8 Japanese startups to follow at Tech in Asia Tokyo 2016

This September 6 & 7, we’re taking you to the Far East where you’ll find one of the world leaders in tech. We’re talking, of course, about Japan. With all of its top-funded startups at above US$20 million this year, the country is home to some of the most innovative technologies, from singing holograms to dancing robots.

At Tech in Asia Tokyo 2016, you’ll get to witness some of these fresh approaches from eight of Japan’s startups spanning across multiple industries, from VR to language learning. So if you’re curious to learn what they are fostering on home ground, this is your chance to find out!

1. Quippy

You’re scrolling through your Instagram feed, and it’s full of enticing photos of food. Rather than sitting at home drooling, you want to find out where you can get some of that delicious goodness. That’s where Quippy comes to your rescue. Taking advantage of the incredible food scene in Japan, the search platform helps users discover restaurants and cafes within walking distance using photos from Instagram. Since it only displays recent photos, you won’t need to worry about an out-of-season menu either. All you need to do is open up Quippy, find a favourite photo, and head out for some great food.

2. Renzo

The demand for cleverly designed, user-friendly apps is ever-increasing, and it can often cost a lot of time and money for companies to meet that need. Renzo solves that problem using German precision and Japanese efficiency to deliver the best iOS and Android apps. They can converse fluently with their native languages of Japanese, German and English, which gives them a competitive advantage of attracting a more diverse clientele. Best of all, they are transparent with their progress, so you can see what they’re working on step-by-step. If you’re looking for a creative collaboration, this may be your best bet.

3. Blincam

Blincam, a wearable camera for glasses, is the stuff of the future. Imagine taking a photo with the blink of an eye, or a sly wink. If you’re thinking that’s a lot of pictures taken unwittingly, think again. Their technology distinguishes natural blinks from intentional ones, so you are in full control of your camera. Simply attach the small camera to your glasses, and you’ll never have to worry about missing a spontaneous snap or taking out your camera when your hands are full.

4. LP-Research

This promising startup develops advanced sensor technology, and is currently working on creating a novel type of AR goggles. Their sensitive 3D orientation sensors can be used in different fields from sports to medicine, and even function in naval environments. LP-Research frequently collaborates with other players in hi-tech solutions, from accurately navigating autonomous drones for the European Space Agency to creating innovative solutions for human-device interaction with Google ATP. Going through their portfolio feels like browsing the future.

5. Outlier Linguistics

We live in a globalized world where we constantly communicate across borders. Outlier Linguistics seeks to facilitate communication by revolutionizing the way we learn foreign languages. In true startup spirit, they use crowdfunding to provide users with a Chinese character dictionary that makes it easier to understand the language through organic means, rather than through a memorization-first approach. The essential edition provides insights into the sounds and meanings of individual characters, while an expert edition allows users to delve deep into the history and origins for a more complete picture of the language.

6. Interole

With the launch of their first product, Connoba, Interole combats the stress and bias associated with social networking. The social bulletin board restricts posts to a restricted area and allows users to focus on specific topics in-depth, rather than participating in a shallow chain reaction of “likes” and “retweets” that do not require deep involvement with the content. Combining human and artificial intelligence, Interole seeks to inspire users to contribute to their communities in a meaningful manner and limit ignorance.

7. Parity Innovations

Thanks to Parity Innovations, floating images are not for the future; it’s here now. The innovative startup is true to its name – using optical elements, it develops and designs systems that create a floating effect for users of the technology. Basically, think touchscreens in the air.

8. Spacee

Though the sharing economy didn’t catch on until more recently in Japan, the founders of Spacee, a startup that rents out unused meeting rooms, joined the movement early on and provides 650 spaces for around 300,000 users. An Airbnb for office spaces, Spacee’s selection is a wide range based on size and location to meet different needs. Its simplicity is part of the beauty, allowing users to book anything from a photography studio to a rental kitchen on a phone.

Want to meet these startups in person?

All of the above startups will be making an appearance at the conference on September 6 & 7, so book your passes soon! In fact, the best time to do is now, before you miss out on our final 10 percent discount (code: tiatokyo10) which ends promptly on August 19, 23:59.

Better yet… join us and showcase your own startup!

We still have spaces available for Bootstrap Alley, where you can get your own booth to introduce your product to over 2,000 tech fans! It will be a fun space to network and mingle as well as gain new clients and customers. For US$359 post-discount, you’ll get a booth, two passes, and tons of mileage for your startup.

For those of you on a budget, our gracious partner Garena Group will be sponsoring 20 tech startups to showcase for free (travel and accommodation expenses not included). All you need to do is fill out this form by August 19 for a chance to exhibit at no cost!