Originally developed for military, drones are quickly evolving for commercial and consumer uses: facility inspections, first responder surveillances, filming, and so on.
Events Category: Featured Past Events
29th Anniversary Shinnenkai
This year, we honor Ambassador John Roos, Founding Partner of Geodesic Capital and former U.S. Ambassador to Japan, with the Keizai Silicon Valley Outstanding Impact Award for US-Japan Business. Continue reading “29th Anniversary Shinnenkai”
Halloween Happy Hour Networking
Join Keizai Silicon Valley and JET Alumni Association of Northern California for a Halloween costume happy hour at Steins Beer Garden in downtown Mountain View. Please join us to share ideas, meet new people and expand your network.
Costumes are optional but highly encouraged. Prizes to be awarded to the best costumes!
Batteries and Clean Tech: Energy Storage Trends for Transportation and Grid Storage A Joint Program with the Japan Society of Northern California
First developed in 1800, batteries still play an important part in our digital world. Recently, batteries occupy an increasingly crucial role in reducing the carbon footprint of our transportation and electrical grid sectors. Yet, the limitations of battery technology remain a barrier to the market acceptance of electrified transportation and renewable energy. In conjunction with the Japan Society of Northern California, this program will explore recent trends in the North American, Japanese and Chinese markets in battery technology,
2018 Summer Networking
Sunday, August 5th
Come join us at our annual summer networking in the park. This year our event is going to be held at Serra Park in Sunnyvale. A babbling brook runs through this 11.5 acre, Mark Twain era-themed park. It is well shaded with spacious picnic sites, children’s play area and tennis courts. This event is ideal for both networking and catching up with old acquaintances or making new friends. The park’s green open field also offers your family members, significant others and friends a place to enjoy outdoor activities.
Why are Japanese Corporates Interested in Silicon Valley Innovation Methods?
From design thinking to lean startup, Silicon Valley’s innovation methods have attracted global interest. As Japanese corporations strive to innovate, some have adopted these methods to disrupt their own innovation ecosystem. How are they learning these techniques? Can they be adapted for the framework of Japanese corporations? What are some of the results?
28th Anniversary Shinnenkai
This year, we honor Mr. Yuzaburo Mogi, Honorary CEO and Chairman of the Board of Directors of Kikkoman Corporation with the Keizai Silicon Valley Lifetime Achievement Award for US-Japan Business. Continue reading “28th Anniversary Shinnenkai”
Clean Tech Development and The Role of State and Federal Regulation In Structuring Emerging Markets
This panel focuses on the intersection of clean tech development and the role of state and federal regulation in structuring emerging markets.
How to Launch and Scale High Growth Tech Business in Japan
Japan has historically enjoyed great prosperity based largely on its world class manufacturing — an area that lends itself to incremental improvement through kaizen, decentralized shop floor decision-making, and keiretsu-based value chains. Japan’s large companies embraced and optimized these principles, but what worked exceptionally well to drive Japan’s economic prosperity from 1970-1989 has faltered over the past 25 years. What happened? In two words… Digital Disruption!
Continue reading “How to Launch and Scale High Growth Tech Business in Japan”
2017 Summer Networking
Come join us at our annual summer networking in the park. This year our event is going to be held at Serra Park in Sunnyvale. A babbling brook runs through this 11.5 acre, Mark Twain era-themed park. It is well shaded with spacious picnic sites, children’s play area and tennis courts. This event is ideal for both networking and catching up with old acquaintances or making new friends. The park’s green open field also offers your family members, significant others and friends a place to enjoy outdoor activities.
The Future of Medical Device Industry: Views from Japan and Silicon Valley
Medical Device Industry has been one of the largest sectors within the healthcare industry. United States and Japan are amongst the top 2 countries with largest Medical Device Industry. What are the market trends between Japan and United States? How will the rise of big data and personalized medicine shape the future of both healthcare systems?
Continue reading “The Future of Medical Device Industry: Views from Japan and Silicon Valley”
Japanese Corporate Strategies in Silicon Valley: What Do the Locals Think?
Japanese corporations in Silicon Valley have often struggled to become driving forces for innovation due to several persistent constraints: headquarter bureaucracies, siloed business units, a lack of decision-making authority, discontinuous HR systems, and geographical and psychological distance.
27th Anniversary Shinnenkai
Join us in celebrating Keizai Silicon Valley’s 2017 Shinnenkai (New Year’s Reception) on Friday, January 27 at the Palo Alto Hills Golf and Country Club
Continue reading “27th Anniversary Shinnenkai”
The Role of Silicon Valley in Japanese Innovation
Silicon Valley has been studied by the world as the epicenter of innovation. Japanese corporations have been visiting Silicon Valley consistently. What purposes do these trips serve Japan’s innovation ecosystem? Why do established corporations and VC firms from Japan establish a footprint here? How have their views of innovation and interactions with Silicon Valley changed over the years? How successful have they been in importing the Silicon Valley way back to Japan? What have we learned from their presence? Join us as we explore these and other questions in a moderated conversation among the panelists and with the audience.
Continue reading “The Role of Silicon Valley in Japanese Innovation”
Oktoberfest Happy Hour Networking
Friday, October 7, 2016
The Keizai Silicon Valley, JETAANC and Procopio have organized an Oktoberfest networking nomikai at Tied House in downtown Mountain View. Please join us to share ideas, meet new people and expand your network.
