For Japanese Founders · Applications Open · Organised by WEBMOB × Forcelifescience

India × Japan DeepTech & AI Venture Challenge 2026

インド × 日本ディープテック & AI ベンチャーチャレンジ 2026

For Japanese founders. Built by India‘s engineers.

You know what to build. We bring the engineering team to build it.

Date

July 23, 2026

Location

Tokyo, Japan

Cohort Spots

15 Founders

Grand Prize

$30,000

Applications close

July 10

15 cohort spots only. Applications reviewed on a rolling basis.

Applications Close In

Read This Before You Apply

Two Countries. One Clear Split.

The name carries both flags, so here is exactly what each side brings. The cohort is Japanese. The build team is Indian.

The Founders · Japan

Japanese and Japan-based founders apply.

This challenge selects 15 founders building DeepTech and AI for the Japanese market. Bilingual (English + Japanese) strongly preferred. If you are a founder in Japan with a sharp problem and the conviction to solve it, this program was designed for you.

The Engineering · India

India is where the prize comes from.

WEBMOB’s engineering team in India, shipping products for Japanese clients since 2023, builds the winner’s product. India in the event name refers to the build capacity behind the Grand Prize, not the applicant pool.

Japan brings the idea. India brings the build.

The Problem We Solve

The Wall Every Founder Hits

Japan is facing a shortage of up to 800,000 engineers by 2030. The strongest founders all hit the same wall.

A clear problem. A real user. No team to build the product.

Most programs give you feedback. Most accelerators give you intros. This one gives you a build team.

WEBMOB has shipped products in Healthcare AI, FinTech, Blockchain, and Enterprise AI — across Japan, Switzerland, the GCC, and the US. The engineers evaluating your pitch are the ones who will build the
winner’s product.

800K

Engineer shortage in Japan by 2030

$30K

In engineering credits. Grand Prize winner gets a build team.

1

Day in Tokyo. One founder leaves with WEBMOB's engineering team.

The Grand Prize, In Plain Numbers

What Does $30,000 Of Engineering Buy You?

“Engineering credits” can mean anything. Here is what it means in this program: scoped, scheduled, and handed over.

The Build · Grand Prize Winner

One winner receives the full build: $30,000 in WEBMOB engineering credits. All 15 cohort founders get WEBMOB development at 50% of standard pricing (cash).

What the $30,000 covers: one platform (web or mobile), core feature set, and essential integrations, a working first version that proves the idea. Scope is agreed in writing before the build begins. Multi-platform parity, scale infrastructure, and v2 features are quoted separately.

4–6

Dedicated engineers

Hand-picked for your sector: Healthcare AI, BioTech, Robotics, or Enterprise AI

10–12

Weeks of sprint-based development

Two-week sprints, a demo at the end of each one

1 Working MVP, PoC, or core module

Scope locked with you in week zero, before any code is written

100%

Code ownership transferred to you

Full repository handover, documentation, and a transition plan at the end

Beyond The Code · Every Cohort Founder

All 15 founders get this, win or place. The strategic review, the Tokyo stage, the network, and discounted development apply to your build regardless of who takes the Grand Prize. You leave with a sharper pitch and a path to ship, not just one day in the room.

1-on-1

Strategic session with the Program Curator

Positioning, go-to-market, investor readiness, before Demo Day

Stage

Pitch on the Tokyo stage

Investors and strategic partners we are confirming for the room on July 23

Network

Warm India–Japan introductions

50+ bilingual professionals and ecosystem partners

50% Off

Development pricing after the program

The remaining 50% is paid in cash.

Week 0

Scoping

Define the milestone together. Stack, features, success criteria.

Weeks 1–2

Solution design

System design, data flow, environments, sprint plan.

Weeks 3–10

Build sprints

Two-week sprints with a working demo at the end of each.

Weeks 11–12

QA & handover

Testing, documentation, repository transfer, roadmap for what’s next.

For scale: HekaBio’s decision intelligence platform took 8 WEBMOB engineers and 3 months. BeME’s AI safety platform took 7 engineers across 4 to 6 months. The Grand Prize buys the same calibre of team, pointed at your product.

The Problem We Solve

The Wall Every Founder Hits

The team behind this challenge has shipped 200+ products across Japan, Switzerland, the GCC, and the US. This isn’t a pitch competition that ends with applause — it ends with a build team.

“Disrupting the next web with FinTech, Blockchain and AI.”

