The Japan External Trade Organization (JETRO) will present 10 innovative Japanese startup companies at SXSW Interactive, the largest conference of its kind and a launching pad for new ideas and creative technologies. The featured Japanese technologies are a testament to the expanse of the human imagination and a desire to bring greater joy, environmental stewardship and groundbreaking innovation to both industries and everyday life.
The Japanese Ministry of Economy, Trade and Industry (METI) and JETRO have started a new initiative called the J-Startup Program that helps cultivate the brightest of Japan’s startups to succeed in world markets.
The J-Startup booths are located in the Japan Pavilion in the Austin Convention Center at Booth 819. Representatives from the startups will demonstrate their products and services during the International Innovation Platform in the conference’s southwestern corner on Tuesday, March 12, 2019, from 1 to 2 p.m. Exhibitors include:
ALE Co., Ltd. (http://star-ale.com/en/): ALE is the creator of Sky Canvas, the world’s first man-made meteor shower project. ALE harvests stardust from particles accumulated on micro-satellites, creating the appearance of meteor showers.
AI Silk Corporation (http://www.ai-silk.com/english/): AI SILK turns raw silk into conductive, comfortable, and durable clothing. It collects physical data to help individuals regain and maintain health after an injury or illness.
ArchiTek Corporation (http://architek.co.jp/En_ArchiTek_HP/En_index.html): ArchiTek creates high-performance yet inexpensive computer chips to help other companies run artificial Intelligence (AI) programs and algorithms.
Empath Inc. (https://webempath.com/): Empath creates artificial intelligence (AI) that identifies emotions from voices in real-time, regardless of the language. Their mission to develop and provide technology where all people can understand and help each other.
Life is Tech, Inc. (https://lifeistech.co.jp/en/): Life is Tech is the largest IT programming school for teens in Japan. It introduces middle school and high school students to programming through special camps and classes offered across Japan.
LOAD&ROAD INC. (https://teplotea.com/): LOAD&ROAD is the creator of a tea-brewing innovation called Teplo. It uses a heart-rate sensor to collect data and shares it with a mobile app which directs Teplo to brew a personalized cup of tea.
Spiber Inc. (https://www.spiber.jp/en): Spiber produces affordable synthetic protein materials for widespread industrial use. In doing so, Spiber and its partners are ushering in a new age of manufacturing where the large-scale adoption of protein materials can provide a stable environmental alternative for the clothing industry.
Triple W (https://www.dfreeus.biz/): Triple W, an innovator of connected health devices, is the developer of DFree®, the first health wearable device for urinary incontinence. It monitors, analyzes, and notifies users through mobile ultrasound technology when to use the bathroom.
Unipos Inc. (https://unipos.app/en/): Unipos has created a simple and fun way for employees to honor each other’s workplace contributions through a social media mobile app. It delivers “peer bonus” notifications through popular collaboration tools like Slack, Chatwork, and Workplace to all employees and/or teams on timelines.
Yume Cloud Inc. (http://www.yume-cloud.com/): Yume has developed a new, luminous way to enjoy sake with its Masu Glass. The Masu Glass combines the traditional way of drinking sake with modern IoT technology to colorfully illuminate a sake drinker’s movements, pours, toasts, as well as surrounding sounds and musical beats.
For more information about SXSW 2019, visit https://www.sxsw.com/.
About JETRO: JETRO is the Japanese government agency responsible for promoting trade and investment between Japan and the rest of the world. JETRO provides support and assistance to American companies entering the Japanese market and to Japanese companies expanding overseas. JETRO was established in 1958 and has more than 70 offices around the world, including six offices in the USA. JETRO provides a wide range of services, including timely market intelligence, extensive business development support, and relevant business events, all designed to encourage business partnerships between American companies and Japan.