IVS2026, Japan's largest startup conference, will be held for three days from July 1 (Wed) to July 3 (Fri), 2026, with Miyakomesse, ROHM THEATER KYOTO, and Hotel Okura Kyoto as its main venues. We are pleased to announce that Defense Minister Shinjiro Koizumi and Defense Equipment Agency Director General Hitoshi Aoyagi will be speaking in the session "Frontlines of Defense Innovation! What is the New Era of Security That Startups Are Changing?" to be held at IVS CORE (Hotel Okura Kyoto). July 1 (Wed) Frontlines of Defense Innovation! What is the New Era of Security That Startups Are Changing? How can the speed and uniqueness of startups be leveraged for the advanced technological development required in the defense sector? Addressing challenges such as procurement systems and entry barriers, this session will explore directions toward realizing a new defense industry model where technology, capital, and human resources circulate, by examining mechanisms that promote the application of private technology, public-private collaboration, capital supply, and human resource mobility. Moderator: Kohei Yamamoto (Author, "Technological Security") Speakers: Shinjiro Koizumi (Defense Minister, Member of the House of Representatives) Mitsunobu Okada (Representative Director and CEO, Astroscale Corporation) Takao Ozawa (Representative Director, Boost Capital) Hitoshi Aoyagi (Director General, Defense Equipment Agency) IVS CORE Overview Name: IVS CORE Dates: July 1 (Wed) - July 2 (Thu), 2026 (2 days) Venue: Hotel Okura Kyoto (Kawaramachi Oike, Nakagyo-ku, Kyoto City) Attendance Scale: Approx. 1,000 people (Invitation-only) Time: 10:00 AM - 6:00 PM (Reception opens 9:00 AM) / 90 minutes per session Price: CORE PASS ¥199,800 (incl. tax) / CORE PASS Startup ¥79,800 (incl. tax) Official Website https://www.ivs.events/ivs-core IVS2026 Overview IVS is Japan's largest startup conference, launched in 2007. Startups, investors, large corporations, and creators from Japan and abroad gather