Fukuoka City held the international business matching event Ramen Tech for the first time from the 9th to the 10th. Government agencies and fund representatives from across Asia were invited to take part in discussions and one-on-one business meetings. A total of 16 companies from 8 countries and regions took part in the business plan pitch contest, with CancerFree Biotech from Taiwan coming out on top.

The event took its name from the four Tonkotsu ramen shops set up at the venue: Hakata Daruma and Yatai no Tamachan. They served their signature dishes to visitors, and a band from Fukuoka performed on a special stage, creating a lively atmosphere more like a festival than a business conference.

Fukuoka City has been running a similar initiative called “Ascension” up until now, but it has been revamped with the aim of increasing its international profile by adding the name “ramen”.

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