Generating Innovation with Japan (GIJ) Series: Ontario 2020

Nov 09, 2020

 

Generating Innovation with Japan (GIJ): Ontario 2020 - HealthTech


         





     Unique Opportunity for Start-ups to Meet Potential Japanese Partners


Major Japanese firms are increasingly looking to identify new innovation from Canadian start-ups in order to improve their business practices and to introduce new ideas and technology into their business divisions. For probably the first time in Canada, all 7 major Sogo Shosha are gathered together for this major reverse-pitch and B2B partnering event.

What is a Sogo Shosha?


Sogo Shosha (総合商社), which were mostly founded back in the 1800s in Japan, are often called “general trading firms” but, although they are often involved in the sale and transportation of large-scale commodities and products globally, they are also so much more. They are strategic investors. They create new businesses. They are facilitators who look at the whole supply-chain of an industry, up-stream, mid-stream and down-stream, to bring value and competency in order to grow that business segment.


There are 7 major Sogo Sosha, Itochu, Marubeni, Mitsubishi, Mitsui, Sojitz, Sumitomo and Toyota Tsusho, and they are involved in a huge variety of businesses sectors including energy, metals & mining, chemicals, agri-food, forestry, automotive, aerospace, shipbuilding, machinery, healthcare, retail, IT services, infrastructure, finance, logistics, real estate and more.


Most are Fortune Global 500 ranked firms and it has been calculated that, in recent years, their sales in total account for about 15% of Japan’s GDP and on average nearly 30% of Japan’s imports and around 18% of its exports. Recently, Warren Buffet's Berkshire Hathaway famously made global headlines when he decided to invest in a number of these Sogo Shosha.


Why partner with a Sogo Shosha?


For Canadian start-ups, the Japanese market can be daunting but potentially hugely rewarding. One of the best ways to enter that market is through partnering with Japanese firms.


Recently, Sogo Shosha have been looking to partner with startups and technology firms to bring innovation into their business and to help those startups grow and prosper.


What is a Generating Innovation with Japan (GIJ) Reverse-pitch Event?


This event will provide a unique opportunity for start-ups and Sogo Shosha to connect and share information. Through reverse-pitch presentations, Japanese firms will explain about their innovation needs and, during the breakout sessions and B2B meeting programme, start-ups can present their technology solutions. Through this event, we aim to generate new innovation through partnerships between leading Japanese firms and innovative Canadian start-ups.


What will you get out of this event?


Learn what a Sogo Shosha is and how do they differ from each other.

Understand how Sogo Shosha fit into various value-chains and how they can help to bring your innovation into these businesses.

Meet the window person into these major Japanese partners which can potentially help you to scale your business in Canada, Japan and globally.



Organizers

Japan External Trade Organization (JETRO)

Ontario Government

Supporting Organizers

TBD

Date/Time

November 19th

15:00-17:00 (EST) |  13:00-15:00 (MST)|   12:00-14:00 (PST)

Webinar: Japanese Company Reverse-pitch



November 26th – December 4th

One-on-One Pre-arranged Business Meetings, organized by Ontario Government


Venue

Online (Zoom Platform)

Agenda

1. Welcome / Opening Remarks

2. Overview of JETRO Services and Support

3. Japanese Company Reverse-pitch Presentations

  • Marubeni Canada Ltd.
  • Sumitomo Corporation of Americas
  • Mitsui & Co
  • ITOCHU Canada Ltd.
  • Sojitz Canada Corporation
  • Mitsubishi Canada Ltd.
  • Toyota Tsusho Canada Inc.
    • ※See Japanese Company Profiles below for details.

4. Networking | Q&A (Zoom Breakout Rooms)


Japanese Company Profiles
Marubeni Canada Ltd.
Marubeni Corporation is a general trading and investment company with a presence in over 67 countries and regions, and with 431 consolidated companies. Marubeni’s activities are spread across wide-ranging fields including lifestyle, ICT & real estate business, forest products, food, agri business, chemicals, energy, metal & minerals, power, infrastructure, aerospace & ship, finance & leasing, construction, industrial machinery & mobility and next generation business development.

Marubeni is constantly evolving, working with partners such as Udelv (autonomous delivery vehicles), GridMarket (marketplace for distributed energy projects), and Enlitic (imaging diagnostics) to pursue new business opportunities unbound by the conventions of the past. Marubeni Canada – the Canadian Headquarters for Marubeni is looking to connect with Canadian startups with innovative technologies, services and business models to explore potential partnership opportunities with Marubeni’s various departments and consolidated companies. See https://www.marubeni.com/en for more information on Marubeni’s activities.


