Innovation with the World's Most Advanced Avatar Technology

Showcasing Tokyo's Potential to the World

More than 48 countries, cities, and regions took part in the event, which drew over 430 startups and 40,000 participants. The two-day program, billed as Asia's largest and Japan's only global innovation conference, ended as a great success.

Suemura explains the purpose of holding an event of this kind at such a timing.

"Tokyo, of course, and other cities around the world, are now facing extremely tough competition among cities. On the other hand, stock prices in Japan are on the rise, and this is the perfect time to attract foreign investment and visitors to Japan and Tokyo. We believe now is the time to appeal Tokyo's strengths and potential to the whole world," Suemura said.

Another aim of the event was to bring together these many stakeholders to share information on the many attractive aspects of the city. This is an opportunity for new innovation.

In fact, many of the business negotiations at the event proceeded to concrete discussions, with as many as 3,000 business meetings taking place throughout the two-day event.

Collaboration with One of the World's Largest French Events

Cities around the world face many common challenges, such as the environment and energy as well as demographic change, aging infrastructure, and the transmission of traditional culture. "Technovation", created through technology and ideas, is essential to solving these problems.

"This event is also significant as a startup support system for this purpose. I hope this opportunity will serve as a catalyst for solving these issues through innovation."

Three strategies are set forth as specific outcome goals: increase the number of startups by ten times in five years, increase the number of startups growing from startups to unicorns by ten times, and increase the number of public-private partnerships by ten times.

As part of this effort, the TMG was collaborating with VIVA TECHNOLOGY 2024 (May 22-25) in France. Some of the startups from this program were exhibited at the Japan Pavilion too.

"In France, the government has taken the lead in developing a startup support system that is truly a public-private partnership. This will be a great reference for us, and for the exhibiting companies, we have high expectations that it will lead to the global expansion of their businesses in one blow."

Challenge with Japan's Original Technology

One of these companies, Pocket RD, Inc., has developed a fully automated 3D avatar production solution based on the concept of "Creating a New Future".

Using a body scanner that can generate avatars for full-body imaging, avatars can be generated with their own unique editing application to freely customize their lip color, glasses, body shape, etc., while retaining and utilizing their own characteristics. With this technology, avatars can be generated with realistic movements that match the worldview of each digital space, such as metaverse and games, and not merely the conventional animated ones. Momikura explains its features as follows.

"We installed 28 cameras on the body scanner. Other companies have 50 or 100 cameras, but generating the data takes about three months. With this scanner, however, it takes only 10 minutes. If you reduce the number of cameras, you can generate an avatar in about two minutes, but that is a still image in which the face does not move, even if it is called an avatar. We are proud to say that this number of cameras is the most advanced in the world and just barely sufficient to generate realistic and detailed facial expressions, blinking, mouth opening, and body movements. The hardware part of the camera is from an existing manufacturer, but the software is all original and developed in-house."

Momikura's vision is one ID=N AVATAR, meaning one person can have multiple avatars. People are expected to be able to connect with people around the world through video and live streaming, potentially revitalizing society as a whole. The company felt a great response to the realization of this concept at this year's exhibition.

"Avatar has unlimited possibilities in the digital space. In Japan, avatars are still seen in a certain way, but we had a great response from Westerners who are certain about self-expression, which gave us even more confidence."

For this reason, there are high expectations for SusHi Tech Tokyo in the future.

"Many people from overseas often tell me that they want to know more about Japanese technology. Still, many companies have websites only in Japanese, so they don't know what kind of technology they have or what kind of appeal they have. It is a shame that the details of Japanese technology are not well-known, because it has an image of safety and reliability. That is why I would like to see events like this expanded, and I hope the government as a whole will do so for Japan as a whole."

In this sense, the VIVA TECHNOLOGY 2024, in which he participated as one of the Japanese representatives, gave him strong confidence that his company will make a significant step forward.

He said: "On the first day alone, we had more than 100 business meeting opportunities. The excitement throughout the venue was tremendous, but I also experienced firsthand the expectations from Europe for Japanese technology. I had thought that the potential of Japan's technology that is filled with hospitality should have the power to attract people around the world, but after the first day, I became convinced."

Concrete business negotiations are already underway. The day when we can create a future that does not exist today, originating from Japan, is just around the corner.

Momikura Atsuya

Born in Osaka Prefecture. After graduating from Doshisha University with a degree in psychology, he consistently worked in business planning, marketing, and advertising at Fujitsu and Recruit, and became independent. In 2017, sensing the potential of the coming XR business, he founded Pocket RD and became its representative.

SusHi Tech Tokyo, short for Sustainable High City Tech Tokyo, is a Tokyo-based concept that aims to create sustainable new value by overcoming global urban challenges through cutting-edge technology, diverse ideas, and digital expertise.

https://www.sushi-tech-tokyo2024.metro.tokyo.lg.jp/