LEVANES Corporation, on behalf of the City of Sendai, is promoting the Sendai-Tohoku Expansion Program (STEP), which supports startups from Sendai and the Tohoku region in their efforts to solve global problems. As a part of this program, we will offer a program for startups aiming to expand their business overseas from Sendai/Tohoku and for local companies seeking new business opportunities,Global business seminars ("Learn from the Pioneers of Global Expansion!" series) will be held seven times from August to December. series) will be held approximately seven times from August to December.The following is a list of the most common problems with the

Click here to see the past implementation reports.
Session 1 Lecturer: Mr. Kengo Suzuki, Co-founder and Executive Fellow
2nd Lecturer; Mr. Shingo Akao, President, Ball Wave Corporation
Lecturer: Mr. Ken Matsui, CEO and Representative Director, ugo Co.
Lecturer: Mr. Hong-Kyung Min, President of Liberaware, Inc.
Lecturer: Mr. Hideaki Itami, Director, Asia Region, Platinum Bio Co.

In the 6th session (November 8), Mr. Yohta Takakura, CEO of INOCA Corporation, will be invited to talk about "What changes when you create a subsidiary company?He will give a lecture titled "The Future of the Business and Research Community. In this project, we will do our utmost to support the process of startups facing real local challenges and growing while integrating business and research. We look forward to welcoming all deep tech startups who want to join the challenge of "changing the world with the power of deep tech.

6th: Global Business Seminar
Date: Saturday, November 8, 2025, 10:00-11:00
Location: Forest Sendai (1-2-45 Kashiwagi, Aoba-ku, Sendai, Miyagi 981-0933)
Title: What will change when you create a subsidiary company?
Organized by: City of Sendai, Operated by: Riverness Inc.

Special Lecture: Mr. Yota Takakura, CEO, Inoka Co.
Moderator: Jyo Inoue, President and CCO, Liverness, Inc.

*Non-startup companies entering this program are also welcome to participate. If you wish to participate, please register by clicking on the application button or on the linked page.
https://id.lne.st/project/sendai_gbp/regist/basic_info/1

INOCA Corporation
CEO
Mr. Yota Takakura

Born in Hyogo, Japan. Graduated from the University of Tokyo's Faculty of Engineering, and conducted research in the Junichi Rekimoto Laboratory of the Graduate School of Engineering at the University of Tokyo, where he conducted research on supporting musical instrument practice using machine learning. established INOCA, Inc. in April 2019. In October 2021, he became a director of the Roth Foundation for Children's Mirai. In the same year, he was selected for Forbes Japan's "30 Under 30.

LIVERNESS Corporation
President and Representative Director CCO
Inoue, Jyo

D., Pharmacist, founded LIVERNESS in 2002 with only undergraduate and graduate students of science and engineering while in graduate school. After completing his doctoral studies, he worked as an assistant professor and lecturer at the Faculty of Science, Kitasato University, an assistant professor at the Graduate School of Medicine, Kyoto University, and a specially appointed associate professor at Keio University before assuming and concurrently serving as a professor of advanced pharmacy at the Faculty of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Kumamoto University and a visiting professor at the Faculty of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Keio University, from 2018. He is a researcher and manager involved in launching joint research projects with universities and research institutions and supporting the establishment of research institutes while conducting research and development.
He is a visiting professor at Kitasato University Faculty of Pharmaceutical Sciences, a visiting professor at Musashino University Faculty of Entrepreneurship, a member of the Industrial Structure Council of the Ministry of Economy, Trade and Industry, a technical expert reviewer for the Ministry of Education, Culture, Sports, Science and Technology, a member of JST START- University Promotion Type and Startup Ecosystem Formation Support Committee, and a member of many venture company startups. He has also been involved in the launch of many venture companies and serves as an advisor.

Inquiries regarding this matter
(Contact: Mai Inoue, Saito, Ishizawa)
TEL：03-5227-4198 E-mail：[email protected]