IVS 2026 will launch an invite-only area for decision-makers, “IVS CORE,” at Hotel Okura Kyoto. The event will be held on July 1 and 2, bringing together about 1,000 decision-makers.
IVS2026, the largest-scale startup conference in Japan, will be held over three days from Wednesday, July 1 to Friday, July 3, 2026, with Miyakomesse, ROHM Theatre Kyoto, Hotel Okura Kyoto, and other venues as the main sites. This time, we are launching "IVS CORE", an invitation-only decision-maker area at Hotel Okura Kyoto, and it will be held over two days on Wednesday, July 1 and Thursday, July 2.
IVS CORE is a two-day gathering of about 1,000 decision makers. Basically, all sessions prohibit video recording, audio recording, and social media posting, and we hold 90-minute discussions without any pretense (some off-the-record discussions are also planned).
The prices are CORE PASS (¥199,800/tax included) and CORE PASS Startup (¥79,800/tax included). Both are screening-based, and we will provide information to those who are invited or who meet the specified participation requirements. CORE PASS maximizes the practical value for decision makers over the two days.
A place where not 13,000 people, but only 1,000 of them gather
Over the past several years, IVS has expanded to a scale of more than 13,000 people. In terms of broadening the startup industry, this was a period in which centrifugal force was at work.
At the same time, we heard from decision makers that they wanted a place where they could have more in-depth discussions. IVS CORE is the "centripetal" area designed to respond to those voices. You can experience both the energy of 13,000 people and the density of 1,000 people.
IVS CORE is not a place for observers. It is a place for people who can move the future of industries through their own decisions.
There are discussions that emerge precisely because it is closed
Basically, all sessions are off the record. Recording, audio recording, social media posting, and photography are prohibited (some discussions are also planned to be off the record).
Whether you are a business leader or a policymaker, there are things you can say publicly and things you cannot. In IVS CORE, we made all sessions off the record the basic policy so that participants can engage in serious discussions. Each session is 90 minutes. We have designed the sessions to be longer than those at the main IVS event. The time is structured not for "talking briefly and getting to the point" but for "settling in and discussing at length."
Speaker information will be announced soon. Please look forward to it.
CORE PASS maximizes the practical value of your two days
CORE PASS includes the main value to maximize the IVS CORE experience, along with additional perks that further enhance it.
Main value
CORE LOUNGE (CORE Lounge lunch networking)
Day 2 lunch networking will be held in the lounge at Hotel Okura KyotoSPEAKER LOUNGE (special access to the Speaker Lounge)
The space open only to speakers (the Speaker Lounge at the main IVS venue / inside ROHM Theatre Kyoto) can be used by IVS CORE participants throughout the eventGUEST CONNECTOR (designing connections)
During the event, a dedicated connector will be stationed at the venue and will connect decision makers with one another based on participant attributes and areas of interestOFF-THE-RECORD (off-the-record sessions)
90-minute discussions without any pretense. Recording, audio recording, and social media posting are strictly prohibited
Additional perks
STARTUP MARKET TOUR
A VC accompanies you through the Startup Market, where more than 300 companies from Japan are exhibitingPARTICIPANT LIST
The IVS CORE participant list will be shared before the eventMEETING BOOTHS
Dedicated booths available by advance reservation for business meetings, interviews, and press coverageVIP VEHICLE
Bus and rickshaw transfers from major hotels in Kyoto City to the IVS CORE venue, exclusive to IVS CORE participantsDUAL ACCESS
All-day full access to both IVS CORE and IVS venues
There are two types of PASS. Both are screening-based
CORE PASS (¥199,800 / tax included) — For Decision Makers
This pass is for executives and decision makers at operating companies, VC/CVCs, financial institutions, institutional investors, and policymakers.
Participation eligibility (examples)
Executives and decision makers at operating companies (including executive-level leaders at large corporations)
VC/CVC (venture capital / corporate venture capital) partners, fund GPs, and leaders responsible for M&A, new business, and strategic investments
Financial institutions, institutional investors, and asset owners
Government and local government policymakers
CORE PASS Startup (¥79,800 / tax included) — For Founders
This screening-based pass is for founders within seven years of founding, those who have already raised or plan to raise equity financing, or executives in the deep tech field. You can use the same experience as CORE PASS.
Participation eligibility
Executives within seven years of founding who have already raised or plan to raise equity financing
Executives in the deep tech field (no limit on years since founding, including university-originated startups)
* Please complete your purchase within two weeks after approval.
Because CORE PASS is invitation-only, please register for the Waiting List. After you register, we will send you an invitation after a review by the organizers.
Please note that even if you register, you may not be able to participate due to capacity limits. For details, please visit the official IVS CORE website.
IVS CORE event overview
Name: IVS CORE
Dates: Two days, Wednesday, July 1 and Thursday, July 2, 2026
Venue: Hotel Okura Kyoto (Kawaramachi-Oike, Nakagyo Ward, Kyoto City)
Capacity: Approximately 1,000 people (invitation-only)
Hours: 10:00–18:00 (registration opens at 9:00) / 90 minutes per session
Price: CORE PASS ¥199,800 (tax included) / CORE PASS Startup ¥79,800 (tax included)
Official site: https://www.ivs.events/ivs-core
Overview of IVS2026
IVS is Japan's largest-scale startup conference, launched in 2007. Startups, investors, large companies, creators, and others from Japan and around the world gather here, and in 2026 it will be held in Kyoto under the theme "Japan is Back".
This year, we are creating a new "IVS" area — the culmination of the evolved IVS2023, IVS2024, and IVS2025 events held in Kyoto (Kyoto Municipal Industrial Exhibition Hall "Miyakomesse" and ROHM Theatre Kyoto) — along with a new invitation-only Reiwa-era IVS "IVS CORE" area (Hotel Okura Kyoto). The event will be held across these two areas.
【IVS (Miyakomesse and ROHM Theatre Kyoto)】
This area is open to everyone who helps create the next generation: startup stakeholders, operating companies, investors, aspiring entrepreneurs, supporters, government, research institutions, and students. It will feature stage sessions, the startup exhibition "Startup Market," and IVS's flagship pitch event, "IVS LAUNCHPAD."
【IVS CORE (Hotel Okura Kyoto)】 *Newly established / invitation-only
This is a fully invitation-only area for decision makers only, including startup executives, institutional investors, large-company executives, and government and policy officials. It offers a place where concrete decisions are put into motion, with all sessions off the record, power matching among decision makers, M&A matching, and more.
Participation in IVS2026 requires an access pass. There are two types: the "IVS PASS", which allows access to the IVS area, and the fully invitation-only "CORE PASS", which allows access to the IVS CORE area. CORE PASS is a screening-based pass and can only be purchased by invitees.
Name: IVS2026
Theme: Japan is Back
Dates: Wednesday, July 1 to Friday, July 3, 2026
Venue: Kyoto Municipal Industrial Exhibition Hall "Miyakomesse", ROHM Theatre Kyoto, Hotel Okura Kyoto, and more
Organizer: IVS KYOTO Executive Committee (Headline Japan / Kyoto Prefecture / Kyoto City)
Official site: https://www.ivs.events/
Official X: https://x.com/IVS_Official
About the IVS KYOTO Executive Committee
Established jointly by Headline Japan, Kyoto Prefecture, and Kyoto City with the aim of further developing the startup ecosystem and promoting local industry through the Kyoto edition of IVS. We will foster collaboration between startups and companies, universities and research institutions, and cultural assets concentrated in Kyoto, leading to the creation of new industries and the emergence of globally competitive startup companies.
Constituent organizations: Headline Japan, Kyoto Prefecture, Kyoto City