📍 Venue: SISTER – Renold Building, 32a Altrincham Street, Manchester, M1 7JR
Discover the next wave of innovation at Venture Café Manchester as we host Pitch2Osaka, the Manchester Regional Round of the Tech Osaka Award 2027. Delivered in collaboration with Venture Café Tokyo, the competition builds on the Sister City partnership between Greater Manchester and the City of Osaka.
Watch ambitious UK and international innovators in Bio/Life Sciences and Healthcare, Green Tech, or Digital. live as they compete for a spot on the global stage. Three winning startups will be selected to travel to Japan to represent the region at the Tech Osaka Summit 2027 and pitch for up to ¥2 million in grand prize funding.
Whether you are an entrepreneur looking to expand into the Japanese market or an ecosystem supporter eager to back local innovation, this is your chance to connect with companies, investors, and international partners bridging Manchester and Osaka.
Operated by Venture Café Tokyo | Tech Osaka Award 2027
Powered by Advanced Research + Invention Agency
An interactive creative sip & paint experience inspired by Osaka’s vibrant culture, culinary heritage, and iconic nightlife. Participants will explore pre-drawn and blank canvases featuring Japanese motifs, including plum (Ume) and cherry (Sakura) blossoms, seafood imagery such as crabs and octopuses, and the neon-lit streets of Dotonbori.
Artist in residence at Black Creative Trailblazers, Obiaje Ejiga will produce sample paintings to display at the event, offering inspiration for participants. A standalone “OSAKA” art display will also establish a visual focal point, celebrating the city’s identity while encouraging creativity, cultural appreciation, and social connection.
Step into a space where every conversation could spark something new. Enjoy music, refreshments, and a lively atmosphere designed to bring people together, whether you’re exchanging ideas, discovering collaborators, or simply sharing a laugh. This is the perfect moment to unwind, connect, and let serendipity guide your evening.
Venture Café is a global movement built on a simple but powerful belief: isolation is the enemy of innovation.
Through our weekly Thursday Gatherings, founders, researchers, investors and innovators come together to share ideas, explore new technologies and build meaningful connections. As ecosystem activators, Venture Café Manchester is creating a central hub for the city’s innovation ecosystem, driving visibility, collaboration and community.
And if you’d like to get more involved with Venture Café, there are plenty of ways to join our network:
🤝 Become a partner
🎤 Speak at an upcoming Thursday Gathering
🙌 Join our ambassador team
💬 Connect with us on LinkedIn
📩 Sign up for our weekly newsletter
Meet the experts bringing their knowledge and experience to the judging panel. Representing organisations across innovation, entrepreneurship, research commercialisation and international collaboration, our judges bring a wealth of insight into what it takes to turn ambitious ideas into opportunities on a global stage.
Nine pioneering startups are gearing up to take the stage for their chance to advance to the final round in Osaka at the Tech Osaka Summit, January 2027.
Come watch the following startups go head-to-head for the Osaka spotlight:
🔬 VolkCell is building the image analysis infrastructure for cell culture workflows, helping biotech and biomanufacturing teams extract more insight from their microscopy images without slowing down their experiments.
🍄 mushroom+ is a Manchester-based pre-seed molecular farming startup reimagining protein production without rebuilding the food system. mushroom+ platform increases mushroom protein content up to 10x, targeting meat-level density (~30% by weight) while retaining produce simplicity.
🚀 Keenu Ltd specialises in AI-powered assessment of English as a Second Language (ESL). It provides engaging and accurate placement tests for language schools, universities and tutors, offering a clear snapshot of students’ CEFR levels, including speaking and writing abilities, before they arrive.
🧬 Gennate is a UK nanotechnology company based in Manchester, developing innovative nanoformulations for agriculture and wider industrial applications. Its proprietary Nano-Formulator™ continuous-flow reactor produces uniform nanoparticles through precise process control, enabling reproducible, scalable and economical manufacturing without synthetic surfactants or stabilising ligands.
🌱 Future Greens is a start up developing modular, high-performance anaerobic digesters. Using the power of microbes, we enable onsite waste-to-energy for food & drink manufacturers: Reduce emissions. Stabilise energy bills. Through circularity.
