ASICS Ventures Corporation, ASICS’ corporate venture capital arm, today announced the six finalists selected for the Pitch Day of Kenzen 2026, the company’s annual pitch competition. Out of a large number of applicants, the six startups below will present their businesses and collaboration ideas at the Pitch Day in Ann Arbor, Michigan.
Two representatives from each finalist company are invited to Ann Arbor to pitch the judging panel, ASICS leadership, ASICS Ventures team members, and invited guests from the ASICS ecosystem. The 2026 edition is run in partnership with Innovation Partnerships at the University of Michigan and LEAD.
〇 Six selected finalists *Alphabetical order
・Betterguards (Betterguards Technology, Inc.)
A reactive ankle support that activates only at the moment of risk
https://betterguards.com
・Climatic (Climatic, Inc.)
A once-daily inhaled airway care device that improves breathing in under 30 seconds
https://www.climatichealth.com/
・Suji (Suji Sub Inc.)
A portable blood-flow-restriction device with an app that scores muscle health
https://www.trysuji.com/
・Sweatpals (Sweatpals, Inc.)
A platform for hosting and discovering local fitness communities and events
https://sweatpals.com
・The Inner Game (Peak Performance AI, Inc.)
A mental performance app built on exclusively licensed IP from Timothy Gallwey's The Inner Game of Tennis
https://theinnergame.app
・Timeshifter (Timeshifter Inc.)
A jet lag app that builds personalized plans for travel and peak performance
https://timeshifter.com
〇 Program Overview
Program name: Kenzen 2026
The Pitch Day: October 22nd, 2026 @Ann Arbor, Michigan, USA
Theme: “New Experiences”
The services, products, and communities bringing more people into ASICS, across four categories: Experience Movement, Experience Physical, Experience Digital, and Experience Wellness.
Prizes: $80K total: Grand prize $ 40K, runner-up $25K and third place $10K ($5K non-cash)
〇 For further information, visit the Official Website.
〇 For the full details of Kenzen