East Meets West 2026 Recap

East Meets West 2026 featuring the Startup World Cup Hawaiʻi, was a huge success!

By the numbers:

500+ Attendees (our biggest year yet!)
150+ Startup Founders
360+ Companies
50+ Speakers
70+ Investors
Countless Meaningful Connections

Mahalo to all of the amazing attendees and volunteers who brought so much energy and aloha to the conference. Mahalo to all of our incredible speakers, judges, and sponsors for making it all possible, and a special mahalo to our VC and international partners for taking meetings with entrepreneurs and hosting dinners. And mahalo to all of you for helping us make EMW the largest tech conference in all of Hawaiʻi.

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East Meets West 2026 Photos

Mahalo to our EMW 2026 Sponsors!

Title Sponsor

Pegasus Tech Ventures backs startups and corporate partnerships. – Bill Reichert

Gold Sponsors

HTDC supports startups scaling and staying in Hawaiʻi. – Trung Lam

Tetris is an iconic global game brand based in Hawaiʻi. – Maya Rogers

Silver Sponsors

Ulupono Initiative advances food, energy, transit resilience in Hawaiʻi. – Greg Gaug

Hawaii Angels helps founders access capital and connections. – Joey Katzen

BoxLadder helps bridge markets and partnerships across Korea. – Michael Choi

Bronze Sponsors

Morgan Stanley supports founders, investors, and growth. – Brandon Park

Stafford Capital Partners supports growth and investment. – Andy Betz

Vensure Employer Solutions supports payroll, HR, and compliance. – Curtis Denton

Ashley Lukens Consulting Consulting strategy and partnerships. – Ashley Lukens

Hawaiian Telcom provides Hawaiʻi fiber internet. – Jaime Garces

Community Sponsors

AEP Hawaii helps move projects forward. – Zack Hernandez

Blue Diamond Vacations creates Hawaiʻi experiences. – Darshaun Nadeau

Celitech eSIM Creator helps launch mobile connectivity. – Ahmad Al Fares

Elemental Impact helps scale climate tech. – Tiffany Huynh

Goodsill is a law firm serving Hawaiʻi. – Daniel Lam

Hawaii Pacific University delivers career-focused education. – Amy Nguyen-Chyung

Honolulu Beerworks is a local craft brewery. – Geoffrey Seideman

ICAN elevates Native Hawaiian storytelling. – Angela Laprete

JPG Media provides visual storytelling and production. – Jean-Paul Gedeon

Kim Venturous helps Korean startups expand globally. – Brian Kim

NEC X helps founders turn ideas into startups. – Nobu Morita

NMG Network Network creates custom media experiences. – Jason Cutinella

OluKai creates premium footwear inspired by Hawaiʻi. – Kerry Konrady

PACE helps UH students build entrepreneurship skills. – Sandra Fujiyama

ProService Hawaii supports HR and compliance. – Ben Godsey

Servco delivers auto services in Hawaiʻi. – Peter Dames

Surfbreak HNL brings Hawaiʻi’s startup community together. – R.J. Martin

ThriveHI builds Hawaiʻi’s startup and tech economy. Gigi Dawn

VToku Studios is a honolulu-based production company. – Jesse & Lani

Special Mahalo to all of these amazing people and organizations that made East Meets West 2026 possible.

Blue Startups Cohort Applications OPEN NOW

Applications for Blue Startups Cohort 18 are open! Blue Startups has a proven track record of empowering early-stage startups, providing them with invaluable resources, mentorship, and access to a vibrant entrepreneurial ecosystem.

12 week intensive program (July 20 – October 9)
A network of more than 250 mentors reaching from Asia to Silicon Valley
One-on-one assigned lead mentor based on sector experience
Up to $250,000 in direct investment
Access to 400+ investor network

Deadline to apply is May 1st. For more information and to submit your application go to bluestartups.com or apply here

Please help us recruit amazing founders. Our best companies come through our network. Feel free to make a warm introduction to David Holt by email.

Application Link