■Introduction
Hi everyone, my name is Miyazaki, and I have been assigned to this office since April 2025. I will do my best to promote Hokkaido and look forward to your continued support.
In this month’s local report, I will share about the “Youth Innovation Expo” Asia Tournament held at Nanyang Technological University in Singapore. The “Youth Innovation Expo” is one of the world’s largest pitch events, where students from Japan and abroad gather to present and share ideas on entrepreneurship and technological innovation. The official venue of the event will be at the Osaka-Kansai Expo. However regional qualifying rounds are held not only in Japan but also in Europe and Asia. In Singapore, which hosted the Asia Tournament, many students including those participating online delivered outstanding presentations.
■ Highlights of the pitch contest
Over 150 teams applied to participate in the Asia Competition, and after a preliminary screening process, 10 teams were selected to compete. Student teams aspiring to become future entrepreneurs joined from not only Singapore but also various ASEAN countries and India.
The participating teams delivered ambitious presentations across diverse fields, including AI-powered weather data analysis, early disease detection systems, and counseling apps capable of analyzing psychological states. After evaluation by a panel of three judges, the grand prize was awarded to “Digi-Up!”, a student team from the National University of Singapore that presented a project focused on preventing digital scams targeting the elderly. They earned the right to compete in the main event, which will be held at the official venue of Expo 2025 Osaka, Kansai this July.
Additionally, Mr. Okabe, the head of our office and one of the competition judges, addressed the participants and encouraged them to consider Hokkaido not only as a famous tourist destination but also as a region with strong potential in renewable energy and digital industries. He emphasized that Hokkaido welcomes foreign investment and startups, urging students to view it as a possible future business hub. Some science and technology students who are considering launching startups showed interest after hearing about Hokkaido’s investment advantages and entrepreneurial opportunities.
■Conclusion
Through this pitch contest, we were able to effectively promote the business potential of Hokkaido to many students aspiring to start businesses in Asia. While Hokkaido is already a popular travel destination in Singapore and the broader ASEAN region, we aim to build a foundation for diverse economic exchange by actively promoting its wide-ranging appeal, including its investment advantages and entrepreneurial opportunities. Moving forward, we will continue our promotional efforts across various platforms.
▲Award ceremony
▲ Promoted the charm of Hokkaido to young aspiring entrepreneurs in Asia