EIC delegation at Tech Osaka Summit and Global Startup Expo 2025: who went, what they showed, and why it matters
- ›From 16 to 18 September 2025 a European Innovation Council backed delegation took part in two major startup events in Osaka: Tech Osaka Summit and Global Startup Expo.
- ›Five EIC-supported companies exhibited at Tech Osaka Summit and two more joined the Global Startup Expo without exhibiting.
- ›EIC representatives Agnieszka Stasiakowska and EIC Board Member Yousef Yousef appeared on panels focused on scaling European startups and the transition to a net-zero global economy.
- ›Delegates represented a mix of deep tech areas including generative AI for drug discovery, nanobubble greentech, AI inference hardware, bio-feedstock catalysis, and supply chain traceability.
- ›The mission showcases EU efforts to help startups internationalize but also brings familiar scaling challenges including regulatory fit, supply chain access, and validation of environmental claims.
EIC delegation to Japan: Tech Osaka Summit and Global Startup Expo 2025
Between 16 and 18 September 2025 a delegation of European Innovation Council backed companies attended two overlapping startup gatherings in Osaka. The delegation had two parts. From 16 to 17 September five EIC beneficiaries exhibited at the Tech Osaka Summit where they presented technologies and sought contacts in the Japanese and wider Asian markets. On 17 and 18 September two additional EIC awardees joined the Global Startup Expo, the high-profile deep tech conference co-located with Expo 2025 Osaka, Kansai. Beyond exhibition space the mission included EIC interventions on panel stages and meetings to explore industrial collaborations, investment and regulatory partnerships.
Who exhibited and who joined
The EIC delegation mixed mature deep tech startups with scale-up ambitions and EIC-supported projects further along in industrial demonstration planning. The companies in the delegation represent technologies that European funders and industry actors often prioritise: climate-oriented hardware and chemistry, supply chain traceability, and AI for life sciences.
| Company | Core technology and commercial focus | EIC status and notable claims |
| Iktos KK | Generative AI platform and robotics for medicinal chemistry and automated synthesis | EIC Accelerator awardee. Claims integrated workflow with Makya (generative AI), Spaya (retrosynthesis) and autonomous lab robotics that accelerate candidate discovery. |
| Catalyxx Procesos Catalíticos SL | Catalytic conversion of bioethanol into drop-in chemical intermediates such as butanol and hexanol | EIC/EIB backed. Patent portfolio across five families. Positions product as carbon-negative and industrially scalable. |
| AquaB Nanobubble Innovations Ltd | Patent-protected nanobubble generators for industrial liquid and gas processes | Claims ultra-low energy, high concentration nanobubble generation, and multiple sector applications. Holds patents in several jurisdictions. |
| Axelera AI | Purpose-built AI acceleration hardware for inference at the edge | Co-funded by Horizon. Offers Metis AIPU family and Metis M.2 Max for LLM and vision inference with stated TOPS figures and power efficiency advantages. |
| Circularise | Blockchain-enabled product traceability and digital product passports for supply chains | Offers DPPs and compliance tooling for ISCC, REDcert and upcoming ESPR requirements. Promotes selective sharing and privacy-preserving traceability. |
| Materrup | Low-carbon cement and concrete from raw clay | EIC Awardee attending Global Startup Expo without exhibiting. Positions product as a lower-carbon building material alternative. |
| Solar Materials (PRISM project) | Thermo-mechanical recycling process for photovoltaics and related materials | EIC-funded PRISM project aiming for industrial scale plant processing 8,400 tonnes annually by 2025. Joining Global Startup Expo without exhibiting. |
EIC on stage: panels, speakers and timings
The delegation included public engagement beyond booths. EIC representatives took part in curated panels at both events. Agnieszka Stasiakowska, Head of EIC Business Acceleration Services at EISMEA, moderated and spoke on panels about scaling European startups and government support. Yousef Yousef, EIC Board Member and CEO of LG Sonic, appeared on a panel on the net-zero economy.
| Event | Date and local time | Panel title and principal speakers |
| Tech Osaka Summit | 16 Sept 2025, 17:15-17:45 | Panel 'Europe to start and scale' moderated by Agnieszka Stasiakowska with Edo de Ronde (Netherlands Foreign Investment Agency), Yusuke Nagao (JETRO London), Victoire Cachoux (Chief Scientist, Iktos) and Arnold Ackerer (ADVANTAGE AUSTRIA Tokyo). |
| Global Startup Expo 2025 | 17 Sept 2025, 14:30-15:30 | Panel 'Efforts to achieve a global net-zero economy' with Yousef Yousef (EIC Board Member, CEO LG Sonic), Makoto Uchida (Managing Director, JBIC), Sadaharu Saiki (Founder and GP, Sunny Side Venture Partners) and others to be announced. |
| Global Startup Expo 2025 | 18 Sept 2025, 11:00-11:45 | Panel 'Government role and efforts for SU growth' with Agnieszka Stasiakowska, Matthieu Bonamy (Partner, Eurazeo), Andrew Schoen (Partner, NEA) and further speakers pending. |
What the technologies do and why they matter
Context: why Osaka and why Japan
Osaka and the Kansai region host a dense concentration of universities, industrial R&D and corporate headquarters that are active in deep tech. Japan is a priority market for European scale-ups seeking industrial partnerships because of strong manufacturing demand and corporate venture activity. For the EU side the mission is part of a broader strategy to connect EIC portfolio companies with global partners, to open routes to Asia and to test commercial traction outside Europe. Japan also presents regulatory differences and procurement practices that require adaptation from European founders.
What to watch and the limits of the announcements
Event appearances and EIC backing can materially help startups with credibility and introductions. They do not on their own remove the practical barriers to scale. Common follow-up issues include translating pilot successes into long term contracts, navigating sectoral regulation in Japan and other markets, securing reliable low-carbon feedstocks or manufacturing capacity, and validating performance claims through third party tests. Several participating companies made optimistic claims about speed, energy savings or emissions. Those claims merit careful independent verification as the companies move from demonstration to industrial deployment.
Practical next steps for stakeholders
For corporate partners and investors: request independent performance data, visit pilots in operation, and incorporate regulatory and supply chain due diligence. For policymakers: use these missions to identify where targeted support can unlock cross-border industrial partnerships and to align standards that facilitate international procurement for green technologies. For researchers and standard setters: prioritise independent benchmarks and measurement protocols, especially for claims around energy efficiency, greenhouse gas reductions and circular product credentials.
Original disclaimer
This information was released for knowledge sharing and should not be interpreted as the official view of the European Commission or any other organisation. Event schedules and speaker lists were as published by the organisers and were subject to change.