GET IN THE RING OSAKA 2023/2024 2nd edition – Impact Society – （December 18th, 2023）

GET IN THE RING” is a startup pitch competition that started in the Netherlands in 2012. The Osaka Innovation Hub will host the 8th times Japanese Regional competition at its venue for the first time in three years.
This year’s theme is “Impact Society”, and startups with innovative products and services that lead the times and bring impact to global society in various industries, such as global environmental issues, accelerating aging society, evolving AI data analysis, medical and life sciences, and future energy and food issues. Startups with such products and services will participate in the competition. Six finalists who made it through the preliminary rounds took the stage.

The pitch battle started with a dramatic opening video with the ringmaster appearing in real life for the first time in three years on the real ring!

First, the two lightweight class companies nimbly made their way to the ring!

＜Lightweight Class＞

Red Corner：Green Carbon　http://green-carbon.co.jp/
Green Carbon is engaged in carbon credit creation and sales support business mainly in Japan and Southeast Asia. In Japan, the company implements methane gas reduction projects by extending the period of mid-drying of paddy fields, forest management, and biochar projects.

Blue corner：Revo Energy　https://www.revo-e.jp/
Revo Energy is a company developing a “BDF production system” that combines organic dependent culture technology for growing Euglenas without photosynthesis and hydroponic cultivation technology for rice.

The spotlight shone on the two teams as they answered numerous questions from the judges about their businesses, creating a tense atmosphere in the room. The first pitch battle came to an end. The winner was Green Carbon!

Next up is the battle of the middleweight classes.

＜Middleweight Class＞

Red Corner：Oceaneyes　https://oceaneyes.co.jp/
Oceaneyes is a technology venture company that aims to achieve sustainable ocean use by utilizing cutting-edge technologies such as ocean numerical modeling and data assimilation techniques.

Blue corner：SKYSCAPE　https://skyscape.site/ja/about/
SKYSCAPE is a company that specializes in the Advanced Air Mobility industry. The company focuses on three main businesses: operational services such as aerial photography and surveying using drones, consulting, and the development and operation of takeoff and landing sites for flying vehicles (commonly known as “vertiports”).

The scale of Oceaneye’s business is spectacular, with its market in the “ocean” and SKYSCAPE’s business in the “sky”. The judges asked sharp questions about the new business, which conjured up visions of a new future. And the winner was SKYSCAPE.

The young American entrepreneur who started his business in Osaka was declared the winner.
The final battle is a heavyweight.

＜Heavyweight Class＞

Red Corner：EX-Fusion　https://ex-fusion.com/
EX-Fusion is an Osaka University venture company that aims to commercialize a laser fusion commercial reactor.Nuclear fusion is a technology that generates large amounts of energy by fusing small particles at high temperatures and pressures, based on the same principle as the energy source of the sun. The company aims to use this technology to create a new industry in the world.

Blue corner：issin　https://issin.cc/
Issin is a startup from the University of Tokyo that offers “Smart Bath Mat,” a bath mat that automatically measures weight and BMI after bathing.

Both startups, both university-based startups that are the pride of Japan in the East and the West, are on stage.
In the heavyweight pitch battle, business scale, achievements, and strategies for global expansion were discussed one after another. The audience was moved by their grand visions of using technology to more effectively address social issues around the world and to implement new energy sources into society.

The heavyweight winner is EX-Fusion.
Expectations are high for this startup from Osaka University, which is leading the development of clean, safe, and limitless resources for all mankind through fusion energy, which is the focus of the world’s attention!
This was the first time since GET IN THE RING OSAKA began that two “startups from Osaka” have won the finals.

＜Award＞

Congratulations to the winning startups!
The three finalists will be invited to the world competition scheduled for the fall of 2024.

This year’s final battles was held at the venue, and the stage was filled with many “passionate messages” from each company. Each time, wonderful startups have challenged GET IN THE RING. Startups that have a small team but have a big vision and develop the latest technology to confront grand global social issues…. Osaka Innovation Hub will continue to support all startups who keep challenging themselves.

We are also waiting for new courageous startups to come up to the next stage….

A place where game changers who change the world gather…in Osaka.