India-based engineering firm, active in Japan since 2023
Shipped products in MedTech, FinTech, AI, Blockchain and Enterprise
Clients across Japan, Switzerland, the GCC, and the US
ISO 9001:2015 and ISO/IEC 27001:2022 certified
Backed by KiwiTech — US-based technology investment group
Led by Sachin Gupta, Co-Founder & CTS — 15+ years building scalable B2B tech across APAC and EMEA

Products shipped globally

0 +

Years in enterprise tech delivery

0 +

Grand Prize in engineering credits

$ 0 k

Global markets: Japan · Switzerland · GCC · US

Everything On The Table

A prize that builds your product for you.

Few programs in Japan make the prize a working product in progress. This one does.

$30,000

In WEBMOB Engineering Credits · Grand Prize

Real developers building your MVP, PoC, or product — not a cash cheque, a dedicated WEBMOB team
Engineers who have shipped in your sector — Healthcare AI, BioTech, Robotics, Enterprise AI
Technical consultation on product architecture, stack, and roadmap
Access to WEBMOB's India-Japan network — 50+ bilingual professionals and ecosystem partners

All Cohort Startups Get

1-on-1 Review

Strategic Session With

Program Curator

Development Offer

50% Off

$30K

Engineering Credits

One winner receives the full build: $30,000 in WEBMOB engineering credits, a dedicated team building the winner’s product.

1-on-1

Curator Review Session

Every cohort founder gets a private strategic review session with WEBMOB’s program curator before Demo Day.

Demo Day

Tokyo Stage Access

Pitch on stage on July 23 in Tokyo, in front of the WEBMOB engineering team and the investors and strategic partners we are confirming for the room.

50%

Development Discount

All 15 cohort founders get WEBMOB development at 50% of standard pricing. The remaining 50% is paid in cash.

Network

India × Japan Introductions

Warm introductions into WEBMOB’s bilingual Japan network, VCs, and India-Japan ecosystem partners.

15 Cohort Spots Only

Small, quality-first cohort. Every founder gets real stage time and a genuine shot atthe Grand Prize.

Eligibility

Bring A Sharp Problem & The Conviction To Solve It

01

You’re Building in Japan

Japanese founders, or founders based in Japan and building for the Japanese market. Bilingual (English + Japanese) strongly preferred. This is a bilingual program and audience.

02

Your Sector Qualifies

DeepTech and AI broadly. WEBMOB is especially strong in:

Healthcare AI

BioTech

Robotics

Enterprise AI

Industrial AI

Climate Tech

FinTech

Edtech

MedTech

03

Your Stage & Conviction

Seed to early Series A, funded pre-seed welcome. Your problem is validated and you have real conviction to build. One winner receives the full $30,000 build; every cohort founder gets WEBMOB development at 50% of standard pricing. If you want a senior engineering team and Japan investor access behind your build, this is it.

English

A one-day venture challenge in Tokyo for Japanese founders building DeepTech and AI. 15 founders will be selected for the Demo Day on July 23. 1-on-1 strategic reviews and a Grand Prize: one winner receives the full build, $30,000 in WEBMOB engineering credits. Applications close July 10, 2026.

日本語

ディープテックとAIを開発する起業家を対象とした, 東京での1日限りのベンチャーチャレンジ. です。選考により 15名の起業家が7月23日のデモデイに参加できます。個別の戦略レビューセッションを受けられるほか、デモデイ優勝者には、製品開発のためのエンジニアリングクレジットとして最大3万ドル相当の賞金も用意されています。応募締め切りは 2026年7月10日応募締め切りは2026年7月10日です。

Who Reviews Your Pitch

The Team Organising This is The Team

That Builds for You

Sachin Gupta

Co-Founder & CTS, Webmob Software Solutions

Shige Sasaki

Japan Program Curator, Forcelifescience

The Room On July 23

Judges & Strategic Partners

The people in the room when you pitch.

We are finalising judges from Japan’s investor, deep-tech, and life sciences ecosystem. Operators and capital allocators who have built and backed companies in the sectors you’re competing in.

Announcements over the next few weeks. The first confirmed judge will likely be a senior Tokyo-based figure.

Your pitch is reviewed by WEBMOB’s engineering team, the same people who build the winner’s product, alongside an invited panel from Japan’s investor and deep-tech ecosystem.

Follow indiajapandeeptechfest.com for updates — or apply now and pitch to whoever is in the room.

The Process

From application to stage in Five Steps

Now → July 10, 2026

Apply — 5 Minutes

Submit your application. Tell us the problem you're
solving, your innovation, and what you want to build with WEBMOB. Bilingual
(English + Japanese) preferred. Applications reviewed on a rolling basis.

July 10–14, 2026

Selection — 15 Cohort Spots

WEBMOB's team reviews applications. 15 founders are selected. Selection criteria: problem clarity, market conviction, technical ambition, and alignment with WEBMOB's engineering strengths.

