IVS
IVS (Infinity Ventures Summit) organizes Japan's largest annual startup conference, held in Kyoto, drawing 13,000+ attendees from 70+ countries and serving founders, investors, corporates, students, and policymakers through ticketed programming, sponsorship tiers, and the IVS LAUNCHPAD pitch contest.
- Company typePrivate
- Founded2007
- HeadquartersKyoto, Japan
- Headcount1–10
- GTM typeB2B
- OfferingServices
What IVS does
IVS (Infinity Ventures Summit) is Japan's largest startup conference, founded in 2007 and organized by the IVS KYOTO Executive Committee comprising Headline Japan Inc., Kyoto Prefecture, and Kyoto City. The flagship annual event runs over three days in Kyoto (since 2023, four consecutive years) across dual venues: Miyako Messe and ROHM Theatre for the open conference, and Hotel Okura Kyoto for the invitation-only IVS CORE executive area launched in 2026. The platform serves startup founders and investors, major corporations conducting innovation scouting, policymakers, students, and creators, drawing 13,000+ registered attendees from 70+ countries for IVS2026.
The product suite includes the IVS main conference, IVS CORE (off-the-record executive programming for ~1,000 decision-makers), IVS LAUNCHPAD (a flagship pitch contest in its 20th year with 60+ alumni exits and ¥300B+ cumulative alumni funding), IVS Startup Market (300+ exhibiting startups), KYOTO ZONE (regional deep-tech showcase), SPIKES and IVS Youth (student programming), and 500+ side events. Underlying technology is the proprietary 4S event platform handling registration, scheduling, networking, and analytics, augmented by AI-powered simultaneous interpretation (via Kotoba Technologies) and an algorithm-based pre-matching system. Pass tiers range from ¥4,980 Student PASS to ¥199,800 CORE PASS.
The business model is event-driven and relies on three revenue streams: tiered ticket sales (IVS PASS, Student PASS, CORE PASS, CORE PASS Startup), corporate sponsorship (Silver/Gold/Platinum/Diamond tiers), and side-event transaction fees. Distribution is direct via the 4S platform with referral-ticket acquisition and government co-organization providing venue and regional promotion support.
IVS firmographics
Firmographics- Name
- IVS
- Legal name
- IVS (Infinity Ventures Summit)
- Website
- https://ivs.events
- Company type
- Private
- Founded year
- 2007
- Operating status
- Operating
- Headcount range
- 1–10 employees
- Short description
- IVS (Infinity Ventures Summit) organizes Japan's largest annual startup conference, held in Kyoto, drawing 13,000+ attendees from 70+ countries and serving founders, investors, corporates, students, and policymakers through ticketed programming, sponsorship tiers, and the IVS LAUNCHPAD pitch contest.
- Ownership category
- akta.pro rank
IVS industry classification
Industry- Product category
- Startup Conference Services
- NAICS
- Convention and Trade Show Organizers (561920)
- SIC
- Services-Membership Organizations (8600)
- akta.pro primary industry
- Finance & Investment Conferences (MPAGAGAG)
- akta.pro secondary industries
- Executive Summits & Invitation-Only Forums (MPAGAGAK), Technology & Innovation Expos Organizers (THAHABAE), Virtual/Hybrid Conference Production & Platform Management (THAHACAM)
Keywords
Where IVS is headquartered
LocationHeadquarters
- HQ city
- Kyoto
- HQ country
- Japan
- HQ region
- Asia
Offices1 record
Markets served
IVS business model
Business model- GTM type
- B2B
- Offering type
- Services
- Cost components
- Operations, Personnel, Marketing or Sales, Technology or R&D, Infrastructure
Revenue model
- Ticket Sales: Primary revenue from selling event passes including IVS PASS, CORE PASS, and Student PASS at varying price points. Revenue is one-time per event cycle with early-bird pricing incentives.
- Sponsorship Fees: Corporate sponsors pay for various sponsorship tiers (Silver, Gold, Platinum, Diamond) to gain visibility and access to attendees. This includes the 90 English silver sponsor and other named partner categories.
