Every major tech conference has themes, often too vague to mean anything specific. However, SusHi Tech Tokyo 2026 is taking a different approach, focusing on four well-defined technology domains, each showcased with live demonstrations, dedicated exhibit areas, and sessions with the innovators and financiers of these technologies worldwide.
TechCrunch has partnered with SusHi Tech Tokyo 2026 as an official media partner. Our Startup Battlefield team will select a standout semifinalist from the SusHi Tech Challenge to advance to the TechCrunch Disrupt Startup Battlefield 200, a prestigious launchpad in the tech industry. Here’s an overview of what to expect.
**AI — beyond the hype, into the infrastructure**
Sessions with Howard Wright (Nvidia), Rob Chu (AWS), and Eric Benhamou (Benhamou Global Ventures) will cut through the noise to reveal where AI is genuinely deployed at scale and the real risks involved. AI-themed university startups will pitch alongside global players, and the AI Film Festival Japan, a partner event at Tokyo Innovation Base in Yurakucho, will explore how AI is dynamically reshaping culture.
**Robotics — physical AI has arrived**
The robots at SusHi Tech aren’t just for display—they’re interactive. Onstage, Nissan, Isuzu, and Applied Intuition’s Qasar Younis will discuss how software-defined vehicles are transforming transportation. Physical AI isn’t a future trend; it’s here in Tokyo on April 27.
**Resilience — the cities that survive what’s coming**
Eva Chen (Trend Micro) and NEC’s Noboru Nakatani will focus on cyber defense, while leading climate tech VCs from Breakthrough Energy and Cleantech Group will discuss global investment trends. A VR disaster simulator and tours of Tokyo’s underground flood-control infrastructure will make the stakes palpable.
**Entertainment — Japan’s cultural engine meets AI**
Sessions with the CEOs of Production I.G, MAPPA, and CoMix Wave Films will delve into what it takes for Tokyo to become the animation capital of the world. On the exhibit floor, startups will showcase AI-driven solutions for translating manga globally, generating music from text prompts, and animating Japanese IP for a global audience.
**Can’t make it to Tokyo? You can still be there**
If you can’t attend SusHi Tech Tokyo in person, don’t worry. Remote participants can experience more than just a livestream—on-site staff will man devices featuring your face, allowing you to interact with attendees and exhibitors in real time. It’s the next best thing to being there physically.
Note: Some sessions may not be available for viewing. Apply for remote participation with on-site staff support.
If remote participation isn’t possible, ticket holders can stream sessions online and engage with the event’s programming from anywhere. The Tokyo Metropolitan Government will also host a summit of leaders from 55 cities on the theme “A New Urban Future Built on Climate and Disaster Resilience,” part of the G-NETS (Global City Network for Sustainability). The summit will be live-streamed and available afterward on YouTube.
SusHi Tech Tokyo 2026 will be held April 27–29 at Tokyo Big Sight. Business days are April 27–28, while April 29 is a public day with free admission. Register here.