6th Article by SIIFIC Student Intern：BWA Pitch Contest 2025: Six Entrepreneurs, One Message
The article was written by SIIFIC student intern, Lily Thomas.
On July 11, 2025, the 4th annual BWA Pitch Contest was held at Tokyo Midtown Yaesu, organized by Figaro Japon. This year marked a record with 160 applications, from which six finalists presented innovative projects ranging from disaster preparedness education and vegan leather to a kimono-sharing platform.
Among the judges was Nanako Kudo, SIIFIC Board Member and SIIF , whose presence underscored the significance of this stage. The Professional Award went to Ayako Omomo’s “Dialogue for Everyone”, which redefined careers in one’s fifties not as “decline” but as “renewal.”
At the same time, the contest highlighted persistent structural barriers in Japan’s startup ecosystem: only a small fraction of venture capital flows to female founders. Beyond visibility for women entrepreneurs, the event demonstrated how, in an aging society, inclusion is not merely about fairness but an economic necessity.
📌 Article Highlights
- The BWA Pitch Contest 2025 in Tokyo marked its 4th year with a record 160 applications.
- Six women presented projects ranging from disaster prevention and vegan leather to kimono sharing.
- Ayako Omomo’s “Dialogue for Everyone” won the Professional Award, reframing careers in workers’ 50s as renewal rather than decline.
- Female representation in Japan’s start-up ecosystem remains low: just 20% of University of Tokyo students are women, and only a fraction of VC funding goes to female founders.
- The contest underscored a wider challenge: in an ageing society, inclusion is not only fairness but an economic necessity.
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