What No Maps does

NoMaps is an annual innovation festival and conference organization founded in 2016 and headquartered in Sapporo, Hokkaido, Japan. Operating under the legal entity "NoMaps Committee," it runs a multi-day annual festival combining conferences, exhibitions, meetups, workshops, and creative programs across more than a dozen program tracks including Conference, Social, EDU, Geek, Students, U35, Global, Hokkaido University, Wellness, Sports, Kids, Meet-up, and AR Art Street. The organization serves entrepreneurs, startups, students, technology and creative professionals, government officials, and corporate partners across Hokkaido — a prefecture roughly 40 times the size of Tokyo — addressing the structural isolation of the regional innovation ecosystem from Japan's major tech hubs.

The organization is not a technology company and does not develop proprietary software, APIs, mobile apps, or AI/ML products. Its platform consists of event programming delivered through physical venues in Sapporo (e.g., Sapporo Community Plaza SCARTS), supplemented by satellite editions in Hakodate (southern Hokkaido) and Kushiro-Nemuro (eastern Hokkaido), and more recently career-focused events in Tokyo. Supporting infrastructure includes a relaunched newsletter (2025), social media channels, a radio program, and media partnerships with major regional outlets (Yomiuri, Nikkei, Hokkaido Shimbun, NHK Sapporo, AIR-G, FM NORTH WAVE, JCOM).

Revenue is generated through three primary streams: ticket and passport sales for the annual festival, corporate sponsorship packages (with 50+ sponsors including Accenture, NTT Data Hokkaido, Hokkaido Electric Power, Sakura Internet, Digital Garage, and Cybozu), and collaborative partnership programs with the City of Sapporo, Hokkaido University, STARTUP HOKKAIDO, and NPO Hokkaido EnBridge. The organization is privately held by its committee structure with no disclosed outside funding or parent company. NoMaps was recognized with the Peatix Community Award 2026 in the regional community category and has delivered measurable ecosystem outcomes including 50+ international entrepreneurs attracted via the GLOBAL program and 60+ students supported through the mocteco youth program over 5 years (8 companies formed).

Name

No Maps

Legal name

NoMaps Committee

Website

https://no-maps.jp

Company type

Private

Founded year

2016

Operating status

Operating

Short description

NoMaps is an annual cross-sector innovation festival based in Sapporo, Hokkaido, operating since 2016 to convene entrepreneurs, students, creatives, government, and corporate sponsors through multi-day conferences, meetups, and regional satellite programs across Hokkaido.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Innovation Festival & Business Events

NAICS

Convention and Trade Show Organizers (56192)

SIC

Services-Amusement & Recreation Services (7900)

akta.pro primary industry

Executive Summits & Invitation-Only Forums (MPAGAGAK)

akta.pro secondary industries

Technology & Innovation Expos Organizers (THAHABAE), Academic & Education Conference Organizers (THAHACAE)

Keywords

• Innovation festival
• Business conference events
• Startup pitch competition
• Entrepreneurship meetup programs
• Regional innovation ecosystem

Headquarters

HQ city

Sapporo-shi

HQ country

Japan

HQ region

Asia

Offices3 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2B and B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Others

Revenue model

1. Event Tickets and Passports: NoMaps generates revenue through the sale of event passports and tickets for its annual festival programs. Passports provide access to multiple events and sessions across the multi-day festival.
2. Corporate Sponsorship: The organization receives sponsorship from over 50 corporations including major companies like Accenture, NTT Data Hokkaido, Hokkaido Electric Power, Sakura Internet, and various financial institutions. Sponsors receive branding, visibility, and partnership benefits at the annual event.
3. Partnership Programs: Collaborative programs with local governments, universities, and industry associations for regional development initiatives, co-branded events, and ecosystem development activities.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion2 records

Distribution channels4 records

Marketing channels6 records

Core offering

NoMaps organizes an annual multi-day innovation festival in Sapporo, Hokkaido, comprising five components: Conference, Exhibition, Event, Meet Up, and Experiment. The festival brings together entrepreneurs, students, creators, technologists, corporate partners, and government officials across program tracks including CONFERENCE, SOCIAL, EDU, GEEK, STUDENTS, U35, GLOBAL, HOKKAIDO UNIV., WELLNESS, SPORTS, KIDS, MEET UP, and AR ART STREET. The organization also runs regional editions in Hakodate and Kushiro-Nemuro and supports entrepreneurship programs such as Dream Pitch and mocteco.

Product overview

NoMaps is a festival and conference organization based in Sapporo, Hokkaido, Japan, rather than a product company. It does not offer software products or services in the traditional sense. NoMaps organizes an annual multi-day festival featuring diverse programs including conferences, educational sessions, networking meetups, sports events, wellness activities, student programs, and AR art installations. The organization facilitates connections among entrepreneurs, creators, technologists, and community members who share a vision of making society better through technology, entertainment, and creativity. The core offering consists of recurring event programming (NoMaps2024, NoMaps2025, etc.) rather than packaged software products or digital platforms.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• NoMaps Annual Festival (NoMaps2025, NoMaps2026) Multi-day annual festival in Sapporo combining Conference, Exhibition, Event, Meet Up, and Experiment components, with program tracks including CONFERENCE, SOCIAL, EDU, GEEK, STUDENTS, U35, GLOBAL, HOKKAIDO UNIV., WELLNESS, SPORTS, KIDS, MEET UP, and AR ART STREET. Designed for entrepreneurs, students, creators, technologists, corporate partners, and government officials.
• NoMaps Hakodate (Regional Edition) Regional satellite edition of the NoMaps festival focused on southern Hokkaido (Hakodate), coordinated through local partner organizations to extend the festival's reach beyond Sapporo.
• NoMaps Kushiro-Nemuro (Regional Edition) Regional NoMaps program covering eastern Hokkaido (Kushiro and Nemuro), held initially as an online event in 2021 (focusing on workstyle innovation and regional issues) and continued in 2022 and 2024 to address regional challenges.
• Dream Pitch (Startup Pitch Competition) Pitch competition within the NoMaps festival where early-stage startups present their businesses to investors and industry judges for feedback, visibility, and potential funding connections. Co-organized with STARTUP HOKKAIDO.
• mocteco (Youth Entrepreneurship Support Program) Youth entrepreneurship support program operated by NPO Hokkaido EnBridge in partnership with NoMaps, providing hands-on support to students forming startup companies over multiple years.
• NoMaps CAREER (Career Meetups) Career-focused meetup events (e.g., NoMaps CAREER in TOKYO) targeting young professionals and job seekers interested in cross-border career opportunities between Hokkaido and Tokyo.