Take a moment to stretch, grab a drink and recharge before the next round of pitches. This short break is the perfect time to chat with fellow attendees, reflect on the first session and get ready for the next exciting ideas coming up.
Nine pioneering startups are gearing up to take the stage for their chance to advance to the final round in Osaka at the Tech Osaka Summit, January 2027.
Come watch the following startups go head-to-head for the Osaka spotlight:
🌍 Universal Atmosphere Processing (UAP) is a UK atmospheric processing company developing technology to recover and refine valuable resources directly from air. UAP’s Atmospheric Processor® targets neon, krypton and xenon, gases used in chipmaking, satellite propulsion and insulating glass.
💻 KodeGauge is a Manchester-based repository intelligence platform that scans codebases and translates what's hiding underneath into financial numbers.
📱 OLAI is an accessible AI agent that helps families, older adults and disabled people navigate and complete everyday online tasks, such as booking a doctor's appointment. It develops accessibility-focused technology that adapts to individual needs, making digital services easier to access and use.
🍃 Spore Sense develops advanced sensing technology for early spore detection and 24/7 biological monitoring on farms worldwide. Its technology helps growers, agronomists and agricultural businesses identify risks earlier, respond faster and protect crop health and the environment through more informed on-farm decision-making.
An interactive creative sip & paint experience inspired by Osaka’s vibrant culture, culinary heritage, and iconic nightlife. Participants will explore pre-drawn and blank canvases featuring Japanese motifs, including plum (Ume) and cherry (Sakura) blossoms, seafood imagery such as crabs and octopuses, and the neon-lit streets of Dotonbori.
Artist in residence at Black Creative Trailblazers, Obiaje Ejiga will produce sample paintings to display at the event, offering inspiration for participants. A standalone “OSAKA” art display will also establish a visual focal point, celebrating the city’s identity while encouraging creativity, cultural appreciation, and social connection.
Join us as the judges reveal the winning pitch of the evening! The winning startup will receive the exciting opportunity to attend the Tech Osaka Award, January 2027 in Osaka, where they will compete in the ultimate international pitch-off. Celebrate innovation, cheer on the winner and witness the start of a journey to the global stage.
📍 Venue: SISTER – Renold Building, 32a Altrincham Street, Manchester, M1 7JR
Discover the next wave of innovation at Venture Café Manchester as we host Pitch2Osaka, the Manchester Regional Round of the Tech Osaka Award 2027. Delivered in collaboration with Venture Café Tokyo, the competition builds on the Sister City partnership between Greater Manchester and the City of Osaka.
Watch ambitious UK and international innovators in Bio/Life Sciences and Healthcare, Green Tech, or Digital. live as they compete for a spot on the global stage. Three winning startups will be selected to travel to Japan to represent the region at the Tech Osaka Summit 2027 and pitch for up to ¥2 million in grand prize funding.
Whether you are an entrepreneur looking to expand into the Japanese market or an ecosystem supporter eager to back local innovation, this is your chance to connect with companies, investors, and international partners bridging Manchester and Osaka.
Operated by Venture Café Tokyo | Tech Osaka Award 2027
Powered by Advanced Research + Invention Agency
An interactive creative sip & paint experience inspired by Osaka’s vibrant culture, culinary heritage, and iconic nightlife. Participants will explore pre-drawn and blank canvases featuring Japanese motifs, including plum (Ume) and cherry (Sakura) blossoms, seafood imagery such as crabs and octopuses, and the neon-lit streets of Dotonbori.
Artist in residence at Black Creative Trailblazers, Obiaje Ejiga will produce sample paintings to display at the event, offering inspiration for participants. A standalone “OSAKA” art display will also establish a visual focal point, celebrating the city’s identity while encouraging creativity, cultural appreciation, and social connection.
Step into a space where every conversation could spark something new. Enjoy music, refreshments, and a lively atmosphere designed to bring people together, whether you’re exchanging ideas, discovering collaborators, or simply sharing a laugh. This is the perfect moment to unwind, connect, and let serendipity guide your evening.
Venture Café is a global movement built on a simple but powerful belief: isolation is the enemy of innovation.
Through our weekly Thursday Gatherings, founders, researchers, investors and innovators come together to share ideas, explore new technologies and build meaningful connections. As ecosystem activators, Venture Café Manchester is creating a central hub for the city’s innovation ecosystem, driving visibility, collaboration and community.
