Monitoring
A thud in the night. AI notices first.
AI analyzes camera footage in care facilities, detects falls and alerts staff.
Presenting company Voxela, Inc.Photo from the Voxela website. The notification screen is an illustration.
AgeTech Symposium in AkitaTechnology that makesgrowing older a littlemore enjoyable.
MonitoringVoxela
Smart toiletstoi labs
Brain healthThinkie
Leading researchers and entrepreneurs from Japan and abroad take the stage to discuss how technology that supports the daily lives of older adults can be put to work in Akita.
Jan 12Tue
- Time
- 13:00 to 16:00 JST
- Venue
- Akita International University and online
- Admission
- Free, 200 seats on-site
- Deadline
- Fri, Jan 8
Hosted byAkita PrefectureOrganized byMeta Akita Inc.Supported byAkita International University
RegisterFreeSee the program
Speakers include the Governor of Akita, a Tohoku University researcher, a care business executive and CEOs of leading AgeTech companies.The registration form (Google Forms, in Japanese) opens in a new tab and takes 2 to 3 minutes to complete.
Registration has closed. For inquiries, please email contact@meta-akita.com.
The symposium has ended. Thank you to everyone who took part.
In Akita, 4 in 10 people are 65 or older.
In 2025, Akita became the first prefecture in Japan where people aged 65 and over make up more than 40% of the population. As Akita faces the challenges of an aging society ahead of the rest of the world, it is also well placed to be among the first to adopt the new technologies that address them.
40.3%Share of people aged 65 and over in Akita Prefecture, 2025
What is AgeTech?
AgeTech refers to technologies and services that improve quality of life and make daily life easier for older adults, their families and caregivers.
Why AgeTech?
Akita’s population is shrinking and aging. Technology that eases the shortage of caregivers can grow into a new industry. With AgeTech, Akita is shaping its own future.
Leading AgeTech companies take the stage
CEOs of companies working in resident monitoring, smart toilets and brain health present their technologies and businesses in pitch format. At the side event after the main program, you can talk with representatives of each company in person.
Smart toilets
A toilet that tells you when something is different.
Just use the toilet as usual. Sensors and AI record each use and alert staff when something differs from the usual pattern.
Presenting company toi labs, Inc.Product photo from the toi labs website. This product is not a medical device.
Brain health
Have you ever seen your brain at work?
Wear a sensor on your forehead and play familiar brain-training games. The technology shows your brain’s response as colors and scores while you play.
Presenting company ThinkiePhotos from the Thinkie website and materials provided by Thinkie. Values shown in the app are estimates, not medical measurements.
By 2045, Akitacould look like this.
The Akita AgeTech Initiative imagines Akita 20 years from now, with AgeTech firmly rooted in daily life and industry.
Daily life
Staying active in the community at any age.
Healthcare and monitoring technologies support everyday life, and healthy life expectancy has risen sharply. Older residents stay involved in community activities and contribute to society throughout their lives.
Family and community
Young people choose to come back to Akita.
People can now build careers in advanced technology and at global companies without leaving Akita. The population has begun to grow again, and multigenerational communities are thriving across the prefecture.
Work
Tech unicorns are born in Akita.
Companies from Japan and abroad have set up R&D bases in Akita and develop products together with local care and medical providers. Akita-born technology has become a global standard, and AgeTech has grown into one of Akita’s core industries.
Learning
Entrepreneurs graduate from Akita’s universities year after year.
With strong entrepreneurship education and support, students often launch businesses while still at university. Akita has become a hub for education and research on the challenges of an aging society, drawing talent from Japan and abroad.
The first step is the symposium on January 12, 2027.
RegisterFreeProgram
Tuesday, January 12, 2027
13:00 to 16:00 JST (tentative)
Side event 16:10 to 17:00, with free refreshments
Opening remarks
Keynote address
Pitches from leading AgeTech companies
Panel discussion
Q&A
Introducing the Akita AgeTech Initiative
Closing remarks
Side event: hands-on exhibition booths
See AgeTech products and services up close, try them for yourself and hear about them from the developers. It is a rare chance to meet representatives of the presenting companies in person.
