Unexpected machinery downtime is a critical challenge for manufacturers, directly resulting in lost productivity and increased costs. In recent years, predictive maintenance powered by artificial intelligence and machine learning has attracted considerable attention as a potential solution. However, conventional approaches often require months of historical data before they can generate meaningful insights, while identifying the root cause of a failure remains difficult. Agai

The macroeconomic shifts of the past three years have fundamentally rewritten the playbook for late-stage startups. In a candid panel discussion at IVS2026, startup CFOs and a crossover investor pulled back the curtain on the intense, often painful, decisions required to navigate today’s capital markets. The panel was moderated by Hirohiro Maekawa, Representative Director and Chief Contents Director of Funds Startups, and featured: Satoshi Yamada, CFO of 10X, Inc., a retail-t

Generative AI has advanced rapidly in recent years, with adoption expanding across the business world. However, many companies remain at the experimental stage, having merely “tried out” AI without fully integrating it into their workflows or generating a clear return on investment. One company attracting attention for offering a concrete solution to this challenge is VCAT.AI, a Korean startup specializing in AI solutions for marketing content creation. The company provides c

Shoes made from MYCL mycelium leather Across the apparel and manufacturing industries, the shift toward sustainable materials with lower environmental impact has become an urgent global priority. In particular, the leather market presents a massive business opportunity for biosynthetic leather and other bio-based materials. However, many existing alternatives still rely on plastic-based materials such as polyurethane (PU) and polyvinyl chloride (PVC). One company attracting a