Quantifiable outcome

• 10 consecutive annual festivals since 2016, demonstrating sustained regional impact and community engagement
• +3 more outcomes

Segments5 records

Ideal customer profiles4 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Partnerships

Nine partnerships are on record, tiered core, major and secondary.

• City of SapporocoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 3 June 2026City of Sapporo partnered with NoMaps on a corporate value creation project initiated by NoMaps, Sapporo, Morisawa, and Shakai Sotetsu Kenkyu (Social Design Graduate School). The project aims to create new corporate value starting from Sapporo.
• STARTUP HOKKAIDOcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerSTARTUP HOKKAIDO is a key organizational partner that supports the startup ecosystem in Hokkaido. They co-organize the Dream Pitch competition, manage the startup support programs, and facilitate connections between startups and corporations.
• Hokkaido UniversitycoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerHokkaido University is a major educational partner, hosting HOKKAIDO UNIV. programs at NoMaps. The university participates through its Open Innovation Hub, various laboratories, and student entrepreneurship programs.
• Accenture JapanmajorGTM or Marketing PartnerAccenture Japan (specifically Accenture Innovation Center Hokkaido) sponsors NoMaps and participates in conference sessions on technology, innovation, and digital transformation topics.
• Sakura InternetmajorGTM or Marketing PartnerSakura Internet sponsors NoMaps and has been involved in events such as the 'EZO Night from DJ CEO' after-meetup, demonstrating commitment to the Hokkaido tech community.
• Digital GaragemajorGTM or Marketing PartnerDigital Garage supports NoMaps Meeeeeeeet!! events and has been a consistent sponsor, providing support for networking and community-building activities.
• Sapporo International Short Film FestivalsecondaryStrategic or Co-development PartnerCross-promotional partnership with the Sapporo International Short Film Festival, expanding audience reach and creating opportunities for creative industry collaboration.
• NPO Corporation Hokkaido EnBridgecoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerHokkaido EnBridge operates the mocteco and moctech youth entrepreneurship support programs in partnership with NoMaps. They have helped 60+ students over 5 years, with 8 companies formed from participants.
• CybozumajorGTM or Marketing PartnerCybozu sponsors NoMaps and participates in the GEEK program track, contributing sessions on IT engineering talent development and workplace innovation.

Scale indicators5 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Direct peers

• Tech in Asia: Operates startup conferences (Tech in Asia Conference) across Southeast Asia with content, networking, and pitch competitions. Comparable as an Asia-focused tech media + conference operator targeting founders and corporates, similar to NoMaps' startup ecosystem positioning.
• Slush: Slush organizes major global startup and tech conferences (Slush Tokyo being one of the largest in Asia). Directly comparable as a tech/innovation conference operator targeting startups, investors, and corporates — NoMaps operates a similar model at a regional scale in Hokkaido.
• Plug and Play Japan: Global startup accelerator and innovation platform with Japan operations. Comparable through its startup pitch events, corporate innovation partnerships, and ecosystem-building events — overlapping with NoMaps' Dream Pitch and corporate sponsorship programs.
• Startup Grind: Global startup community running chapter-based events, conferences, and founder meetups. Comparable through its volunteer-driven, community-led model and mix of in-person conferences plus ongoing meetups — structurally similar to NoMaps' Meeeeeeeet!! events.
• SusHi Tech Tokyo: Tokyo Metropolitan Government's flagship sustainable high-tech startup conference. Directly comparable as a public-private partnership-led innovation conference combining startup programming, exhibitions, and government partnership — the model NoMaps has replicated in Sapporo.

Emerging players

• Startup Weekend: Techstars-run global entrepreneurship hackathon series held in cities worldwide, including Japanese cities. Comparable through its entrepreneurship education programming and student/young professional engagement — overlaps with NoMaps' mocteco and U35 programs.
• TECH PLAY: Japan-based developer and IT engineer community platform running tech conferences and meetups. Comparable through its tech community events and developer-focused programming — overlaps with NoMaps' Geek track and engineer meetup offerings.

Broad incumbents

• SXSW (South by Southwest): Iconic Austin-based multi-track festival combining tech, music, film, and education. Directly comparable in concept (cross-sector innovation festival with conference + exhibition + experimental programming), though at vastly larger scale and global recognition.
• CEATEC: Japan's largest IT and electronics exhibition organized by JEITA. Comparable as a technology-focused exhibition and conference with multi-track programming and major corporate sponsors — a broader incumbent in the same space NoMaps operates within.

Regional players

• Fukuoka Growth Next: Fukuoka's public-private startup support facility and event organizer. Comparable as a regional Japanese innovation hub combining government support, corporate partnerships, and startup programming — parallel model to NoMaps' Hokkaido positioning.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about No Maps