The schedule is tentative and subject to change.
Speakers
Remarks and panel discussion
Kenta Suzuki
Governor of Akita Prefecture
Took office as Governor of Akita Prefecture in 2025. Has pledged to tackle population decline by making the most of Akita’s strengths.
Keynote and panel moderator
To be announced
Delivers the keynote on AgeTech trends in Japan and abroad, and on how technology can grow into a local industry.
Panel discussion
Yasuyuki Taki
Professor, Institute of Development, Aging and Cancer, Tohoku University
A Tohoku University professor who leads large-scale brain science research. Founded CogSmart to apply the findings in business.
Panel discussion
Hidekazu Obara
Director, Social Welfare Corporation Akebono-kai
Supports frontline care in Akita as an executive. Also involved in drawing up the prefecture’s medical and nursing care plans.
Company pitch
Yuta Endo
CEO, Voxela, Inc.
Co-founded Voxela in Silicon Valley. Builds AI that detects falls and other incidents from camera footage in care facilities.
Company pitch
Vik Kashyap
CEO, toi labs, Inc.
Founder of toi labs, which developed an AI-powered toilet seat that records data with each use. The product, TrueLoo, was named one of TIME’s Best Inventions of 2024.
Company pitch
Kota Ageiwa
CEO, Thinkie
Worked in business development at Mitsui & Co. before co-founding Thinkie. Develops technology that uses a forehead sensor to show brain activity during brain training.
Event details
- Date and time
- Tuesday, January 12, 2027
13:00 to 16:00 JST (tentative)
Side event 16:10 to 17:00, with free refreshments - Venue
- Alumni Hall (同窓会ホール), Akita International University, Yuwa Tsubakigawa, Akita City
Also streamed online - Admission
- Free
- Capacity
- 200 on-site (first come, first served)
- Registration deadline
- Friday, January 8, 2027
- Who should attend
- The symposium is intended mainly for companies that develop or manufacture products and services, people working in care and welfare, and members of the media. Members of the public and students are also welcome.
- Hosted by
- Akita Prefecture
- Organized by
- Meta Akita Inc.
- Supported by
- Akita International University
- Contact
- contact@meta-akita.com
Akita International University is near Akita Airport. Roads may be snowy or icy in winter, so please allow extra time.
Information on public transportation and parking will be posted on this page once confirmed.Open map
FAQ
Is there a fee?
No. Admission is free.
Is the registration form in English?
No, the form is in Japanese. If you need help registering, please email contact@meta-akita.com.
Can I attend without specialist knowledge?
Yes. The symposium is mainly for people working in care and welfare and for businesses, but the general public and students are also welcome.
Can I attend online?
Yes. On the registration form, choose “オンラインで参加希望” (attend online). Registrants will receive details on how to watch.
What if I have trouble getting to the venue?
On the registration form, under “会場までの移動手段” (transportation to the venue), choose “確保の見通しが立たず、相談したいです” (I can’t arrange transportation and would like to discuss options), or let us know in the questions field.
How many seats are there, and when is the deadline?
On-site seating is limited to the first 200 registrants. Registration closes on Friday, January 8, 2027.
What happens if there is heavy snow?
If the format or other details change, we will announce it on this page and notify registrants using the contact details they provided.
How can members of the press cover the event?
Please email contact@meta-akita.com.
Flyers
Feel free to post or share these at your workplace or school. The flyers are in Japanese. Select an image to enlarge it.
By theme
By audience
Flyer content is subject to change.
Jan 12Tuesday, starting at 13:00At Akita International University and online
Registration
Admission is free. On-site seating is limited to the first 200 registrants, and registration closes on Friday, January 8, 2027. You can also join online.
Registration has closed. For inquiries, please email contact@meta-akita.com.
The symposium has ended. Thank you to everyone who took part.