As part of the "Sendai Global Startup Hub Business,""Global Business Seminar 2026"It is being held by

This seminar is a series of seven sessions featuring guest speakers from entrepreneurs, financial institutions, investors, and support organizations, aimed at startups seeking to expand overseas and companies considering entering the overseas market. The sessions will share their experiences and know-how in expanding their businesses overseas.

The third theme is:When I go to the field, what do I see?Information about markets and companies can be obtained from Japan, but when you talk to the local people, you may find that companies that are not the same as the customers you expected are interested in the technology or that a different application has been found.

This time, we are accompanied by local partners in the overseas expansion of Tohoku-based startups through the Sendai Tohoku Expansion Program (STEP).ICMG Holdings Manager Mr. Koji OgawaFrom organizing policies before traveling to designing who to meet in person and considering business development after the meeting, we have been supporting companies in various ways. From this perspective, we will discuss what you should consider before going to Singapore and who to meet and what to check on during your visit.

Global Business Seminar 2026, Part 3

Date:Friday, September 25, 2026, 17:00 – 18:30
Theme: When you go to the field, what do you see?
~Realities of the market to be verified in Singapore~
Subject:Startups, companies, researchers, support organizations, etc., interested in overseas expansion
Participation Fee:free

Speakers:
ICMG Holdings Manager
Mr. Ogawa Kuji

This program is a series of seminars conducted as part of the "Sendai Global Startup Hub Operations."

[Report on implementation in FY2026 is here]
The 1st Why Southeast Asia now?
How can the second phase of overseas expansion be used to drive business growth?

[Report on implementation in fiscal 2025 is here]
Session 1 Lecturer: Mr. Kengo Suzuki, Co-founder and Executive Fellow
Second session Lecturer: Mr. Shinji Akai, Representative Director and President of Ballwave Co., Ltd.
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.
Lecturer: Mr. Yota Takakura, CEO, Inoka Co.
7th Session: Speaker: Mr. Yukihiro Ishida, Representative Director and CEO of Second Heart Co., Ltd.

✓ Startups and companies considering international expansion
✓ Those interested in the Southeast Asian market
✓ Those who want to organize when to go abroad and what to check on the ground
✓ Those considering PoC, joint development, or business partnerships with local companies
✓ Universities, financial institutions, local governments, and support organizations involved in overseas development support

ICMG Holdings
Manager
Mr. Ogawa Kuji

He majored in international politics at the Faculty of International Studies at Chubu University (an exchange student at the Free University of Berlin). After graduating, he worked in retail sales at Nomura Securities and in India at TATA Consultancy Services, where he was involved in defining and developing core systems. Subsequently, he worked as a consultant in various industries at Deloitte and joined ICMG.

Currently based in Singapore. In the GLT (Global Leadership Training) program, he supports the creation of new businesses through co-creation with Japanese companies and Indian startups in Singapore. In addition, in the Sendai Tohoku Expansion Program (STEP), he accompanies the companies selected to overseas expansion from the local side, providing guidance on hypothesis development before travel, selection and design of visits, and business development after on-site discussions. He works across sectors such as medical devices, logistics, food, and healthcare, connecting with local regulatory authorities, hospitals, distributors, and VCs.

This program supports startups in the Sendai and Tohoku regions in their overseas expansion.

Leveraging the network of companies, universities, research institutions, and government agencies that Leave a Nest has built primarily in Southeast Asia, we provide support tailored to each client, leading to business negotiations, joint research, proof-of-concept (PoC), and business partnerships in local markets.

We aim to operate businesses in overseas markets and support the organization of overseas expansion policies, meetings with local partners, hypothesis testing, and subsequent business development.

At Global Business Seminar 2026, we will cover topics related to overseas expansion and hold a total of seven seminars.

*The schedule, theme, and speakers may change.