Tokyo Startup Lunch Club: price, who can join and alternatives
Tokyo Startup Lunch Club is a weekly networking lunch for entrepreneurs, investors, engineers and business enthusiasts, held every Tuesday at noon. Members bring their own lunch or grab one from nearby food trucks, and there are no pitches or presentations. A Tokyo Weekly Lunch ran on 4 August 2026 at Tokyo International Forum in Marunouchi.
Tokyo Startup Lunch Club at a glance
| What | Detail | Source |
|---|---|---|
| Who it's for | Entrepreneurs, investors, engineers and business enthusiasts | meetup.com |
| Members | From first-time founders to serial entrepreneurs | meetup.com |
| When | Every Tuesday at 12:00 | meetup.com |
| Format | No pitches and no presentations | meetup.com |
| Food | Bring lunch or buy from nearby food trucks | meetup.com |
| Recent activity | Tokyo Weekly Lunch on Tuesday 4 August 2026 | meetup.com |
| Where | Tokyo International Forum, Marunouchi, Chiyoda-ku | meetup.com |
| Size | Its Meetup group says it has 1,797 members | meetup.com |
| Spin-off | It also runs a Yokohama Startup Lunch | meetup.com |
Who it suits
- Founders who prefer a casual midweek lunch to evening events
- People working near Tokyo Station or Marunouchi
- Anyone who wants conversation rather than pitches
Who it doesn't suit
- Founders wanting to pitch to investors
- People who can't get away at lunchtime on Tuesdays
- Anyone after a structured programme or workshops
Alternatives to Tokyo Startup Lunch Club
| Community | Price | Entry rule |
|---|---|---|
| Antler Japan | No fee; invests $150,000 (currency not named) for 10% plus a Safe | Apply online; fewer than 5% selected |
| APT Women | Not published | Apply for the annual cohort; events are free to attend |
| Drinks With Founders Tokyo | Not published | Register on Luma |
| Founders Running Club Tokyo | Not published | RSVP on Meetup |
| Google for Startups Campus Tokyo | Not published | Request to join each event on Luma |
| HerRise (Startup Lady Japan) | Free (pre-registration, limited seats) | Register on Luma; host approval required |
| HN Tokyo | ¥1,500 at the door, includes one drink | Register free on Doorkeeper, pay cash at the door |
| Open Network Lab (Onlab) | Equity investment required for selected startups | Apply online for each batch |
Compare all 498 founder communities, each row dated.
Questions about Tokyo Startup Lunch Club
- When does it meet?
- Every Tuesday at 12:00.
- Is there food?
- You bring your own lunch or buy one from nearby food trucks.
- Can I pitch my startup?
- No. The group says there are no pitches and no presentations.
- Where was the latest lunch?
- The 4 August 2026 lunch was at Tokyo International Forum in Marunouchi.
- Website
- meetup.com
- Price
- Not published
- Entry rule
- RSVP on Meetup
- Format
- Weekly Tuesday lunch near Tokyo Station, no pitches or presentations
- Checked
Tokyo Startup Lunch Club isn't connected to Remote Builders. Prices and entry rules change, so check meetup.com before you apply. Spotted something out of date? Tell us in the members' chat.