AI Salon Tokyo - July 2025 - Forging Japan's AI Foundations
AI Salon is a global community by and for AI-focused founders, builders, investors, and enterprise partners. The format is a monthly in-person event with lightning talks from startups with a presence in Japan.
Come for the community and to learn about the most recent applications in AI!
This time we have a special edition, with a more institutional crowd and set of speakers. The topic will be "Forging Japan's AI Foundations", as we want to discuss Japan's potential in the global AI ecosystem in terms of investments, infrastructure, research, and engineering.
Agenda
17:30 Doors open
18:00 - 18:10 Introducing TAI, JETRO, DEEPCORE:
Ilya Kulyatin @ TAI
Yusuke Kaga @ JETRO
Hiroshi Nemoto @ DEEPCORE
18:15 - 18:25 Presentation by NTT (Makoto Murakami)
18:30 - 18:40 Presentation by Preferred Networks (Daisuke Okanohara)
18:45 - 18:55 Presentation by AIM Congress (Walid Farghal)
19:00 - 19:50 Panel “Bridging Japan and IMEC* - AI research, talent, infrastructure, and capital”
Panelists:
Walid Farghal (AIM Congress, Director General)
Sujata Kolekar (Accenture Japan, Managing Director)
Llion Jones (Sakana AI, CTO)
Daisuke Okanohara (Preferred Networks, CTO)
Makoto Murakami (NTT Network Service Systems Laboratories, TTC WG Chair)
19:50 - 20:20 AI Salon Tokyo - 6 AI startups from the Tokyo AI (TAI) ecosystem
SDio
ORE
ModAstera
O-ID
Shisa AI
Kanaria Tech
20:20 - 21:00 Food, drinks, and open networking.
*The India-Middle East-Europe Economic Corridor (IMEC) is a planned economic corridor to foster economic development and integration between Asia and Europe, passing through the Middle East and India. - Wiki
Location
Japan, 〒107-6006 Tokyo, Minato City, Akasaka, 1-chōme−12−３２, Ark Mori Building, 総合案内7階
Take the elevator to Floor 7.
Note that the elevator is located behind the Starbucks in the same building
Tokyo AI (TAI) information
Tokyo AI (TAI) is the biggest and most active international AI community in Japan, with 2,600+ members based in Tokyo (engineers, researchers, investors, product managers, and corporate innovation managers).
AI Salon information
AI Salon is a global community by and for AI-focused founders, builders, investors, and enterprise partners. AI Salon Tokyo (AIST) is a sub-group of Tokyo AI (TAI), as we lead the Tokyo chapter.
AiSalon was launched by Jeffrey Abbott, GP at Blitzscaling Ventures, who decided to partner with Tokyo AI (TAI) through JETRO's patronage for the Tokyo chapter.
JETRO information
JETRO is a government-related organization that works to promote mutual trade and investment between Japan and the rest of the world.
DEEPCORE information
DEEPCORE is a VC firm supporting AI Salon Tokyo. They operate a fund for seed and early-stage startups and KERNEL, a community supporting early entrepreneurs.