Event Recap: Tech4Impact Summit Hosted by Socious
Written By Social Impact Lab Japan
The Tech4Impact Summit, hosted by Socious on September 10th, brought together a dynamic blend of thought leaders, innovators, and impact-driven entrepreneurs. The event aimed to explore how technology can drive social and environmental change, highlighting key themes like blockchain, impact investing, sustainability, and digital inclusion. The Founder and CEO of Social Impact Lab Japan and team members were among the attendees, gaining insights from the experts and leaders shaping the future of impact tech.
Seira Yun, Founder & CEO of Socious and an impact angel investor himself, alongside Takeshi Nakamura, Shibuya Ward Assembly Member, inaugurated the summit. Their opening messages emphasized the critical role of technology in driving social impact and the need for cross-sector collaboration to build solutions that benefit society and the planet.
The keynote by Charles Hoskinson, CEO and co-founder of Input Output Global, titled "Blockchain, Impact and Empowerment: A Decade After ‘The Future Will Be Decentralized’ TEDx Talk," explored the transformative potential of blockchain and its role in creating more equitable, decentralized systems.
A thought-provoking panel on the "Impact Transparency Dilemma" followed, where experts like David Freiberg (EY), Sonja Haut (IMD Business School), and Ryohei Yanagi (Waseda University) debated how to balance disclosure and communication in an era where accountability is crucial to building trust in impact initiatives.
One of the standout discussions was Bridging the Digital Divide: Ensuring Equitable Access to Technology, where leaders highlighted the need to create accessible digital solutions for underserved communities. This theme of equitable access was further explored in the Sustainable Innovation session, where Katsuji Imata (SIMI Japan), Heather Prosser (Sodali & Co.), and Yoshiaki Ishii (SME Support Japan) reflected on mitigating the unintended social and environmental consequences of technological advancements.
The summit also delved into how industry, academia, and government can collaborate to nurture globally impactful tech companies, with insights from Ken Kodama, Founder & CEO of EMURGO, addressing the unique potential of Japanese startups.
The Pitch for Change contest showcased promising startups aiming to drive social impact through innovation. Judges Mayumi Wakebe (Shizen Capital), Amar Singh (EMURGO), Ian Huang (Good People Ventures), and John Kojiro Moriwaka (Silicon Valley Ventures) evaluated the pitches. We would like to extend our congratulations to Taj Campbell, CEO of Tonari, Inc., the contest winner, for his innovative work on global connectivity through portals across different countries. Other notable presenters included Chiemi Kamakura (CEO of Agatha Inc.) and Noritaka Okabe (CEO of JPYC).
The event closed with a ceremony led by Seira Yun, celebrating the shared mission of fostering impactful technology for the greater good. The summit was an incredible opportunity for Social Impact Lab Japan to learn from experts and network with leaders across various sectors, reaffirming their commitment to empowering social entrepreneurs and fostering meaningful impact in Japan and beyond.
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