Recognizing the best of innovation and entrepreneurship in Japan – U.S. business

The Japan – U.S. Innovation Awards Symposium is the signature event of the Innovation Awards Program, the longest running annual program in the Bay Area celebrating the links between Silicon Valley and Japan innovation. Each year, the Japan – U.S. Innovation Awards selects one innovative high-growth company from Japan and one from the U.S. that are already beginning to transform a major industry or value chain. 

The symposium will include:

• Accepting the 2026 SunBridge-John Thomas Emerging Leader Award:
  • Ren Ito, Stanford University Alumnus and Co-Founder & Chairman of Sakana AI (Japan Awardee)
  • Jeffrey Bleich, General Counsel for Anthropic (U.S. Awardee)
• Innovation Showcase to recognize five exciting Japanese start-up companies: HACARUS (Artificial Intelligence), I Peace, Inc. (Regenerative Medicine), KORTUC (Cancer Therapeutics), Ookuma Diamond Device (Advanced Semiconductors) & Pale Blue (Space Technology)
• Keynote speaker Jim Adler, Founder and General Partner at Toyota Ventures, on the physical AI in the U.S.-Japan landscape
• Prior Awardee Keynote Segment with Vanessa Davis, Chief Product Officer at LegalOn Technologies, on how the massive revolution in AI has impacted their industry since winning the Emerging Leader Award in 2023
• Lunch 

Details & registration: https://www.usjinnovate.org/

*Free for Stanford ID holders

The Japan – U.S. Innovation Awards Program is produced by the Japan Society of Northern California in cooperation with the Stanford University US-Asia Technology Management Center.