WE AT Announces 20 Finalists for WE AT Challenge 2026, a Global Pitch Contest Aiming to Become One of Asia’s Largest Well-being Festivals. Final Pitch Event to Be Held on November 27 at Tokyo Innovation Base
WE AT, a general incorporated association dedicated to advancing the well-being industry by addressing global social challenges, is pleased to announce the selection of 20 finalists for WE AT Challenge 2026. The finalists will present their pitches at the final event on Friday, November 27, 2026, at Tokyo Innovation Base (TIB).
WE AT Challenge is a global pitch contest that aims to become one of Asia’s largest well-being festivals. The contest seeks to discover and support innovative ideas and businesses developed by startups, entrepreneurs, researchers, and other innovators from around the world.
Now in its third year since its launch in 2024, WE AT Challenge 2026 invited applications across four tracks: Track 1: Planetary Well-being, Track 2: Human Well-being, Track 3: Social Well-being, and Track 4: Creativity Well-being. The contest received more than 600 applications from 40 countries worldwide, exceeding last year’s total, with entries from teams representing diverse backgrounds, including startups, students, researchers, and corporate projects. Temasek Foundation, based in Singapore, continues its participation as an Official Partner for the third consecutive year.
Following a selection process consisting of application screening and online interviews, 20 finalists have been selected. They will present their pitches at the final event on November 27.
At the final event, a panel of experts from various fields will evaluate the finalists and select the winning team in each track. Through WE AT Challenge, WE AT aims to support the growth of entrepreneurs and startups tackling social challenges, foster collaboration among industry, academia, and government, and promote new business creation and global expansion.
WE AT Challenge 2026 Finalists
Track 1: Planetary Well-being - Innovations for One Earth –
FUST Lab. — CEO, Minsung Hwangbo
MiRESSO Co., Ltd. — CEO, Masaru Nakamichi
Aeropod — CEO & Co-founder, Lu Afolayan
Qolombo Elements Co., Ltd. — Representative Director, Takashi Namba
SkySense Inc. —CEO, Pavel Adodin
Track2：Human Well-being – Enriching Lives and Health for People Around the World –
OUI Inc. — CEO, Dr. Eisuke Shimizu
PragmaClin Research Inc. — CEO and Co-Founder, Bronwyn Bridges
Quick Inc. — Founder & CEO, Atsuhiro Takeda
Syd Life AI — CEO, Lorena Puica
The PHAGE, inc — CEO & Founder, Shohei Tokunaga
Track3：Social Well-being – Designing Our Future Lives across Places –
CartFit Inc. — CEO & CTO, Sousuke Shimizu
Quixotiks, Inc. — CEO, Tetsuro Ariyoshi
SYNRA Co., Ltd. — Representative Director, Kohei Shimasaki
Tsunagari-AI, Inc. — Founder & CEO, Hiroki Komazaki
The Vlightup Group — Founder & CEO, Yoshio Minamoto
Track4：Creativity Well-being – Art with purpose. Creativity with impact –
Clepseadra, Inc. — Founder & CEO, Homare Kon
Atlas, Inc. — CEO, Yuki Miyazaki
ovgo Inc. —CEO, Lisa Takagi
Shinkokyu, Ltd. — Founder & Director, Kensho Miyoshi
VUILD Inc. — CEO, Koki Akiyoshi
About WE AT Challenge 2026
WE AT Challenge is a global pitch contest designed to discover and support startups addressing social challenges and contributing to the realization of well-being.
Since its launch in 2024, the contest has attracted a diverse range of participants from Japan and overseas, including startups, students, researchers, and corporate project teams. In 2025, the contest received nearly 600 applications from 40 countries, demonstrating its growing international reach.
The 2026 contest features four tracks:
- Track 1: Planetary Well-being
Initiatives that aim to improve planetary well-being by addressing global challenges such as climate change, energy, environmental sustainability, and resource circulation. - Track 2: Human Well-being
Initiatives that seek to enhance human well-being by improving people’s health, quality of life, and everyday living. - Track 3: Social Well-being
Initiatives that aim to improve social well-being by addressing challenges related to cities, local communities, and connections among people and society. - Track 4: Creativity Well-being
Initiatives that seek to create new value through creativity in fields such as art, culture, design, and entertainment.
Beyond recognizing outstanding ideas and businesses, WE AT Challenge provides opportunities for participants to connect with companies, universities, research institutions, investors, and other stakeholders in Japan and around the world, supporting business growth, real-world implementation, and global expansion.
WE AT Challenge 2026 Final Event Overview
Event Name: WE AT Challenge 2026
Organizer: WE AT (General Incorporated Association)
Date: Friday, November 27, 2026
Venue: Tokyo Innovation Base (TIB)
3-8-3 Marunouchi, Chiyoda-ku, Tokyo, Japan
1-minute walk from the Kyobashi Exit of JR Yurakucho Station
Format: In-person event (online streaming )
Language: English (Final Pitch Session)
Admission: Free
Official Website: https://we-at.tokyo/challenge/
Registration: https://peatix.com/event/5218655
About WE AT
Organization Name: WE AT (General Incorporated Association)
Founding Organizations: The University of Tokyo, Kyoto University, Institute of Science Tokyo, UTokyo Innovation Platform Co., Ltd. (UTokyo IPC), Hakuhodo Inc., Sumitomo Life Insurance Company, and Canon Marketing Japan Inc.
Established: May 16, 2024
Location: Bunkyo-ku, Tokyo, Japan
Activities: Discovery and development of social entrepreneurs; support for startup creation and growth; organization of events; human resource development to strengthen the startup ecosystem; and research, policy recommendations, and other related activities.
Official Website: https://www.we-at.tokyo/
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WE AT (General Incorporated Association)