SUNNY SIDE UP’s Iwasaki Speaks at “TIB SHOP Meet Up-Day 2026”! What is the First PR Step Startups Should Take? | Event Report

Hello! This is the SUNNY SIDE UP GROUP PR team🍳

At SUNNY SIDE UP GROUP, various members speak at events and lectures to spread the power of PR and communication throughout society.

This time, we are featuring the startup event “TIB SHOP Meet Up-Day 2026 — Next-Generation Sales Strategy Conference” held at Tokyo Innovation Base (TIB). Shinnosuke Iwasaki, Executive Officer of SUNNY SIDE UP, delivered the keynote address!

Operated by the Tokyo Metropolitan Government, Tokyo Innovation Base has gained significant attention in recent years as a community where entrepreneurs, investors, and business corporations gather to support new challenges.

During this event, Mr. Iwasaki gave a lecture lasting approximately one hour, focusing on the theme of “PR Mindset,” which is a crucial topic specifically for startups.

Mr. Iwasaki was also involved in the launch of the “AI Dialogue & Relations Team,” a specialized team focused on PR and communication in the AI era. With Takayuki Fukatsu, known for his expertise in generative AI dialogue technology, serving as the AI Relations Advisor, the team is verifying and implementing the future of PR and communication in the age of AI.

In this lecture, based on these perspectives, he explained how startups can create mechanisms to effectively communicate their message to society.

“The First PR Step Startups Should Take”

The lecture began with an explanation of the basics: “What is PR?”

He explained that PR is not merely disseminating information, but as the term “Public Relations” suggests, it is “a way of thinking and acting to build favorable relationships with various stakeholders.“

Startups, in particular, begin from a position of being “not yet known” and having “no accumulated trust.”

That is why it is important not just to “tell,” but to create an “atmosphere and story” that spreads empathy and interest. He used case studies to introduce the importance of building relationships with others so that a positive reputation spreads, rather than relying on one-sided promotion.

In the AI Era, Human Empathy Becomes the Value

As the means of information dissemination expand through the evolution of AI, Mr. Iwasaki also mentioned the importance of designing communication while treating AI as one of the new stakeholders.

Furthermore, he stated that in an era where the precision of measure design and strategy increases relatively through the use of AI, the value of human-to-human connections and the relationships born from actual encounters will become even more important.

Discussions with Startups

In the second half of the lecture, a Q discussion session was held with the participating startups.

The participants in this session included:

• Roca Japan Co., Ltd., which operates a co-creation platform connecting traditional craftspeople with consumers and corporations.
• Enell Co., Ltd., which is working to create new value in the energy sector under the service name “Mugen-sui” (Infinite Water).
• Colorido Japan LLC, a food brand proposing a “play-and-eat experience” through colorful cookie dough.

While discussing the unique appeal and challenges of each business, a practical discussion took place regarding “PR and communication for startups to convey their existence to society.”

For startups, PR is not just a publicity activity, but an essential process for building a relationship with society.
This event served as a valuable opportunity to consider its essence together with entrepreneurs.

We look forward to seeing you in the next report.🍳