Registration
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Introduction
The speed of innovation and disruptive innovations has drastically accelerated in the last 10 years on a global level. Small start-ups have started to challenge global players and reached evaluations or M&As in the range of billions of dollars.
Some questions we want to try to answer:
- What are the real important points about innovating?
- How can companies and governments drive innovation?
- What does the future of innovation look like?
Japan is home to 40% of the top 100 innovative companies in the world and ranks number two globally in terms of patent filings. It is seen as the most creative country through the eyes of international creative and design professionals. At the same time, over 50% of all companies that are older than 200 years are also located In Japan. The country has found a unique way of combining tradition and innovation.
This is the first time ever to bring together start-ups, governments, innovation experts, traditional 200+ year old companies and big global players in one place and talk about the future of Innovation.
In addition to this, it brings the angle of value into the innovation discussion.
What is the GIVS Summit?
GIVS stands for Global Innovation and Value Summit. It will be held for the first time from October 5th – 7th 2018.
This summit is about a new holistic (and sustainable) view on Innovation, based on heritage, which transcends traditions and borders and spans from start-ups to governments. The special angle on innovation is the creation of true, lasting value.
The Summit comprises both a powerful one-day open public business symposium, and a two-day in-depth academic conference with the aim of bringing together the best of business practice and research.
The Symposium will bring together several high-profile keynote speakers and presenters as well as plenary panels looking at questions of innovation and value.
The first panel will look at Heritage companies in Japan. The country offers excellent case studies of companies which have had to repeatedly innovate to survive. The next two panels will offer contrastive insights and perspectives from both big companies and start-ups, and the final panel will look at innovation from the side of government and education.
The attendees (300-400) will be senior managers from Japanese and international companies, key decision makers in the Japanese government, local and international start-up founders as well as foreign government representatives. The Symposium also includes several networking opportunities over lunch and coffee as well as a dedicated networking session at the end of the symposium.
The Conference will bring together 200-300 international researchers and academic professionals to discuss innovation and value with a focus on innovation ecosystems in the global, regional and local ecosystem of Japan.
Symposium Speakers & Moderators*
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Masao HosooPresident (11th Generation), Hosoo Corporation
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H.E. Dr Toshiya HoshinoAmbassador and Deputy Permanent Representative of Japan to the United Nations
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Masafumi IshibashiSenior Managing Executive Officer, Nestle Japan Ltd
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Reverend Takafumi KawakamiZen Priest & Vice Abbot, Shunkoin Temple, Kyoto, Japan
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David MilsteinPartner, Head of Japan, Eight Roads Ventures
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Rumiko ObataExecutive Vice President, Obata Sake Brewery
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Dr Sachio SemmotoChairman, RENOVA, Inc.
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Kei ShimadaDirector of Innovation, IBM Innovation and Incubation Labs
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Professor Philip SugaiProfessor, Doshisha University, Graduate School of Business, Japan
*There will be a total of over 35 high profile speakers and moderators at the symposium
Who should attend?
- Japanese business and executives interested in how to innovate and how reinvent themselves
- International business and decision makers who want to learn about global innovation from Japan
- Government delegates interested in creating and utilising innovation for solving social issues
- Start-ups from Japan and abroad to learn about a new approaches of innovation
- International Innovation experts who want to learn about creating innovation ecosystems
- Local and international business professionals who want to connect with innovators
- International and local media to learn and talk about new ways of innovation and value
- Everyone who wants to build and be part of a global network of innovation experts
Summit Locations
Day I Venue | Global Business Hub Tokyo

Global Business Hub Tokyo
Days II & III Venue | Toshi Center

Toshi Center
Summit at a Glance
GIVS Symposium – 1 Day Event |
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Date: | October 5, 2018 | ||
Location: | Global Business Hub Tokyo | ||
Speakers: | 35+ (incl. moderators) | ||
Guests Total: | 300-400 | ||
Audience: | Senior members of bigger and smaller Japanese & foreign companies, government decision makers, start-up founders (Japan & Western) | ||
Language: | English with Japanese interpretation | ||
Length: | One Day |
GIVS Conference – 2 Day Event |
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Dates: | October 6 & 7, 2018 | ||
Location: | Toshi Center, Tokyo | ||
Speakers: | 150+ from over 40 countries | ||
Guests Total: | 200-300 | ||
Audience: | Academic researchers, academic teachers, students (Japanese & international) | ||
Language: | English | ||
Length: | Two days |