About HONGO AI
HONGO AI is a pitch contest started in 2019 by VCs, universities, organizations and supporting companies with the aim of creating a unique global ecosystem based on "HONGO". Over the past three years, 42 companies have won the HONGO AI Award. Each of the startups has taken on the challenge of transforming society through the use of AI, impacting the market with their own "seriousness" and continuing to grow.
For the 4th edition of "HONGO AI 2022," the entry period started on July 1, and after the entry deadline on September 2, the award-winning startups were selected through document and secondary screening by the pre-selection committee members.
The pre-selection committee members for HONGO AI 2022 and the 14 companies selected for the Award are as follows
<Preliminary Selection Committee Members
Takashi Takahashi (Representative Director and President, Brainpad)
Takeyoshi Izaki, Director, Enterprise Business Division, NVIDIA G.K.
Masaya Kubota (Partner, WIL)
Tomonori Shindo (Editor-in-Chief, Nikkei Robotics, Nikkei BP)
＜HONGO AI 2022 Award Start-up
(Representative Director: Yoichi Sato)
https://www.isurgery.tech/
■ Aquila Systems, Inc. (President: LaDesk George)
https://aquila.company
■IntegrAI Corporation (CEO Bayarbat Nomumbayasgalant)
https://integrai.jp
Ayumu Aoki, Representative Director, AI Security Labs, Inc.
https://www.aeyesec.jp/
Opt Fit Corporation (Representative Director: Akira Watanabe)
https://optfit.jp/
KINDLER Corporation (Representative Director and CEO: Asuka Kadowaki)
https://www.gokindler.com/
Closer Corporation (Representative Director: Shota Higuchi)
https://close-r.com/
(Representative Director and CEO: Tatsuki Minami)
https://www.schemeverge.com/
SUPWAT Corporation (CEO Takuya Yokoyama)
https://www.supwat.com/
Datagusto Corporation (CEO Mao Parr)
https://lp.datagusto.jp/
Data Grid Corporation (Representative Director: Yuki Okada)
https://datagrid.co.jp/
FingerVision Corporation (Representative Director: Tomonori Kono)
https://www.fingervision.jp/
FastLabel Corporation (Representative: Eisuke Ueda)
https://fastlabel.ai/
Reborn Corporation (Representative Director: Hiroaki Matsuoka)
https://www.revorn.co.jp/
The above 14 companies will compete in the final round, which will be held on December 7 (Wed.) at the Ito Hall of the University of Tokyo,
Pitches will be made for the HONGO AI 2022 Best Award.
The finalists will be screened on Nikkei Channel (Nikkei Channel), the video portal of Nikkei Inc.https://channel.nikkei.co.jp/The event will be live-streamed at 1:00 p.m. on
＜HONGO AI 2022 Application Guidelines
◇ Targets for participation
Start-up companies (including those planning to register) that meet any of the following requirements
We will continue to work with businesses that utilize AI technologies (machine learning, deep learning, etc.)
Total value of shares as of the most recent round *Less than 2 billion yen or 500 million yen in funding *Total value of shares as of the most recent round
The applicant must not have received the "HONGO AI Award" in the past.
Selection Criteria
Attractiveness of the target market (size, growth potential, social significance, etc.)
Team/structure (AI technical capabilities, quality of team, etc.)
Business model (business model, strategy resolution, etc.)
Competitive advantage (difficulty of imitating technology, strength on the sales floor, etc.)
◇ Commendation
The companies that pass the secondary selection and participate in the final competition will be selected as "HONGO AI 2022 Award" winners.
The company with the best pitch in the final will be awarded the "HONGO AI 2022 Besr Award" and will receive 500,000 yen as prize money.
The sponsors will award a "Corporate Award" to companies participating in the final competition.
<Main Selection Committee Members
The company's business activities are based on the concept of "a sustainable society", which is a key element of the TUAT's business strategy.
Yutaka Matsuo, Professor, Department of Technology Management and Strategy, TUAT Research Center for Engineering and Manufacturing, Graduate School of Engineering, TUAT
Katsuya Uenoyama (President, PKSHA Technology, Inc.)
Taizo Son (Founder, Mistletoe) *Submitted by
the rest
＜HONGO AI Past Best Award Startups
HONGO AI 2019 Best Award
Mr. Motohiro Kizaki (right), MI-6 Corporation
Presenter: Mr. Katsumasa Niki (Director, HONGO AI General Incorporated Association; President, Deep Core Inc.)
HONGO AI 2020 Best Award
Yuichi Tamura (center), President and CEO, Cardio Intelligence Inc.
Presenters: Mr. Dai Matsumoto (HONGO AI 2020 Main Selection Committee Member, President and CEO, Monex Group, Inc.) (left), Mr. Taizo Son (HONGO AI 2020 Main Selection Committee Member, Founder, Mistletoe) (right)
HONGO AI 2021 Best Award
Mr. Yukiteru Nishimoto, CEO, MENOU Corporation (right) Presenter: Mr. Michitake Shigematsu, (HONGO AI 2021 Main Selection Committee Member, President of Neural Pocket Corporation) (left)
<Final Round
Date: December 7, 2022 (Wed.) 13:00-18:00 (tentative)
Venue: Ito Hall, TUAT
Ito Shien Hall, The University of Tokyo (view of HONGO AI 2019)
*Admission to 2022 is for related parties and invited guests only.
For the general public, the Nikkei Channel (https://channel.nikkei.co.jp/The live feed will be available at
Pre-registration for live streaming will begin in early November.
HONGO AI official site（https://hongo.ai/), Nihon Keizai Shimbun ads, etc.
◇ Implementation System
Organized by HONGO AI
Advanced Technology Co-creation Agency (ATAC), DeepCore, Deep30, TUAT Edge Capital Partners, TUAT Collaborative Platform Development, ANRI
Co-sponsored by Nihon Keizai Shimbun, Inc.
Supported by: Ministry of Economy, Trade and Industry, Bunkyo Ward, The Japanese Society for Artificial Intelligence, The University of Tokyo Industry-Academia Co-Creation Promotion Division, Japan Venture Capital Association, Japan Deep Learning Association, AI Data Application Consortium, AI Business Promotion Consortium
■Support
Platinum Sponsor: ITOCHU Corporation
Gold Sponsor; Sumitomo Corporation
Silver Sponsors: EY Japan, Softbank, Fujita, Sumitomo Mitsui Banking Corporation
Bronze Sponsors: Microsoft Japan, Tokio Marine Holdings, Hakuhodo, Mitsui Fudosan
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