Cyber Valley and UTokyo IPC announce Yugen Space as winner of ‘Valley and Sunrise’ – market exploration program

The ‘Valley and Sunrise’ Program empowers start-ups working in AI and robotics to find entry into the Japanese market. Driven by its goal of fostering international growth, the program offers participants hands-on mentorship, strategic insights, and access to UTokyo IPC’s network of industry leaders and partners.

‘We designed Valley and Sunrise to help talented founders accelerate their impact,’ said Angelina Jukic, Program Manager of Valley and Sunrise at Cyber Valley GmbH. ‘The quality of applications was exceptional, and our judges were impressed with how Yugen Space combined a bold vision with real-world traction.’

Yugen Space was selected from a highly competitive pool of applicants for its innovative approach as well as its strong market potential. The start-up was founded by Anand Waghmare (CEO) and Parikshit Joshi (CTO) in June 2025 and has its headquarters in Tübingen. Yugen Space’s mission is to build the intelligence engine for satellite-driven decisions.

Yugen Space combines raw satellite imagery and real-world decisions. It integrates multi-source satellite data, applies scientific and machine learning models, and converts planetary signals into decision-ready intelligence. Users select a location, ask a question, and receive decision-ready insights within minutes. 

Over the course of the program, Yugen Space will work closely with mentors and industry experts to refine its market strategy and develop a roadmap for scaling its products and services.

Anand Waghmare, CEO of Yugen Space:

‘Being selected for the Valley and Sunrise program is a pivotal milestone for Yugen Space. It allows us to bridge two of the world’s most advanced AI and deep-tech ecosystems: Cyber Valley here in Germany and UTokyo IPC in Japan. For us, this is a vital opportunity to scale our mission of democratizing planetary intelligence internationally. We look forward to working with Japanese industry leaders to prove how our products can solve complex environmental and industrial challenges on a global scale.’

Hideki Nagasaka, Partner and Director, 1stRound, UTokyo IPC:

‘This selection marks a meaningful milestone in the collaboration framework we have steadily built between Japan and Germany over the years. We are confident that this milestone will serve as a critical step for Yugen Space as it accelerates its business development with a clear view toward expansion into the Japanese market. Through this initiative, we hope not only to contribute to the continued growth of the German innovation community, including Cyber Valley, but also to further deepen the ties between the German and Japanese ecosystems. We remain committed to strengthening the Japan-Germany network and advancing sustainable, long-term collaboration.‘

For more information about Valley and Sunrise and future opportunities, visit: https://cyber-valley.de/en/websites/cyber-valley/pages/valley-and-sunrise-program/

About UTokyo IPC

UTokyo Innovation Platform Co., Ltd. (UTokyo IPC) is a venture capital firm wholly owned by the University of Tokyo, established in 2016 to strengthen Japan’s global industrial competitiveness through startup investment and ecosystem building. As a public–private venture capital firm, UTokyo IPC has invested in more than 80 university-affiliated startups and venture funds both in Japan and overseas. Beyond investment, UTokyo IPC operates the Startup Building Program, which supports the commercialization of research outcomes; 1stRound, Japan’s largest academia-linked accelerator; and DeepTech Dive, a program dedicated to cultivating deep-tech talent. In 2024, UTokyo IPC launched the ASA Fund under the Tokyo Metropolitan Government’s initiative to promote global collaboration and establish Japan as a hub for deep-tech innovation.

About Cyber Valley

Cyber Valley is Europe’s largest and leading center for excellence in artificial intelligence and modern robotics. Its mission and public mandate are to advocate for research, development, application, and acceptance of technologies and methods in intelligent systems. Cyber Valley encourages entrepreneurship by uniting scientific excellence with innovation and technology transfer. In addition, Cyber Valley facilitates critical reflection on the ethical and social implications of AI through public engagement. Cyber Valley envisions a future in which the full potential of intelligent systems is leveraged for the greater good of the world.

Media Contact

Silke Dutz, Cyber Valley GmbH: silke.dutz@cyber-valley.de

Akiko Tsuchiya, UTokyo IPC: info2@utokyo-ipc.co.jp