Category: Announcements

New York, NY — The Deep Tech Forum NYC 2025, organized by Monozukuri Ventures, is set to take place on January 22-23, 2025. This year marks a pivotal moment for the event, as it focuses exclusively on collaboration with Japan, featuring Japanese corporate venture capital (CVC) teams, startups, and innovation leaders alongside New York’s vibrant tech ecosystem. Co-hosted by the New York Robotics Network, the forum seeks to connect global thought leaders, investors, and corporations in deep tech innovation.

“New York is quickly establishing itself as a key hub for deep tech, connecting ecosystems across the globe. Events like the Deep Tech Forum are instrumental in fostering international collaboration with countries like Japan and beyond,” said Jacob Hennessey-Rubin, Executive Director of New York Robotics Network. With New York’s emergence as a global tech center, the city serves as the perfect backdrop for discussions on international innovation partnerships.

Event Highlights – Day 1: Conference Day

Held at Cornell Tech on January 22,  Day 1 will spotlight the potential of Japan-U.S. collaboration, offering:

• Keynote Address: Julie Samuels, President and CEO of Tech:NYC, will deliver the keynote speech, titled “New York’s Rise: From Entrepreneurial City to Global Tech Hub.” Drawing on her extensive experience in fostering tech entrepreneurship and shaping New York’s thriving tech ecosystem, Julie will discuss how New York has emerged as a leading hub for innovation and entrepreneurship and its growing role in driving global collaboration and transformative innovation.
• Panel Discussion: The session will explore Why Venture Capitalists View Japan as a Prime Market” and share strategies for startups to succeed in the Japanese ecosystem. This engaging discussion will be moderated by Jeffrey W. Smith, General Partner at SIP Global Partners, a venture firm based in Tokyo and Boston. Local deep tech VCs will join as panelists.
• Japanese CVC Pitches: Presentations by leading Japanese corporate venture capital teams focused on robotics and climate technology.
• Networking Reception: Facilitating connections among global thought leaders, innovators, and corporate executives.

Day 1, which focuses on collaboration with Japan, is presented by the Consulate General of Japan in New York. This is the first time the Deep Tech Forum has featured Japan so prominently, despite being organized by a Japanese VC firm. As Nobuhiro Seki, Founding Partner of Monozukuri Ventures, explains, “This event underscores Japan’s role as a gateway for global business expansion, especially in robotics, AI, and manufacturing.”

Many Japanese companies hold dominant market shares in specific verticals, giving them a unique advantage in reaching global markets—yet this potential often remains a hidden gem for startups. At the same time, collaborating with Japanese companies can be challenging due to cultural differences, which are not always easy to navigate. However, with the Japanese government’s active efforts to foster entrepreneurship and attract foreign investment, interest from American VCs in the Japanese market is steadily growing. “With its international reach,” Seki adds, “New York is the best place to host a dialogue that bridges these gaps and highlights these transformative opportunities.”

Day 2: Exclusive Visits to NYC’s Innovation Hubs

On January 23, attendees will have the unique opportunity to explore some of New York City’s premier innovation hubs, including Newlab and HAX, with additional locations to be confirmed. These hubs represent the cutting edge of deep tech innovation and offer valuable networking opportunities with startups and thought leaders.

• Newlab, located in Brooklyn’s iconic Navy Yard, supports entrepreneurs and technologists working on impactful solutions in robotics, AI, and other frontier technologies. Attendees will meet with innovative startups and learn about their groundbreaking projects.
• HAX, an accelerator program backed by SOSV, focuses on hardware and deep tech startups. Known for its emphasis on rapid prototyping and scaling, HAX is a launchpad for companies shaping the future of industries such as manufacturing and healthcare. Participants will engage directly with founders and explore their journeys.

Logistics and Participation Details for Day 2:

• A chartered bus will provide transportation between the hubs, ensuring convenient travel for all participants.
• Networking sessions at each location will allow attendees to connect with startups and innovators.
• Participation Fee: Estimated at $100 per person to cover transportation and logistics.
  Sign up at https://lu.ma/ujmzo6ug to receive an invoice. Payment is required to confirm your attendance.

This exclusive tour expands on the insights from Day 1, offering hands-on exposure to NYC’s vibrant tech ecosystem and the chance to foster deeper collaborations with local innovators. Spots are limited, so early registration is encouraged!

Expanding the Deep Tech Forum Series

Following the NYC event, the Deep Tech Forum continues its mission to foster global collaboration with upcoming forums:

• Boston (February 13, 2025): Exploring innovation in bio, life sciences, and medical technology. More details here.
• Yokohama, Japan (March 7, 2025): Highlighting advancements in Japan’s deep tech ecosystem and fostering cross-border partnerships.
• NYC (September 2025): Exploring cutting-edge innovations in climate technology, urban sustainability, and future mobility during Climate Week NYC. 

Reflecting on the forum’s growth, Nobuhiro Seki shared, “2024 was a successful year for the Deep Tech Forum, and we are thrilled to expand to new strategic locations like Boston and Yokohama in 2025. Looking ahead, we’re considering hosting future forums in cities such as the Great Lakes region, Austin, and LA to continue driving innovation globally.”

About the Deep Tech Forum

The Deep Tech Forum, founded by Monozukuri Ventures, is a platform dedicated to fostering partnerships between investors, startups, and corporations in the deep tech ecosystem. By connecting innovators across borders, the forum drives impactful collaborations that accelerate innovation and create a sustainable future.

