OIST Innovation is hosting “Mō Ashibi,” a casual networking event. Enjoy snacks and drinks while connecting with OIST Innovation Incubator tenants, startups, members of the OIST community, and others you may not usually have the chance to meet.

Participation is free, and no registration is required. Feel free to drop by after work!

Date and Time: Friday, August 21, 2026, 17:00–18:30

Venue: OIST Innovation Core 1

Please do not drive or ride a motorcycle after consuming alcohol.

We are now accepting applications from healthcare and deep-tech startups for the OIST-Lifetime Pitch Elevate 2026, a VC-mentored pitch competition for idea-stage to seed/early-stage startups. The competition will take place as part of the OIST-Lifetime Startup Elevate 2026 on November 4 and 6 at OIST.

As this is a highly competitive pitch competition, not all applicants will be selected. However, if you are a local startup based in Okinawa or a spin-out from PARKS, you may still have the opportunity to present at a dedicated local startup pitch event held alongside the main program.

We encourage all eligible local startups to apply and look forward to receiving your applications.

Discover how coffee can spark unexpected connections and innovation. Experience a live demonstration of Matsuyashiki Coffee, a unique brewing style from Nagoya featured at Toyota's Café Black Hole.

In collaboration with leading venture capital firms, OIST Innovation offers startups and entrepreneurial researchers or students the opportunity to connect directly with venture capitalists for one-on-one mentoring and discussion. Each round begins with an open seminar-style introduction, where participants can learn about the VC firm's investment focus and characteristics. This is followed by private, closed-door mentoring sessions between startups/researchers/students and the VC representatives.

The featured VC for this round is INSPiRE Corporation .

DISCOVER THE LEAN STARTUP METHODOLOGY Learn to identify commercial opportunities that come from your academic research. Apply the Lean Startup methodology to real OIST technologies, guided by instructors from the NSF I-Corps™ network. Teams (3–4 people) will conduct interviews, validate their ideas, and explore real-world commercialization.

OIST is advancing science into innovation in many forms . Held as Day 2 of Startup Elevate, OIST Innovation Day invites you to meet the innovation happening across OIST — from early-stage research seeds to startups built on cutting-edge technology. Sessions are organized around Healthcare and Deep Tech, aligned with the themes of Startup Elevate. If you're looking for ways to collaborate with OIST on innovation, this is the event to attend.