Maki-Challe 2026: 40 Semi-Finalists Announced
The 5th Makinohara City Challenge Business Contest, Maki-Challe 2026, received a record 230 entries (156 domestic, 74 international) from 11 countries. Following the first screening round, we are pleased to announce the 40 semi-finalists.
The 40 Semi-Finalists
Forty companies from five countries — Japan, Korea, India, Georgia and the UK — have been selected. The full list is available on the Maki-Challe 2026 page. The order shown does not indicate ranking.
What happens next
Each semi-finalist advances to the closed pitch round (second screening). Finalists will be announced on September 24, 2026.
August 19 – September 18: Closed pitch round (second screening) September 24: Finalists announced (approx. 10 companies) October 1, 15:00–18:00: Open pitch round (third screening, streamed online) October 20, 16:00–18:00: Award ceremony (Makinohara City Center i-ra) October 21: Collaboration Meetup (first time this year)
Watch the open pitch online
The open pitch round on October 1 will be streamed live on YouTube and is open to everyone. Subscribe to the channel and turn on notifications so you don't miss it.