Join Us

For more details and registration, visit Deep Tech Forum NYC 2025.

Media Contact

Sabrina Sasaki, Monozukuri Ventures, [email protected]

Deep Tech Forum will convene the world’s leading deep tech startup ecosystem of founders, startups, investors and supporting communities to address the barriers to growth and success. Deep Tech Forum’s inaugural year, 2024, will feature “RAAI in Manufacturing,” where RAAI stands for Robotics, Automation and AI, and will be held in January in three North American cities – Toronto, Canada; Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania; and New York City, New York – known for their industrial backgrounds and emerging tech startup ecosystems beyond the San Francisco Bay Area.

Monozukuri Ventures, a venture capital firm focused on hardware and deep tech startups, today announced the launch of the Deep Tech Forum, where the world’s leading deep tech startup ecosystem of founders, startups, investors and supporting communities will come together to address the barriers to growth and success.

The Deep Tech Forum’s inaugural year, 2024, will feature “RAAI in Manufacturing”, where RAAI stands for Robotics, Automation and AI, and will be held in January in three North American cities – Toronto, Canada; Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania; and New York City, New York – known for their industrial backgrounds and emerging tech startup ecosystems beyond the San Francisco Bay Area.

To connect to the world’s leading manufacturing companies with deep tech startups, the Deep Tech Forum will take place in March 2024 in Kyoto, a Japanese city known for its historical heritage as well as global manufacturing companies such as Kyocera, Maxell, Murata, Nidec, Nintendo, Omron, Rohm, Screen and Shimadzu. “Japanese manufacturing companies do business globally, but they are still shy about working with startups, especially outside of Japan,” said Nobuhiro Seki, Chief Investment Officer and Founding Partner of Monozukuri Ventures. “At the Deep Tech Forum in Kyoto, deep tech entrepreneurs, especially in the RAAI industries, will find strategic partners with global presence in supply and value chains, as well as essential resources to grow their business”.

The Deep Tech Forum in Kyoto is scheduled to be held on March 7th and 8th, 2024.

The deep tech sector is one with a high affinity for “open innovation,” in which companies collaborate with large corporations and others. Unlike software-as-a-service (SaaS) startups that dominate the current startup landscape, deep tech companies need to collaborate with other companies to become part of the supply and value chain, even in the early stages of the startup. The startup ecosystem is more willing to collaborate with the open innovation arms of large corporations.

Dave Mawhinney, founding executive director of the Swartz Center for Entrepreneurship at Carnegie Mellon University and also a serial entrepreneur, explained the importance of the Deep Tech Forum. “Accelerators and VC support alone are not enough for deep tech startups, especially those spun out of universities. Active collaboration with the open innovation departments of large corporations is one of the keys to success.”

Overview of Deep Tech Forum North America 2024
January 15, 2024 in Toronto, ON: Deep Tech Forum Toronto 2024

Keynote: “Why Toronto? What’s missing for global manufacturing corporations to add value in the deep tech ecosystem? What do startups need to grow from the early stage to the next steps?”
Speaker: Thomas Park, Lead Partner, BDC Deep Tech Venture Fund
The BDC Deep Tech Venture Fund is Canada’s largest VC fund ($200 million) dedicated to deep tech. Registration: https://deep-tech-forum-toronto-2024.peatix.com/

Excursion (optional): Visit to University of Toronto and the innovation hub “MaRS”

January 17, 2024 in Pittsburgh, PA: Deep Tech Forum Pittsburgh 2024

Keynote: “Pittsburgh: The world’s leading ecosystem for robotics startups”
Speaker: Kevin Dowling, Managing Director of Robotics Factory, Innovation Works
Robotics Factory is a startup accelerator who creates, accelerates and helps scale robotics startups in the Pittsburgh region.
Guest speaker: Ilana Diamond, Managing Partner at 412 Venture Fund, Founder of Hardware Cup Pitch Competition and former Founding Managing Director of AlphaLab Gear
Registration: https://deep-tech-forum-pittsburgh-2024.peatix.com/
Excursion (optional): Visit to Carnegie Mellon University & Swartz Center for Entrepreneurship (planned on January 16)

January 19, 2024 in New York, NY: Deep Tech Forum New York 2024

Keynote Speaker: Duncan Turner, General Partner SOSV & Managing Director HAX
HAX is the first startup accelerator focused on hardtech. It was first founded in Shenzhen, China but SOSV, its parent, announced they selected Newark, NJ as its U.S. headquarters.
Registration: https://deep-tech-forum-nyc-2024.peatix.com
Excursion (optional): Visit to Newlab in Brooklyn Navy Yard. Newlab is one of the largest hardware incubators and Urban-X by BMW MINI.

Sponsorship opportunities are available to promote brands and showcase products. Contact details here.

About Monozukuri Ventures
Monozukuri Ventures is a company that provides investment and hands-on support to seed stage startups and also works on open innovation education in the deep tech sector. The firm was formed in 2020 through the business merger of Kyoto-based Darma Tech Labs and New York-based FabFoundry.

The company began venture investing in the U.S. in 2017, leveraging its predecessor FabFoundry’s close relationships with the startup ecosystem in the deep-tech space, particularly on the East Coast of North America and in the Great Lakes region, and has invested in more than 30 companies over the past seven years, with a focus on startups that leverage advanced manufacturing technologies.

For more information about the announcement, contact here.