Additionally, you can casually ask any questions about patent law, copyrights, corporate law etc. to the Procopio attorneys at this Oktoberfest!
The New Space Industry: Views from the US and Japan
Over the last several years, the technology industry has turned to space ddds yet another area it can disrupt. Tech titans such as Elon Musk and Jeff Bezos are involved with space launch startups and even Google has purchased a satellite company. With Silicon Valley’s latest focus on the space industry, the forum will discuss the role private industry, Silicon Valley companies and investors are currently playing in the space industry versus other areas in the US. It must also be recognized that the US isn’t the only country with a space industry to disrupt; we will also discuss the Japanese space industry and the possibilities of cooperation between Silicon Valley and Japan in this exciting field.
Continue reading “The New Space Industry: Views from the US and Japan”
2016 Summer Networking
Sunday, July 31st
Come join us at our casual networking event at Washington Park in Sunnyvale. Built in 1945 it remains one of Sunnyvale’s most popular parks. It is a very inviting space with plenty of parking. This well shaded, 12-acre park offers lots of fun for everyone. This event is ideal for both networking and catching up with old acquaintances or making new friends. The park’s green open field also offers your family members, significant others and friends a place to enjoy outdoor activities, such as playing football, baseball, soccer etc.
Trends in BioTech: Value Creation and Innovation
Wednesday June 15, 2016
According to reports from PricewaterhouseCoopers, recent venture capital investments in the biopharmaceutical industry were some of the largest in history averaging $6B-$7B per year. Thanks to the ease of global monetary policy, the rapid increase in merger & acquisition (M&A) activities along with much easier access to public financing via IPO and robust revenue growth help fuel the venture ecosystem and provide a fertile ground for high-risk companies and young start-ups. The recent paradigm-shift innovations, such as immune-oncology and targeted therapies for previously incurable diseases, surely helped open up many doors of opportunities for both companies and investors alike.
Continue reading “Trends in BioTech: Value Creation and Innovation”
Trends in AgTech: Real Needs in the Industry
The agriculture and food industries are estimated by the FAO to comprise 10% of global GDP — making them the largest industries in the world. Concerns over food production and distribution relating to global climate change, land-use change, emerging health issues, and a growing population are driving innovation like never before. Last year, venture capital invested $4.6 B into the category, an almost 100% increase in investment year-over-year.
Continue reading “Trends in AgTech: Real Needs in the Industry”
26th Anniversary Shinnenkai
Join us in celebrating Keizai Silicon Valley’s 2016 Shinnenkai (New Year’s Reception) on Friday, January 29th at 5:30 pm at the Palo Alto Hills Golf and Country Club.
This year, we honor “the Orchid King” Mr. Andy Matsui with the Keizai Silicon Valley Lifetime Achievement Award, and we present the Economic Innovation Award to his daughter, Ms. Kathy M. Matsui, chief Japan equity strategist and co-head of Asia Investment Research, Goldman Sachs.
Exploring Manufacturing 2.0
The manufacturing ecosystem is changing rapidly. The agile manufacturing revolution has brought about today’s world where even small electronics hardware companies can take advantage of mass manufacturing systems which until recently were only available to large companies. Yet, more changes are in the air with such technologies as 3D printing, robots designed to work with human workers, printed electronics, Internet community collaborative manufacturing, the maker movement, etc.
Demystifying the Industrial Internet of Things – Use Cases and Requirements
The market of the Internet of Things (IoT) is about to explode. Analysts forecast the total economic value-add from IoT will be multi-trillion with 30 billion Internet-connected devices by 2020, unlocking innovation and new business models. While tremendous opportunities are ahead of us, little is understood as to how to leverage this much-talked-about innovating trend to strategic advantage and value creation.
Continue reading “Demystifying the Industrial Internet of Things – Use Cases and Requirements”
Exploring Japan and California Cooperation on Cleantech
In September, 2014 the Governments of California and Japan entered into an agreement to support cooperation in technology associated with ameliorating climate change as well as boosting water conservation. Targeted areas include electric vehicle charging, renewable energy and high-speed rail.
Continue reading “Exploring Japan and California Cooperation on Cleantech”
M&A of Early-Stage Startup What makes it different?
In Silicon Valley mergers and acquisitions have become a prominent exit strategy for early-stage startups. However, these are different from M&As of more established companies.
Continue reading “M&A of Early-Stage Startup What makes it different?”
25th Anniversary Shinnenkai Reception
Please join us in celebrating Keizai Society’s 25th anniversary at our Shinnenkai on Friday, January 30th at 6:00pm at the Palo Alto Hills Golf and Country Club. Keizai Society Lifetime achievement recipients: Nobuyuki Idei, Yoshi Akiba, Ambassador Michael Armacost, Dr. Koichi (Ko) Nishimura, and Prof. Daniel Okimoto will discuss their forecast of the next 25 years of US-Japan relations
CrowdFinancing: Moving Beyond Kickstarter
By now, most everyone in Silicon Valley has heard of crowdfunding where groups of people fund a wide variety of projects.
Continue reading “CrowdFinancing: Moving Beyond Kickstarter”
The Future of Food in a Resource Constrained World
Leveraging Silicon Valley Solutions for our Food System
Most people know about Silicon Valley, but how many people realize that Silicon Valley’s backyard is the largest Agricultural production region Continue reading “The Future of Food in a Resource Constrained World”