Event Report

Tech Startup HOKURIKU (TeSH) DEMO DAY 2025 was held.
33 themes selected for the Gap Fund Program were presented.

The second “TeSH DEMODAY 2025” took place at the ANA Crowne Plaza Kanazawa, in front of Kanazawa Station, on Friday, November 14, 2025. The morning opening session attracted a large audience, with many people standing in the 200-seat venue. After the opening remarks from the TeSH Program Representatives, President Terano of JAIST, President Wada of Kanazawa University, and a congratulatory address from Mr. Mizota, Director of the Industry–Academia Collaboration Promotion Office at the Ministry of Education, Culture, Sports, Science and Technology, as well as an overview from Program Head of Directors, Specially Appointed Professor Uchida of JAIST, Mr. Tajima, CEO of Genesia Ventures and Chairman of the Japan Venture Capital Association, delivered a special lecture. Under the title “Toward an Era of Technological Revolution,” he talked passionately.
Following the opening session, the four themes selected for the FY2024 TeSH Gap Fund Program “Step 2” were presented. In the afternoon, sessions took place in two separate rooms: one for life sciences and another for other fields. First, the Step 2 themes were presented, then the Step 1 themes.
The event took place alongside JAIST's “Matching HUB Hokuriku 2025.” The total attendance for both events was 1,416 people. Of these, 449 were participants in the TeSH DEMODAY.

Guest Address: Mr. Mizota, Director of the Industry–Academia Collaboration Promotion Office at the Ministry of Education, Culture, Sports, Science and Technology

At the first meeting of the Japan Growth Strategy Council, held on Monday, November 10, under the Takaichi administration, startups were identified as a key policy item to be included in the comprehensive economic measures. The council emphasized the “strengthening of deep tech” and the “enhancement of support for university- and college-led startups and entrepreneurial talent development.” The Ministry of Education, Culture, Sports, Science and Technology will continue to place a strong focus on these areas.
TeSH's innovative initiatives, such as the careful support of participating universities and technical colleges organized into three groups, have received high praise. Additionally, Professor Miyako of JAIST, representing TeSH, won the Grand Prize in the Step 2 pitch contest among nine startup support platforms nationwide, which took place in October at BioJAPAN 2025. I also participated in this event. This achievement demonstrates the high quality of research seeds in the Hokuriku region, and we look forward to its continuous expansion.

Special Lecture: Mr. Tajima, CEO of Genesia Ventures/
Chairman of the Japan Venture Capital Association

Past: The primary sources of innovation centered on improved information distribution and software brought about by the spread of the internet. The places where entrepreneurs emerged were also concentrated in specific areas, like Tokyo. ⇒ Currently: Innovation is expanding into cutting-edge technologies, with generative AI accelerating this evolution. Promising deep tech startups are emerging from research hubs nationwide, including national research institutes, technical colleges, and universities.
Technological revolutions are inherently non-verbal; we must compete and win against global players. Unlike the era of the information revolution, the frame of reference has shifted from Japan to the entire world.
A shift in perspective is required — make the world your subject. It’s not enough to be “a company representing a local region.” We need to create companies that originate in Hokuriku and succeed on the global stage. And through this, set Japan once again on a path of growth.

Overview of TeSH: Program Head of Directors, TeSH/
Specially Appointed Professor Uchida of JAIST

1. The participating universities and technical colleges were organized into three groups for careful support based on their startup track records: Group I had multiple startups, Group B had about one startup, and Group T had no track record. For the FY2024 and FY2025 Gap Funds, 45 projects for Step 1 and nine projects for Step 2 were selected. The startup environment has improved as a result of these achievements. One institution from Group T selected for Step 1 advanced to Group B, and three institutions from Group B selected for Step 2 advanced to Group I. Looking ahead, the goal is for all institutions to join Group I.
2. Next June, JAIST will host the Japan Society for Intellectual Production's annual meeting in Kanazawa. As an academic symposium, we will bring together PF representatives from throughout the country to discuss the creation of regional startups through the Startup Ecosystem Co-creation Program.
3. TeSH has held an event rally in four cities: Fukui on August 25 (150 participants), Tokyo on September 22 (170 participants), Toyama on September 26 (150 participants), and Kanazawa DEMODAY today. Mr. Takuto Murotani, from the Startup Support Section of the Regional Industry Promotion Division of the Department of Commerce, Industry and Labor of the Toyama Prefectural Government, received a prize from President Terano for being the sole participant in all four cities.

33 presentations for the TeSH Gap Fund Program “Step 1” and “Step 2”

The Gap Fund presentations structured Step 1 as a 7-minute pitch followed by a 3-minute Q&A, and Step 2 as a 12-minute pitch followed by a 3-minute Q&A. The reason we included a Q&A session was that a one-way presentation alone would not sufficiently deepen understanding of the seeds. We wanted participants to grasp the key points of the seeds through the discussions during Q&A. To enhance the quality of this Q&A session, TeSH invited four individuals with proven track records in the field of university startups to serve as commentators for the first time. The commentators encouraged the presenters and provided appropriate advice from a business perspective.

Commentators in the Life Science Field

Genesia Ventures, Inc.　Ms. Yuki Tsuchioka
Prometheus Inc.　Mr. Yoshinobu Ichimura

Commentators in the Fields of Technology, the Environment, and the Arts

PnO founder　Mr. Yasunori Okajima
CIC Tokyo General Manager　Mr. Nagura Masaru