ICONN-NINJA Demo Day: Paving the way for innovative Indo-Japanese startup collaborations

Bengaluru, known for its vibrant startup ecosystem, set the stage for a landmark event—the inaugural ICONN-NINJA Demo Day—Cohort 1. This gathering, organized by Deloitte Tohmatsu Venture Support (DTVS) in collaboration with Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA) and Confederation of Indian Industry (CII), sought to ignite collaboration and innovation between the dynamic startup communities of India and Japan. The event marked a significant step in fostering cross-border partnerships and accelerating co-creation opportunities between the two nations.

A platform for co-creation

The event commenced with an opening address from Nakane Tsutomu, Consulate General of Japan in Bengaluru. As he could not attend the event in person, his remarks were delivered by Ohira Takahisa, Partner at DTVS. Highlighting the significance of bilateral collaboration, Nakane noted, “This platform, bringing together large-scale Japanese companies and Indian startups, is very important and relevant in the current scenario. India’s skills and human resources in the innovation sector are of great interest to Japanese companies. I hope this event leads to the creation of as many realized cooperative projects between our two countries as possible.”

Bengaluru’s prominence as a global startup magnet was also highlighted, with references to high-profile visits by Japanese dignitaries, including the Speaker of Japan’s Lower House and the Governor of Ibaraki Prefecture, reflecting the deepening ties between the two nations.

In his keynote address, Matsuno Issei, Representative of JICA India Office, celebrated the successful execution of the first cohort while emphasizing JICA’s dedication to fostering co-creation.

“India is not just rapidly growing; it’s time we worked together,” he stated. “JICA’s most important mission in India today is to promote co-creation and interaction between Japan and India, whether in industry or academia, to contribute to the future of both countries and perhaps the world itself.”

Matsuno also highlighted JICA’s significant investments in India, including 4.6 trillion rupees across various projects such as the Bengaluru Metro, water supply systems, and IIT Hyderabad. He added that ongoing initiatives like the Telangana startup ecosystem and academic collaborations with IIT Hyderabad aim to further strengthen Indo-Japanese ties.

“Japanese companies eager to engage with India are more than welcome to join our ongoing cohorts,” he noted.

Madhu Vasanthy, Principal Advisor and Head of Startups at CII, shed light on the pivotal role CII plays in fostering Indo-Japanese collaboration. “CII was nominated as the nodal agency to partner with JICA in promoting trade and economic growth,” she explained. “Over the years, we’ve facilitated programs like the Visionary Leaders Manufacturing Program and Industry 4.0, which leverage the expertise of both nations for mutual growth.”

She emphasized CII’s commitment to supporting startups through accelerator and open innovation programs, aligning with India’s position as the third-largest startup ecosystem globally.

Panel discussion: The role of startups in the India-Japan ecosystem

The panel discussion, moderated by Anurag Srivastava, Senior Consultant and Head of Morning Pitch India, delved into the collaboration between startups and large corporations, particularly in the India-Japan ecosystem. Madhu Vasanthy, Principal Adviser at CII Centre of Excellence for Innovation, Entrepreneurship, and Startup (CII CIES), along with panelists Morimoto Tsuyoshi, General Manager at DENSO International India; Yasukawa Nobuyuki, Director at NEC; Rajesh Gopalakrishna, AGM at Murata India; and Gautham Sivaramakrishnan, Lead-Market Network at Blume Ventures, shared their insights. Discussions emphasized the importance of innovation and AI adoption, with a warning that companies not leveraging AI by 2025 could face obsolescence. Representatives from DENSO and Murata shared their approaches to co-creation and due diligence with startups, showcasing successful collaborations in agri-tech and mobility that have driven efficiency and sustainability. Challenges arising from cultural and operational differences between Indian and Japanese organizations were also discussed, with a consensus on the need for structured and transparent engagement.

The session also explored how startups can leverage the complementary strengths of Indian and Japanese ecosystems. Panelists highlighted the role of organizations like CII in fostering collaborations, enabling startups to co-create and implement solutions for diverse sectors such as sustainable packaging and fleet management. Yasukawa Nobuyuki of NEC emphasized starting small to build evidence-based success stories, while Gautham Sivaramakrishnan pointed out the strong alignment between Indian startups’ agility and Japanese companies’ precision. The discussion underscored the potential of Indo-Japanese partnerships to drive impactful, scalable innovations for both local and global markets, with efficiency, effectiveness, and customer experience as key areas of focus.