- Side Event Fees: Revenue from hosting side events during the conference. Over 500 side events are organized, generating additional fees from event organizers.
Pricing tiers
| Model | Billing | Price |
|---|---|---|
| Unit Pricing | Pay-as-you-go | IVS PASS - Standard conference access |
| Unit Pricing | Pay-as-you-go | Student Pass - Discounted access for students |
| Unit Pricing | Pay-as-you-go | CORE PASS - Premium executive access |
| Unit Pricing | Pay-as-you-go | CORE PASS Startup - Discounted premium access for startups |
Go-to-market motion1 record
Distribution channels3 records
Marketing channels8 records
IVS product offering
Product offeringCore offering
IVS produces Japan's largest annual startup conference held in Kyoto, combining a main open conference (IVS) at Miyako Messe/ROHM Theatre with an invitation-only executive program (IVS CORE) at Hotel Okura Kyoto. The event connects 13,000+ attendees from 70+ countries — including startups, investors, major corporations, and government stakeholders — through pitch contests (LAUNCHPAD), an exhibition (Startup Market), side events, and AI-enabled networking tools.
Product overview
IVS is a comprehensive startup conference platform that offers multiple distinct products and access tiers for participants. The core offering consists of IVS (the main startup conference at Miyako Messe/ROHM Theatre Kyoto) and IVS CORE (an invitation-only executive area at Hotel Okura Kyoto). These are supported by specialized products including IVS LAUNCHPAD (a flagship pitch contest), IVS Startup Market (exhibition space), SPIKES (student-exclusive zone), IVS Youth (student innovation program), KYOTO ZONE (regional ecosystem showcase), and various networking initiatives like the Networking Area and Side Events. The company operates on a tiered pass system including IVS PASS, IVS PASS Student, CORE PASS, and CORE PASS Startup, each providing different levels of access to the various venues and content areas.
Differentiator
Problem solved
Functional benefit
Brands
- IVS CORE: An invitation-only, closed conference for key decision-makers in Japan's startup industry. Held at Hotel Okura Kyoto on July 1-2, 2026, with approximately 1,000 attendees. All sessions are strictly off-the-record.
- IVS LAUNCHPAD
- IVS Startup Market
- KYOTO ZONE
- IVS Youth
- SPIKES
- IVS AMA / Black Market
Quantifiable outcome
- 60+ exit companies produced through IVS LAUNCHPAD
- +4 more outcomes
Companies that use IVS
Customer profileNamed customers6 records
Segments5 records
Ideal customer profiles4 records
IVS technology and API
TechnologyTechnology focussed Yes
API detail
- Has API
- No
- API docs
- API detail
Core technology
AI maturity
App detail
Feature3 records
IVS partnerships and signals
Strategic signalPartnerships
Five partnerships are on record, tiered minor and core.
- 90 EnglishminorSilver sponsor for IVS conference, providing English-language services support for international attendees
- Kyoto PrefecturecoreGovernment co-organizer of IVS KYOTO, providing regional support and promoting Kyoto as a startup hub
- Kyoto CitycoreGovernment co-organizer providing venue access and regional promotion support
- Headline JapancoreLead organizer of IVS KYOTO Executive Committee, managing overall conference operations
- Kotoba TechnologiescoreProvides AI-powered simultaneous interpretation technology enabling real-time translation across languages for international attendees
Scale indicators7 records
Recent moves7 records
Expansion highlights5 records
IVS competitors and assessment
Company assessmentDirect peers
- Slush: Helsinki-based startup conference with strong founder/investor focus and a notable pitch competition (Slush 100). Comparable to IVS in scale (~10,000+ attendees), Nordic ecosystem origin, and emphasis on early-stage startup-investor matchmaking.
- TechCrunch Disrupt: Flagship startup conference featuring Startup Battlefield pitch competition (analogous to IVS LAUNCHPAD) and Startup Alley exhibition. Comparable to IVS in format, audience, and pitch contest integration, with comparable sponsor tiering.
