{"id":175774,"date":"2026-01-28T13:19:58","date_gmt":"2026-01-28T04:19:58","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.fukuoka-now.com\/?post_type=event&p=175774&lang=en"},"modified":"2026-02-12T18:10:26","modified_gmt":"2026-02-12T09:10:26","slug":"thursday-gathering-56","status":"publish","type":"event","link":"https:\/\/www.fukuoka-now.com\/en\/event\/thursday-gathering-56\/","title":{"rendered":"Thursday Gathering #56: APU x DEI & Bangkok Startup Pitch"},"content":{"rendered":"

Exploring diversity-driven innovation and cross-border startup collaboration between Japan and Thailand.<\/span><\/p>\n

This week\u2019s Thursday Gathering combines an academic perspective on DEI as a competitive business strategy with an international startup pitch event featuring emerging companies from Bangkok. Learn how inclusive management strengthens innovation in the AI era, then connect with global founders looking to expand into Japan.<\/span><\/p>\n

\"\"<\/p>\n

Date and Time<\/b>: Thursday, February 5, 2026, 16:00 to 20:30
\n<\/span>Location<\/b>: ONE FUKUOKA BLDG. 6F SKYLOBBY
\n<\/span>Admission<\/b>: Free (registration required)
\n<\/span>Registration & details<\/b>: Available <\/span>online<\/span><\/a> (Japanese)<\/span><\/p>\n

Event Highlights (In-person only):<\/span><\/h3>\n

16:00 – 20:00
\n<\/span>Networking (All Day)
\n<\/b>A core feature of every Thursday Gathering, this all-day networking program creates space for meaningful business connections and new collaborations. Enjoy up to three free drinks (beer or soft drinks) while connecting with fellow participants in a relaxed, welcoming atmosphere. It\u2019s also a great chance to meet session speakers and guest presenters directly, continue conversations after talks, and spark new ideas through spontaneous discussions.
\n<\/span>More info<\/span><\/i><\/a>: Japanese<\/span><\/p>\n

16:00 \u2013 16:50
\n<\/span>APU x DEI: Diversity, Equity & Inclusion as a Competitive Strategy
\n<\/strong>DEI is often misunderstood as a values-driven or welfare-oriented initiative. In reality, it is a proven management approach that enhances innovation, competitiveness, and long-term growth\u2014particularly in the AI era.
\n<\/span>In this session, Associate Professor Hirahara from APU\u2019s College of International Management presents insights from leading management research, explaining how DEI contributes directly to corporate value and competitive advantage. The talk also covers practical considerations and common pitfalls when implementing DEI within organizations.
\n<\/span>More info<\/span><\/i><\/a>: Japanese<\/span><\/p>\n

17:00 – 17:15
\n<\/span>How to Enjoy Thursday Gathering
\n<\/b>An interactive introduction to Venture Caf\u00e9 Fukuoka\u2019s signature weekly event, Thursday Gathering. This short session explains how the community works, its mission, and why meaningful human connection is at the heart of everything we do. Held every week, it\u2019s especially recommended for first-time attendees or anyone curious about how to make the most of the Thursday Gathering experience.
\n<\/span>More info<\/span><\/i><\/a>: Japanese<\/span><\/p>\n

17:30 \u2013 20:30
\n<\/span>Fukuoka\u2013Bangkok Startup Exchange Program: GLOBAL CONNECT (SPARK) DAY
\n<\/strong><\/span>Marking 20 years of friendship between Fukuoka Prefecture and the Bangkok Metropolitan Administration, nine high-potential Thai startups visit Fukuoka with ambitions to enter the Japanese market.
\n<\/span>This pitch-focused networking event connects startups with local financial institutions, investors, and companies seeking international collaboration. Many participating teams already have experience working with Japanese firms, making this a valuable opportunity for meaningful business matching.
\n<\/span>The event is ideal for those interested in overseas startup trends, collaboration with Thai companies, and innovation across fields such as DX, marketing tech, deep tech, healthcare, XR, and sustainability.<\/span><\/p>\n

Languages:<\/b> Japanese & English (with interpretation)
\n<\/span>More info<\/span><\/i><\/a>: Japanese<\/span><\/p>\n

Organized by Venture Caf\u00e9 Fukuoka<\/strong>
\n<\/span>Languages: Japanese and\/or English (varies by session)
\n<\/span>All sessions are in-person only. Pre-registration required via the event website.<\/span><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

Exploring diversity-driven innovation and cross-border startup collaboration between Japan and Thailand…<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":30292,"featured_media":175752,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","template":"","tags":[],"class_list":["post-175774","event","type-event","status-publish","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","location-chuo-ku","event-type-community","event-type-seminar","en-US"],"jetpack_sharing_enabled":true,"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.fukuoka-now.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/event\/175774","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.fukuoka-now.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/event"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.fukuoka-now.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/event"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.fukuoka-now.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/30292"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.fukuoka-now.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=175774"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.fukuoka-now.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/175752"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.fukuoka-now.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=175774"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.fukuoka-now.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=175774"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}