Innovative solutions for global challenges

The final segment of the event featured challenges presented by Japanese companies, with Indian startups pitching innovative solutions, demonstrating the power of collaborative problem-solving. The solutions highlighted the importance of assistive technology in meeting the evolving needs of the aging population. Out of over 200 applications, eight startups were selected for their exceptional ideas and potential impact.

DENSO’s Challenge: Morimoto Tsuyoshi of DENSO introduced a challenge aimed at accelerating decision-making and improving software development efficiency in large enterprises, particularly in India. The challenge sought innovative solutions to speed up processes and integrate AI to enhance operational efficiency.

Pitches and solutions:

1. SOL9X - "Soul Nine" (Abhinav Agarwal): Abhinav presented Code Gen AI, a platform that automates code generation and integrates testing to reduce software development time. It targets core development teams and optimizes workflows for legacy systems, minimizing manual intervention and risks.
2. AI Planet (Chanukya Patnaik): AI Planet introduced an end-to-end AI orchestration platform that simplifies enterprise AI adoption. With no-code tools and automation for tasks like code documentation and test case generation, it addresses data integration and privacy challenges, making AI more accessible and efficient for enterprises.

NEC Corporation’s Challenge: Yasukawa Nobuyuki from NEC Corporation presented a challenge focused on enhancing healthcare decision-making and early disease detection. With over 120 years of experience, NEC has implemented AI and data solutions, including facial and fingerprint recognition, to address public and private healthcare challenges. Their solutions aim to integrate data, provide predictive AI, and improve patient health monitoring, with a successful track record in Japan and India. NEC's healthcare model is working toward implementing predictive AI in India to improve healthcare outcomes.

Pitches and Solutions:

1. Last Mile Care (Anupam Biswal): Last Mile Care, a platform serving India's blue-collar and gig workers, offers a hybrid healthcare model combining physical and digital services. The platform provides teleconsultations, diagnostics, and insurance aggregation. With over 75,000 patients served, it aims to reduce healthcare expenses and provide equity for gig workers. Last Mile Care plans to expand into electronic health records and AI-driven health advisory.
2. Ekincare - Eclipse Integrated OPD Platform (Nikhil Singhi): Ekincare introduced its digital, cashless OPD platform, Eclipse, which aims to digitize India’s fragmented OPD healthcare sector. The platform connects 1 million doctors, 400,000 diagnostic centers, and serves 1.5 million employees. Eclipse uses AI to normalize healthcare data, improving operational efficiency and offering comprehensive health management services, including disease management programs for conditions like diabetes, weight management, and hypertension.

Murata's Challenge: Rajesh Gopalakrishna introduced Murata's challenge, highlighting the company's focus on wellness and environmental sustainability, particularly within its core markets of communications and mobility. Murata is looking for innovative healthcare solutions that integrate sensors, communication modules, and software to provide predictive and diagnostic insights. The company is open to incorporating such solutions into its existing products and services and encourages startups to collaborate in shaping the future of healthcare.

Pitches and Solutions:

1. AgriSuper - Presented by Anup Kumar: AgriSuper provides IoT-based solutions to reduce fertilizer overuse and improve crop management. Their service integrates soil health parameters with GPS to offer customized recommendations for 71 crops. The company has tested over 2,000 farmer plots and plans to scale its services.
2. NeoPulse Technologies - Presented by Satyendra Gupta: NeoPulse uses NIR spectroscopy and AI to provide affordable, accurate soil testing. Their chemical-free device, validated by ICR, offers rapid results for 10 soil parameters. The company works with large agri enterprises and aims to expand its solution globally.
3. Ekosight - Presented by Dhiraj Chaudhary: Ekosight focuses on rapid soil analysis using a patented technology that converts hazardous chemicals into safe powders. Their portable, battery-operated device provides personalized recommendations and uses geo-mapping to track farm growth cycles. The solution has impacted 4,000 farmers, increasing their yield and income.
4. Astrek Innovations - Presented by Jithin Vidya Ajith: Astrek Innovations offers a modular rehabilitation physiotherapy device that tracks patient progress. With real-time feedback for doctors, the device has applications in both healthcare and industrial sectors. The company is currently testing the device in hospitals and plans trials in Japan.

Future prospects for Indo-Japanese partnerships in innovation

The inaugural ICONN-NINJA Demo Day—Cohort 1 proved to be an excellent platform for fostering collaboration between Indian startups and Japanese enterprises. By bridging the gap between these two vibrant ecosystems, the event underscored the shared commitment to leveraging technology for solving global challenges. As India and Japan continue to strengthen their ties, this partnership promises to shape the future of innovation, offering exciting opportunities for growth and co-creation in the years to come.