Japan's largest wellness-specific idea pitch contest Wellness Leaders Award 2025" Final Competition to be held at Tokyo Big Sight on July 31

The Wellness & Fitness Trainers Association of Japan (President: Katsuhiro Kori, hereinafter referred to as "the Association") will hold the finals of the "Wellness Leaders Award 2025," an idea pitch contest to discover and support the people, businesses, and services that will lead the next-generation wellness industry, at Tokyo Big Sight on July 31, 2025 (Thursday). The final of the "Wellness Leaders Award 2025" will be held at Tokyo Big Sight on Thursday, July 31, 2013.

Idea Pitch Contest Final

This award is one of the largest "wellness-specific pitch contests" in Japan, where individuals and organizations with unique wellness ideas and activities rooted in the local community gather in Tokyo after having participated in preliminary contests held in five cities nationwide (Sapporo, Nagoya, Osaka, Hiroshima, and Fukuoka). The slogan for this year's competition is "Wellness in Japan.

This year's slogan is "Redefining Wellness in Japan. This year's slogan is "Redefining Wellness in Japan," highlighting the potential of wellness in a variety of areas beyond conventional "health," such as extending healthy life expectancy, community revitalization, preventive medicine, fitness, mental health care, and social inclusion.

The five features of the awards are as follows

(1) 12 teams that have won the nationwide, real-life qualifying rounds will take the stage.

The elite teams that passed the qualifying rounds held in five cities across Japan, including Sapporo, Nagoya, Osaka, and Fukuoka, will present their ideas on stage at the final round.

Their unique proposals, which included perspectives on problem-solving and cultural backgrounds unique to the region, will captivate the judges and the audience.

(2) Redefining "wellness" across industries and fields

The awards will welcome approaches from all fields, including fitness, health, food, nursing care, education, tourism, etc., that transcend traditional industry boundaries and focus on "wellness" as a state of better living, with many SDGs and ESG-related proposals expected to appear.

(3) Business Matching and Exchange Opportunities

The event will not end with presentations, but will also include "matching booths," "exchange meetings," and a "mentoring corner" to create real connections with visitors, companies, and government officials who share the same interests.

Speakers will be given concrete avenues for future commercialization and collaboration.

(4) Up to 1 million yen business support grant for the winner & annual accompaniment support

The best presenter will receive a one-year package of mentoring, business matching, and public relations support, in addition to a one-million-yen cash prize.

The support will be provided with a view to social implementation of the business.

(5) Co-located with SPORTEC, one of the largest exhibitions in the fitness industry

The event will be held in conjunction with SPORTEC 2025, the largest health industry exhibition in Japan, which will be held on the same day and in the same venue, providing an excellent opportunity to directly reach key persons, investors, and businesses in and outside of the industry.

Presenters of each preliminary competition

Event Summary

Event name: Wellness Leaders Award 2025 National Finals

Date ： July 31, 2025 (Thursday) 12:00 - 17:00

Venue: Tokyo Big Sight, East Exhibition Hall (Special stage in the SPORTEC venue)

Participants: 12 groups of speakers who have won the national qualifying rounds and approximately 500 spectators are scheduled to attend.

Sponsor : Wellness and Fitness Trainers Association of Japan

Sponsors: Special Olympics Nippon, hacomono, etc.

Special website: https://hiwellbee.com/wellness-leaders-award

Speakers and Judges

Speakers ： 12 regional qualifiers

　　　　　　　(Various types of speakers including female entrepreneurs, physiotherapists, and practitioners of agricultural and welfare cooperation)

Judges (tentative): Representatives of healthcare VC/managers of major sports clubs/medical journalists/government officials, etc.

　　　　　　　Medical journalists, government officials, etc.

Sponsorship and Partnership Opportunities

We are still looking for sponsors and partners who share our vision of "Redefining Wellness" and are willing to support the speakers, the venue, and PR activities. Sponsors will receive special benefits such as company logos, introductions in the pitches, and participation in the matching events.

How to enter the event

Tickets are now on sale through the "For Good" crowdfunding site.

(Multiple categories such as General/VIP/Student, etc.)

https://for-good.net/project/1001700

A small number of tickets will be available on the day of the event.

Tokyo Preliminary Round

Nagoya Preliminary Round

Message from the Representative

This award is not a competition, but a co-creation.

We hope that this award will be a step forward in connecting the thoughts of local communities to changes in society.

Health issues are not just a matter of medical care or exercise.

That is why we feel that we need a hub to listen to the voices of diverse frontlines and connect them with society.

(Katsuhiro Kori, President, Wellness & Fitness Trainers Association of Japan)

About Wellness & Fitness Trainers Association

The slogan of the Wellness & Fitness Trainers Association is "Make the fitness market one trillion yen. The Wellness & Fitness Trainers Association of Japan is an organization that aims to build healthy fitness and wellness and create new business models, mainly for professionals who work in the field, such as fitness instructors and personal trainers, and for professionals who support them, under the slogan "The fitness market to 1 trillion yen. It also operates "Hi! Wellbee.", an online community for exercise instructors and wellness providers.

https://hiwellbee.com/