And if you’d like to get more involved with Venture Café, there are plenty of ways to join our network:
🤝 Become a partner
🎤 Speak at an upcoming Thursday Gathering
🙌 Join our ambassador team
💬 Connect with us on LinkedIn
📩 Sign up for our weekly newsletter
Meet the experts bringing their knowledge and experience to the judging panel. Representing organisations across innovation, entrepreneurship, research commercialisation and international collaboration, our judges bring a wealth of insight into what it takes to turn ambitious ideas into opportunities on a global stage.
Nine pioneering startups are gearing up to take the stage for their chance to advance to the final round in Osaka at the Tech Osaka Summit, January 2027.
Come watch the following startups go head-to-head for the Osaka spotlight:
🔬 VolkCell is building the image analysis infrastructure for cell culture workflows, helping biotech and biomanufacturing teams extract more insight from their microscopy images without slowing down their experiments.
🍄 mushroom+ is a Manchester-based pre-seed molecular farming startup reimagining protein production without rebuilding the food system. mushroom+ platform increases mushroom protein content up to 10x, targeting meat-level density (~30% by weight) while retaining produce simplicity.
🚀 Keenu Ltd specialises in AI-powered assessment of English as a Second Language (ESL). It provides engaging and accurate placement tests for language schools, universities and tutors, offering a clear snapshot of students’ CEFR levels, including speaking and writing abilities, before they arrive.
🧬 Gennate is a UK nanotechnology company based in Manchester, developing innovative nanoformulations for agriculture and wider industrial applications. Its proprietary Nano-Formulator™ continuous-flow reactor produces uniform nanoparticles through precise process control, enabling reproducible, scalable and economical manufacturing without synthetic surfactants or stabilising ligands.
🌱 Future Greens is a start up developing modular, high-performance anaerobic digesters. Using the power of microbes, we enable onsite waste-to-energy for food & drink manufacturers: Reduce emissions. Stabilise energy bills. Through circularity.
Take a moment to stretch, grab a drink and recharge before the next round of pitches. This short break is the perfect time to chat with fellow attendees, reflect on the first session and get ready for the next exciting ideas coming up.
Nine pioneering startups are gearing up to take the stage for their chance to advance to the final round in Osaka at the Tech Osaka Summit, January 2027.
Come watch the following startups go head-to-head for the Osaka spotlight:
🌍 Universal Atmosphere Processing (UAP) is a UK atmospheric processing company developing technology to recover and refine valuable resources directly from air. UAP’s Atmospheric Processor® targets neon, krypton and xenon, gases used in chipmaking, satellite propulsion and insulating glass.
💻 KodeGauge is a Manchester-based repository intelligence platform that scans codebases and translates what's hiding underneath into financial numbers.
📱 OLAI is an accessible AI agent that helps families, older adults and disabled people navigate and complete everyday online tasks, such as booking a doctor's appointment. It develops accessibility-focused technology that adapts to individual needs, making digital services easier to access and use.
🍃 Spore Sense develops advanced sensing technology for early spore detection and 24/7 biological monitoring on farms worldwide. Its technology helps growers, agronomists and agricultural businesses identify risks earlier, respond faster and protect crop health and the environment through more informed on-farm decision-making.
An interactive creative sip & paint experience inspired by Osaka’s vibrant culture, culinary heritage, and iconic nightlife. Participants will explore pre-drawn and blank canvases featuring Japanese motifs, including plum (Ume) and cherry (Sakura) blossoms, seafood imagery such as crabs and octopuses, and the neon-lit streets of Dotonbori.
Artist in residence at Black Creative Trailblazers, Obiaje Ejiga will produce sample paintings to display at the event, offering inspiration for participants. A standalone “OSAKA” art display will also establish a visual focal point, celebrating the city’s identity while encouraging creativity, cultural appreciation, and social connection.
Join us as the judges reveal the winning pitch of the evening! The winning startup will receive the exciting opportunity to attend the Tech Osaka Award, January 2027 in Osaka, where they will compete in the ultimate international pitch-off. Celebrate innovation, cheer on the winner and witness the start of a journey to the global stage.