"株式会社リバネス (Leave-a-Nest Co., Ltd.) and Ibaraki Prefecture, at the event hosted by the National Innovation Agency (NIA) of Thailand"Scale Up to Global 2026: JapanI spoke online.
Scene of a venue gathering 25 Thai startups
This event was held as part of a training and selection program for Thai startups aiming to enter the Japanese market. In the morning, important information that could aid in business planning and market entry decisions was provided by various Japanese organizations. In the afternoon, participating companies made pitch presentations to judges and underwent a selection process to be chosen for future support.
The background for Leave- a- Nest's invitation to speak this time stems from their collaboration with Ibaraki Prefecture, which has been ongoing since last year. Leave- a- Nest was commissioned by Ibaraki Prefecture, and from Reiwa 6 to Reiwa 7 (2024-2025)...."Business Matching Program with Promising Foreign Companies"We have been identifying, selecting, and supporting promising overseas startups. In the Reiwa 7 (2025) fiscal year's project, we have selected five overseas startups, three of which are Thai companies.Plant Origin Food Co., Ltd., Cleantech & Beyond Co., Ltd., Regene Bio Pte. ).Selected companies receive ongoing support for joint research and development, as well as demonstrations, with companies in Ibaraki Prefecture.
Meanwhile, NIA has been a partner of Lifeness since the latter launched TECH PLANTER in Thailand in 2016. Building on this track record, NIA invited Lifeness to this event, providing an opportunity to share its experience in supporting Thai startups as they expand into the Japanese market.
At the beginning of the presenter's greeting (left) Mr. Cho from Ibaraki Prefecture (right) Mr. Tanagn from Leave-is
In the morning session, presentations were given by three organizations: Ibaraki Prefecture, Leave a Nest, JETRO, and Fukuoka Prefecture. First,Mr. Cho, Ibaraki Prefecture's International Affairs RepresentativeMore information was provided about Ibaraki Prefecture's basic information and its appeal as a region. The content was easy to grasp with a concrete image of Ibaraki Prefecture as a potential location for business expansion in Japan, highlighting its regional characteristics such as good accessibility from the airport and central Tokyo, as well as the development of both agriculture and industry.
Next, from Tanan of the Strategic Development Division at Leave a Nest,The advancement of science and technology to realize EarthAs a shared vision, and as important concepts for bridging Thai startups and Ibaraki-based companies to create businesses together, we have our own unique approach at Leave a Nest.Science Bridge CommunicationWe spoke about the concept. At Leave a Nest, we deeply understand the technologies, business needs, and desired outcomes of both companies and serve as a bridge. We believe that through this kind of communication, new ideas and knowledge will be generated, leading to collaborative projects that solve societal challenges.
At the end of the session, Mr. Cho once again explained the various support systems in Ibaraki Prefecture. In addition to information on the well-developed education and medical environment, he introduced contents beneficial for startups considering business expansion in Japan, such as various document procedures and daily life support. After the session by Ibaraki Prefecture and Leave a Nest, questions about Ibaraki Prefecture's support systems were received from several participating companies, indicating a high level of interest from the participants.
In the afternoon session, business pitches were presented by 25 startups. The participating companies spanned a diverse range of industries, with each presenting their technology, business concepts, and future outlook. Following this, a selection process for candidate companies to receive future support was conducted by judges, led by the NIA Director. A strong desire for Thai startups to challenge overseas expansion was felt throughout the venue.
Through this presentation, I was able to reaffirm the high motivation and great potential of Thai startups and support organizations. By combining Leave a Nest's Science Bridge Communication with support from Japanese local governments, we anticipate further collaboration and the creation of new value between Thailand and Japan in the future.