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Venture Café Tokyo: price, who can join and alternatives

Venture Café Tokyo runs a free Thursday Gathering every week at CIC Tokyo in Toranomon, with talks, demo tables and networking. Its Meetup group lists sessions in Japanese and English, plus free 30 minute office hours with mentors.

Checked on against Venture Café Tokyo's own pages. Remote Builders runs a free founder community too, so it appears in the alternatives, marked "(ours)".

Venture Café Tokyo at a glance

WhatDetailSource
Who it's forInnovators, entrepreneurs and small businessesventurecafetokyo.org
ActivityUpcoming events listed include Thursday Gathering #402 (29 October) and #403 (5 November); site footer shows 2026venturecafetokyo.org
WhereCIC Tokyo, 15th floor, Toranomon Hills Business Tower, Minato-ku, Tokyoventurecafetokyo.org
PriceFree programmingventurecafetokyo.org
LanguageSome sessions are run in Japanese and Englishmeetup.com
Office hoursFree 30 minute mentoring sessions, booked in advancemeetup.com
Meetup group size2,751 members on Meetupmeetup.com
ReachThe site reports 99 events, 428 sessions and 25,224 innovators in its numbers sectionventurecafetokyo.org

Who it suits

  • Founders new to Tokyo who want a weekly room full of the local ecosystem
  • Early stage founders who want free mentoring through office hours
  • English speakers who want sessions run in both Japanese and English

Who it doesn't suit

  • Founders after a small, closed peer group
  • Anyone wanting a paid membership with private perks
  • Founders outside Tokyo who cannot get to Toranomon on Thursdays

Alternatives to Venture Café Tokyo

CommunityPriceEntry rule
Day 1 (Taipei)Drop-in NT$400 /day; plans NT$2,800 to NT$6,800 /monthDay pass or monthly plan; many events open to the public
Founders Running Club :: Hong KongNot publishedRSVP on Meetup; join the WhatsApp group
HK Entrepreneurs, Startups & Venture Capital CommunityMostly free; some paid eventsJoin on Meetup and the WhatsApp announcement group
HK Science Park Startup EcosystemVaries by event; several listed as freeJoin the Meetup group, then register per event
Osaka Innovation Hub (OIH)Startup membership: Annual fee: FreeApply online, then an interview with the office
Startup Hub TokyoFreeRegister online as a member
The Bridge Circle (TBC)Free (event on 29 October 2026)Request to join; host approval required
The Trenches Co-Working ArmyCo-working: one drink or food purchase; talks from 400 NTDRSVP on Meetup

Compare all 471 founder communities, each row dated.

Questions about Venture Café Tokyo

Does Venture Café Tokyo cost anything?
No. Its site describes free programming, and its office hours sessions are listed as free.
Where are the gatherings held?
At CIC Tokyo on the 15th floor of Toranomon Hills Business Tower in Minato-ku.
Are sessions in English?
Some are. Its Meetup group lists Thursday Gathering sessions marked JP/ENG.
Is it still active?
Yes. Thursday Gathering #402 and #403 were listed as upcoming events on 28 October 2026.

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Website
venturecafetokyo.org
Price
Free
Entry rule
Open; register for each gathering
Format
Weekly Thursday Gathering at CIC Tokyo, Toranomon, Tokyo, Japan
Checked

Venture Café Tokyo isn't connected to Remote Builders. Prices and entry rules change, so check venturecafetokyo.org before you apply. Spotted something out of date? Tell us in the members' chat.