India × Japan DeepTech and AI Venture Challenge 2026

Overview

The India × Japan DeepTech and AI Venture Challenge 2026 is a one day plus multi day program hosted in Tokyo, Japan. The event is a collaboration between WEBMOB and Forcelifescience, designed to identify and support Japanese founders building DeepTech and AI solutions, while leveraging WEBMOB’s engineering and execution capabilities. The program is bilingual (English and Japanese) and prioritizes founders with a clear problem, strong market conviction, and the potential to ship a working product with real engineers and a structured build plan. The flagship prize is a substantial engineering build credit, designed to turn a compelling pitch into a tangible product.

Dates and location

The challenge unfolds in July 2026 with a selection process that culminates in a Demo Day on July 23, 2026, in Tokyo, Japan. Applications close on July 15, 2026, and a cohort of 15 founders will advance to the Tokyo Demo Day. The event features a dedicated build team from WEBMOB and a curated set of investors and deep tech ecosystem partners present in the room for the pitch and subsequent discussions.

Format and agenda

This program blends selection, coaching, and live product development. It centers on a two week sprint based structure in which participants engage with a build team to translate a bold idea into a working MVP or PoC. The agenda includes: week zero scoping, weekly sprint cycles with demonstrated builds, and a final Demo Day where founders pitch the live product to panelists including WEBMOB’s engineers and invited investors. There is a strong emphasis on hands-on execution rather than traditional pitch-only formats.

Cohort and prize

Fifteen founders will be selected for cohort participation. Each founder gains access to WEBMOB’s engineering resources, and the Grand Prize winner receives $30,000 in WEBMOB engineering credits to build the product. All cohort founders receive a discount on WEBMOB development services, with a 50% off pricing offer on future development work. The prize structure is designed to translate the best ideas into real, shippable products with a defined scope and written agreement before build begins.

Speakers, program, and track details

The program is curated to pair Japanese founders with an Indian engineering build team. The Founders and teams are described as bilingual, with a focus on healthcare AI, bio tech, robotics, enterprise AI, and other DeepTech domains. A key feature is a one-on-one strategic review with WEBMOB’s program curator prior to Demo Day, aimed at sharpening the pitch, aligning on milestones, and ensuring readiness for investor conversations. The program also emphasizes access to WEBMOB’s network, including ecosystem partners and potential investors in Japan.

Who should attend

This challenge is tailored for Japanese founders or those building for the Japanese market who want access to an experienced engineering build team and a strategic, investor-friendly path to Demo Day. Given the bilingual nature of the program, English plus Japanese fluency is preferred but not required if there is clear Japan market fit. Attendees should be ready to collaborate with a dedicated team to ship a product and engage with a judging panel that may become future collaborators and customers.

FAQs

Expect details around eligibility, application timing, and the exact scope of engineering credits. The program emphasizes hands-on building, with a documented scope and ownership transfer to the founder at handover. Attendees can expect a built prototype by Demo Day, with opportunities to connect with investors and strategic partners in Tokyo.