Week of July 14–22, 2026

1-on-1 Strategic Reviews

Each selected founder receives a private strategic session with WEBMOB's program curator — an experienced operator with deep roots in Japan's startup and life science ecosystem. Designed to sharpen your Demo Day pitch.

July 23, 2026 · Tokyo

Demo Day — Pitch Live

15 founders pitch on stage in Tokyo. The WEBMOB engineering team, plus an invited panel from Japan's investor and deep-tech ecosystem. The team judging you is the team that will build your product, so every pitch is also a brief.

Post Demo Day

Grand Prize Announced — Build Begins

Grand Prize winner announced. $30,000 in WEBMOB engineering credits activated. Build partnership begins. All cohort startups receive their 50% development offer and warm network introductions.

Apply Before It Fills

We review every application. Shortlisted founders get the call.

Why Trust Us With Your Product

3 Years. 4 Japan Products. Proof On The Table.

Anyone can run an event. We built the right to run this one — by shipping real products for real Japanese clients across Healthcare AI, Blockchain, BioTech, and Online Safety. The engineers evaluating your pitch have already done this work in Japan.

4

Japan Products Shipped

3+

Years Active in Japan

Mayo Clinic / J-StarX

Validated Product

2x

Blockchain TPS in <1 Month

BeME — AI Obscenity Shield Platform

Built for a Tokyo-based AI safety company tackling online sexual exploitation and deepfakes — a critical problem affecting 300M+ users globally. WEBMOB built the full-stack platform: AI face detection, intelligent web crawlers, large-scale image matching and real-time removal.

Timeline

4–6 months

Team

7 Engineers

Sector

AI · Privacy

HekaBio — Healthcare Decision Intelligence Platform

Built for one of Japan’s most credible biopharma platforms — partnered with Alfresa Holdings, Japan’s leading pharmaceutical wholesaler. WEBMOB replaced fragmented spreadsheets and emails with a unified AI-powered platform managing the complete lifecycle of research opportunities and biotech partnerships.

Timeline

3 months

Team

8 Engineers

Sector

BioTech · AI

Digital Platformer — Blockchain Performance

Built for one of Japan’s most active blockchain infrastructure companies — the pioneer behind Japan’s first deposit-backed stablecoin and decentralized ID platforms used by municipalities and financial institutions. WEBMOB doubled their blockchain TPS in under a month without compromising security.

Timeline

2× TPS

Timeline

<1 month

Sector

Enterprise · Blockchain

Pupil Analysis — AI Neurological Disease Detection

Built for a Japan-based healthcare startup: a browser-based AI platform that detects Parkinson’s disease and neurological conditions by analyzing pupil diameter changes via a standard smartphone camera. The platform won the pitch contest at the Mayo Clinic J-StarX Medical Program — one of the world’s most credible medical technology evaluations.

Won the Mayo Clinic J-StarX pitch contest — validated by one of the worlds leading medical institutions
AI detects Parkinsons disease and neurological conditions via standard smartphone camera — no IR lens required
Browser-based, cross-platform (iOS + Android) — structured CSV output for healthcare professionals

Validation

Mayo Clinic

Program

J-StarX Medical

Sector

Healthcare AI

Common Questions

Before You Ask Here's The Fine Print

Do I need to be based in Japan to apply?

You should be building for the Japanese market or be based in Japan. The program is designed for Japan-focused founders. Bilingual ability (English + Japanese) is strongly preferred but not a hard requirement if you have clear Japan market fit.

Is this only for early-stage startups?

Pre-seed, Seed, early Series A. Clear problem and conviction matter most.

What does the $30,000 Grand Prize cover?

WEBMOB development credits: a dedicated team of 4 to 6 engineers for 10 to 12 weeks, building your MVP, PoC, or next milestone. Scope is agreed with you before the build starts, and full code ownership transfers to you at handover. See the prize breakdown section above for the week-by-week shape.

What's the 50% discount offer?

Every cohort founder gets WEBMOB development at 50% of standard pricing. The remaining 50% is paid in cash.

How long does the application take?

About 5 minutes. A few quick details, short questions, and your pitch deck. Rolling review until July 10.

Is the program bilingual?

Yes. Application form, communications, and event are bilingual (English + Japanese).

One Day In Tokyo. One Founder Leaves
With A Build Team.

15 spots. Applications close July 10. Demo Day July 23, Tokyo. The team evaluating your pitch builds your product.

Submit Application

5 mins only

Strategic Review

1-on-1 prep session

Demo Day Tokyo

July 23 · Pitch live

Win $30K

Engineering credits · Build begins

Takes 5 minutes. We review every application.

Applications close July 10, 2026 · Demo Day July 23, Tokyo · 15 cohort spots only

indiajapandeeptechfest.com · Organised by WEBMOB Software Solutions