Sumitomo Corporation of Americas
About Sumitomo Corporation of Americas
Established in 1952 and headquartered in New York City, Sumitomo Corporation of Americas (SCOA) has 8 offices in major U.S. cities. SCOA is the largest subsidiary of Sumitomo Corporation, one of the world’s leading traders of goods and services. As an integrated business enterprise, Sumitomo Corporation has emerged as a major organizer of multinational projects, an expediter of ideas, an important international investor and financier, and a powerful force for distribution of products and global communications through a network of offices worldwide.
The company’s core business groups include Metal Products, Transportation & Construction Systems, Infrastructure, Media & Digital, Living Related and Real Estate, and Mineral Resources, Energy, Chemical & Electronics. For more information visit www.sumitomocorp.com/

Mitsui & Co. (Canada) Ltd.
Mitsui & Co. is a Japanese general trading company providing services and solutions that meet the diverse needs of customers around the world. Mitsui & Co. has always been a company of challenger and innovators, anticipating the needs of successive generations in a spirit of open-mindedness. We deeply value our engagement and relationships with customers, industry partners and other stakeholders, and our consolidated group of 46,000 united employees to create new value with comprehensive capabilities. Our 360° business innovation model focus on 6 main business areas leveraging the business engineering capabilities and diverse experience.

https://www.mitsui.com/
Corporate Brochure 2020


ITOCHU Canada Ltd.
ITOCHU is a TSE listed Fortune 500 company incorporated in Japan with a market capitalization of US$36 billion, that began more than 150 years ago as a trading company, importing and exporting goods around the world.
Today, it still offers trading services but also owns or has significant investments in over 300 companies, with a net profit of US$5 billion, an all time high, and total assets of US$96 billion.
One segment of focus in North America is residential material and surrounding industries, which includes lumber, building material, outdoor living, offsite construction and so on. Unlike other industries, the tech of residential industries has not seen any significant advancements in the last 100 years. We will gladly welcome any new solutions to improve productivity together.
We are also involved in metals & minerals investments and trade all over the world. We are exploring technologies which enhance efficiency, competitiveness, and safety for our “Pit to Port to Market” value chain.

https://www.itochu.co.jp/en/


Sojitz Canada Corporation
Sojitz Corporation is a Japanese general trading and investment company that was created in 2004 from the merger between Nichimen Corporation and Nissho Iwai Corporation. Sojitz has 85 offices and over 400 subsidiaries and affiliates, and has been supporting economic development in various countries and regions around the world for over 150 years. By responsibly managing nine business divisions - Automotive, Energy & Social Infrastructure, Food & Agriculture, Aerospace & Transportation, Metals & Mineral Resources, Retail & Lifestyle, Machinery & Medical Infrastructure, Chemicals and Industrial Infrastructure & Urban Development - Sojitz aims to maximize value to both the Sojitz Group and to society in every aspect of our global operations. As a business partner, Sojitz combines extensive brand power with global market access in addition to financial stability and corporate social responsibility.

Sojitz Canada Corporation was established in 1958 and has two regional offices in Vancouver, BC and Toronto, ON. Our current business scope in Canada is focused on, but not limited to aircraft sales and marketing, railcar maintenance, repair and operation, and the import and export of log and lumber products, metals and mineral resources, chemical products and food products. Through our Reverse Pitch, Sojitz Canada hopes to cultivate Canada's most valuable resource - innovation and creativity - to collaborate in developing practical solutions to our current and expanding business in growing sectors such as RetailTech, Cleantech, Renewable Energy, AgriTech, Natural Resources, ForestTech and LogisticsTech.

https://www.sojitz.com/en/worldwide/


Mitsubishi Canada Limited
Mitsubishi Corporation (MC) is a global integrated business enterprise that develops and operates businesses together with its offices and subsidiaries in approximately 90 countries and regions worldwide, as well as a global network of around 1,700 group companies. MC has 10 Business Groups that operate across virtually every industry: Natural Gas, Industrial Materials, Petroleum & Chemicals, Mineral Resources, Industrial Infrastructure, Automotive & Mobility, Food Industry, Consumer Industry, Power Solution and Urban Development. Through these 10 Business Groups, MC’s current activities have expanded far beyond its traditional trading operations.

Mitsubishi Canada Ltd. (MCL) is a Canadian subsidiary of MC, under our North American holding company Mitsubishi Corporation (Americas) (MCA). MCL works closely together with MCA’s Silicon Valley Branch as well as its Boston Branch to actively seek out technology startups with a focus on AI, IoT and other technologies that can add value to our 10 Business Groups’ operations and assets. MCL is also a member of the M-Lab, a virtual organization formed under MCA in 2017 with hubs in Silicon Valley and Boston. The M-Lab promotes open innovation across different industries through collaboration with 12 member companies.

https://www.mitsubishicorp.com/


Toyota Tsusho Corporation
About Toyota Tsusho Group – With 60 years in North America, we are part of a multi-market, multi-business enterprise with expertise in exporting and importing, new manufacturing, intermediate goods processing and logistics in the Canada, United States, Mexico, and the Caribbean. With a team of nearly 5,000 and 71 locations across North America, we strive for comprehensive excellence by cultivating a vibrant culture of creativity, reliability, accountability, flexibility and teamwork to activate the full potential of all employees, customers, suppliers and communities. To support the growth of Toyota Tsusho Canada Inc., we look for business opportunities and innovation in the following areas:
  • Food industry innovation,
  • Automotive Motor Technology - Electrification,
  • Maas,
  • Clean Tech.

https://www.toyota-tsusho.com/english/

Registration Deadline Closed
Contact

JETRO Toronto
Email: inquiry@jetro.go.jp