- Consensus (CoinDesk): Major global Web3/crypto conference. Directly comparable to IVS's CRYPTO ZONE in Web3/blockchain focus, sponsor base, and pitch event integration, though Consensus is dedicated entirely to crypto rather than a dedicated zone within a broader startup event.
- Web Summit: Global technology conference series (Lisbon, Rio, Qatar) attracting tens of thousands of attendees, founders, investors, and media. Closely comparable to IVS as a large-scale multi-tier tech/startup event with sponsor-driven revenue and international speaker lineups.
Broad incumbents
- CES: Largest consumer technology trade show globally, owned and operated by the Consumer Technology Association. Comparable to IVS in exhibition format and tech-startup focus, but operates at significantly larger scale with broader (non-startup) audience.
- Money 20/20: Premier global fintech and payments conference series. Comparable to IVS in finance/investment conference category, audience overlap with IVS's investor segment, and tiered sponsor structure, though with a narrower fintech vertical focus.
- SXSW: Annual Austin-based convergence of technology, film, music, and culture. Comparable to IVS as a large multi-track event with strong sponsor revenue, government/city partnership, and emphasis on serendipitous cross-domain networking.
Emerging players
- Plug and Play: Global startup accelerator and corporate innovation platform running demo days and summits. Comparable to IVS in startup-investor-corporate matchmaking and accelerator/pitch competition format (analogous to LAUNCHPAD), with broader accelerator services.
- Startup Grind: Global startup community and conference operator with local chapter model. Comparable to IVS in startup founder/audience focus and event-driven community building, though operates with smaller, more distributed events rather than a single mega-conference.
Regional players
- Tech in Asia: Asia-focused tech media and conference operator running events in Singapore, Jakarta, and other Southeast Asian hubs. Comparable to IVS in regional startup conference focus and Asia-Pacific audience, though geographically concentrated in Southeast Asia rather than Japan.
Market position
Strengths5 records
Weaknesses5 records
Competitive moat5 records
Key risks6 records
Key highlights6 records
Customer concentration
IVS social profiles
Digital presenceIVS financial estimates
Financial estimateRevenue estimate
Valuation estimate
IVS leadership team
Management profileNumber of profiles
Profiles1 record
IVS funding detail
Funding detailFunding overview
Funding rounds
Investors
Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
IVS M&A and investment
M&A and investmentM&A
Investments1 record
M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Frequently asked questions about IVS
What does IVS do?
IVS produces Japan's largest annual startup conference held in Kyoto, combining a main open conference (IVS) at Miyako Messe/ROHM Theatre with an invitation-only executive program (IVS CORE) at Hotel Okura Kyoto. The event connects 13,000+ attendees from 70+ countries — including startups, investors, major corporations, and government stakeholders — through pitch contests (LAUNCHPAD), an exhibition (Startup Market), side events, and AI-enabled networking tools.
Is IVS a public or private company?
IVS is a private company. It is classified as corporate owned and is currently operating.
When was IVS founded?
IVS was founded in 2007. It employs 1 to 10 people.
Where is IVS based?
IVS is headquartered in Kyoto, Japan, in the Asia region.
How does IVS make money?
Three revenue lines are on record. Ticket Sales are the primary driver. The others are sponsorship Fees and side Event Fees.
Who are IVS's main competitors?
Direct peers on record are Slush, TechCrunch Disrupt, Consensus (CoinDesk) and Web Summit. Broad incumbents are CES, Money 20/20 and SXSW. Emerging players are Plug and Play and Startup Grind. Tech in Asia is listed as a regional player.
Does IVS have an API?
No public API is recorded for IVS.
What industry is IVS in?
IVS's product category is Startup Conference Services. Its primary akta.pro industry code is MPAGAGAG, Finance & Investment Conferences, with a secondary code of MPAGAGAK, Executive Summits & Invitation-Only Forums. Its NAICS code is 561920 and its SIC code is 8600.