Why Corporate × Startup Usually Fail -And How They Succeed?🍣 #NYCTechWeek

Tuesday, Jun 2

4:30pm – 6:30pm

ETET

Hosted by

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Pitch Application Form

This is a curated evening for early-stage AI founders, investors, and corporate innovation leaders exploring the future of AI collaboration. The evening will feature a fireside chat on what it actually takes to make corporate × startup partnerships work — not the press release version, but the real one. Why do so many collaborations stall after the MOU? What does a startup actually get out of working with a large enterprise — and what should they be trying to get? How do investors evaluate corporate partnerships, and when do they become a liability? Our speakers bring the full picture — a founder living a corporate partnership in real time, a VC who evaluates them from the outside, a researcher who builds them from inside a global enterprise, and an ecosystem builder who has seen the same patterns play out across factory floors, investment portfolios, and communities on both sides of the Pacific. 🎤 Fireside Chat Speakers ・Jason Shuman — General Partner, Primary Venture Partners. Vertical AI investor and operator-turned-VC with 10+ years building companies before joining the investment side. Lead investor in Multitude Insights and host of Change Order, a podcast on the tactics behind breakout companies. ・Sabrina Sasaki — Investment Partner, Monozukuri Ventures & Co-Founder, Deep Tech Forum. Has worked at the intersection of hardware manufacturing, startup investment, and Japan-North America ecosystem building. ・Akihiko Izu — Co-Founder, Multitude Insights. Building an AI-powered platform for public safety, backed by NEC X and Primary Venture Partners. ・Kay Seo — Senior Director & Head of Strategic Pursuits and Global Partnerships, NEC Laboratories America. 25+ years of global experience in high-tech, with a track record of building cross-sector partnerships across corporations, universities, and public institutions. ・Moderated by Tak Kihara, NEC X Come ready to share what you're building, exchange ideas, and connect with founders, investors, and ecosystem builders over sushi and drinks. Appetizers and beverages will be available while supplies last. A select group of startups will also take the stage to pitch and connect directly with potential investors, partners, and collaborators. This event is hosted by NEC X, the Silicon Valley innovation arm of NEC, and home to Elev X! — a venture studio program that has helped launch and scale AI startups in the U.S. and Canada. ✅ Who It's For? ・Early-stage founders building in AI — especially those exploring enterprise partnerships, fundraising, or strategic collaboration opportunities ・Corporate innovation teams and business leaders interested in working with startups ・Investors and ecosystem leaders looking for emerging technologies and partnerships ✅ Want to Pitch? Register AND fill out the Pitch Application Form to apply. A limited number of startups will be selected to pitch. Spots are limited and curated. Apply to join the room. This event is a part of #NYTechWeek — a week of events hosted by VCs and startups to bring together the tech ecosystem. Learn more at www.tech-week.com.

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