The panel explored how large companies, startups, and investors can create global innovation. Panelists included Calbee Senior Executive Officer and CTO Mai Nakano, CYBERDYNE President and CEO Yoshiyuki Sankai, and Chiba Dojo Fund representative partner and Drone Fund founder Kotaro Chiba. The discussion added a strategic perspective to the regional startup agenda and highlighted the value of cross-sector collaboration.
Organizer and Global Network
Pegasus Tech Ventures is a Silicon Valley-based global venture capital firm backed by more than 40 major corporate limited partners. It manages approximately 300 billion yen in assets and has invested in over 300 companies, including SpaceX, OpenAI, Airbnb, Money Forward, Mujin, and SkyDrive. The firm operates one of the largest outsourced corporate venture capital services and supports innovation for large enterprises worldwide.
Startup World Cup Background
Startup World Cup is one of the world's largest pitch competitions, held in more than 200 countries and regions. Each year over 30,000 startups enter, and regional winners advance to the global final in San Francisco, where they compete for a US$1 million investment prize. The 2025 Japan preliminaries took place in Tokyo, Kyushu, and Tohoku, attracting more than 8,000 participants from corporations, investment firms, and media.
The Kyushu preliminary reinforced Kumamoto's role as a regional startup hub and connected local entrepreneurs with global opportunities. Piezo Sonic and moco Earth will now carry this momentum to the world final stage in San Francisco. Organizers encourage supporters to watch the archived event and attend the final to experience the next phase of global competition.