From Wednesday, 2 July to Friday, 4 July 2025, Kyoto hosted IVS Kyoto 2025, one of Japan’s largest start-up conferences.

Z Venture Capital (ZVC) not only took the stage in official sessions but also organised and co-hosted multiple side events. Founders, investors and corporate leaders from Japan and abroad gathered under one roof, filling the venues with energy throughout the three-day program.

ZVC will continue to create opportunities that connect entrepreneurs, investors and corporates, further nurturing the start-up ecosystem.

Main Session

“Reaching for Space: Front-Line Markets and the Roadmap to Growth”

Held on the afternoon of Day 1, this session dived into the real-world business of space.

Panelists：Ryo Fujii – Editor-in-Chief, UchuBiz (Moderator)／Ren Uechi – CEO, Solafune／Katsumi Tanaka – Director, Iwaya Giken／Azusa Muta – COO, Tellus／Taku Uchimaru – Principal, ZVC

ZVC’s Taku Uchimaru joined the discussion.

Together with the moderator and other speakers, we had an in-depth discussion about why ZVC is focusing on space now, and how we as a VC view the funding environment for startups.

Side Events

From here, we'll provide a digest of the side events that ZVC organized and co-hosted this time.

2 July (Day 1, evening)

JAPAN TO GLOBAL MEETUP

On the first night of IVS, we held a networking event co-hosted by ZVC and Asu Capital at Ace Cafe in Kyoto City. This was the second consecutive year for the event themed "JAPAN TO GLOBAL".

Despite the rain before the start, the venue was filled with over 100 people, including entrepreneurs aiming for global expansion from Japan and VCs from both domestic and international markets, creating an atmosphere full of energy.

Many guest VCs who had come to Japan for IVS also participated in the event, making it a valuable opportunity for networking.

3 July (Day 2)

VC Scramble at a Temple

On the second day of IVS, many people gathered at Butsugenji Temple in Kyoto City before 8 am.

"VC Scramble" is a matching event for entrepreneurs and VCs. This was also held for the second consecutive year, following last year's event.

About 80 people participated in the event, including approximately 20 VCs and CVCs from Kansai and Tokyo, with Skyland Ventures as a co-organizer. In addition to the matching event with 15-minute one-on-one slots for fundraising discussions, business feedback, and mentoring, there was also a networking session combined with breakfast. Active exchanges of opinions among participants took place over the course of about 2 hours：Partner Masaki Yuda participated from ZVC.

“Start-up M&A: Roll-Up Strategies” (with Strike & East Ventures)

From 6:00 PM on Thursday, July 3, we co-hosted a talk session and networking event with Strike and East Ventures on the themes of "Entertainment" and "M&A".

The venue was Question, with a view of Kyoto City Hall through the glass windows. About 120 people participated in the event. The talk session was conducted in two parts：In the first half, ZVC Principal Chihiro Kameoka served as the moderator and had an in-depth discussion with Mao, CFO of Utaite, and Takeshi Kaneko, Partner at East Ventures, about global entertainment trends and noteworthy developments.

Japanese Pop Culture Networking

From 6:30 PM on Thursday, July 3, we held a networking event called "Japanese Pop Culture Networking" co-hosted by Z Venture Capital, TBS Innovation Partners, Dentsu Ventures, Shochiku Ventures, and Bandai Namco Entertainment.

The event brought together key figures currently active in the entertainment business, including startups, established companies, and investors.

The event was a great success, with the venue at its capacity of 120 people consistently full throughout the approximately two-hour duration.

Through IVS this time as well, we were able to meet and connect with many people.

Thank you very much to everyone who participated in each session and event! We would also like to express our gratitude to the IVS management team for creating this opportunity.

As ZVC, we will continue to actively deepen our collaborations to contribute to the further growth of the startup ecosystem.