AI × Energy: Charting a new path
Wednesday 29 October 2025 · 17:00‑20:00 · Sakura Deeptech Shibuya, Tokyo
In a dynamic gathering co-hosted by Lifetime Ventures, Tokyo AI, Scrum Ventures and Investor for Climate, the intersection of artificial intelligence and energy innovation was front-and-centre. The evening started with a panel discussion, followed by pitches from five pioneering startups.
Panel Session
Speakers:
- Tim Romero (Partner, JERA Ventures & host of Disrupting Japan)
- Yuriy Humber (President, Yuri Group & Founder of Japan NRG)
- Kasu Venkata Reddy (Founder & CEO, Sustainability Economics)
- Moderator: Michael Matsumura (Partner, Scrum Ventures)
What happened:
The panel explored how AI is transforming the energy sector — not just as a tool, but as a fundamental pillar of the future power-and-data economy. Tim Romero shared stories from Japan’s startup ecosystem and how legacy utilities are adapting (or must adapt) to the rapid convergence of data, infrastructure, and clean energy. Yuriy Humber framed the energy transition in Japan’s context: the policy, market, and intelligence challenges faced in decarbonization and electrification. Kasu Venkata Reddy brought the conversation to the level of infrastructure: how AI-driven systems and clean-energy supply can be architected as one.
Key takeaways:
- Energy companies are evolving into data & platform organizations.
- Systems thinking is crucial: clean generation, smart demand, flexible loads, AI-optimized assets all connected.
- Co-location of compute + clean power + storage is the next frontier.
- Bridging legacy utilities and AI-native startups is a challenge — but critical for innovation.
Startup Pitches
Following the panel, five startups presented their visions and innovations. Each is pushing at a different angle of the AI-meets-energy frontier: from clean compute to grid flexibility, from adaptive AI at the edge to wind-project development.
1. Sustainability Economics (Founder & CEO: Kasu Venkata Reddy)
Sustainability Economics positions itself at the nexus of AI infrastructure, clean energy, and financing. Their mission: ensure that the next wave of AI computing is built on genuinely clean power and sustainable business models.
In February 2025, they announced a memorandum of understanding with Gujarat Power Corporation Limited (GPCL) to develop AI cloud parks co-located with clean-energy generation. (Read more)
2. Agile Energy X (Founder & CEO: Kenji Tateiwa)
Agile Energy X, founded in 2022, converts “surplus” renewable generation into digital value via flexible loads — including distributed computing and containerized data-centers.
Their standout idea “Megawatt to MegaHash” uses high-compute loads to absorb excess renewable energy and stabilise the grid. (Agile Energy X)
3. KanjuTech (Co-founder & COO: Alex Kunin)
KanjuTech develops adaptive AI for physical systems — drones, robotics, industrial IoT — using brain-inspired models that learn and adapt with minimal data.
Their technology reduces compute requirements, enabling AI-powered infrastructure monitoring and automation in energy and industrial applications. (Startup DB)
4. DAI Labs (CEO & Co-Founder: Bryan Atwood)
DAI Labs is a Tokyo-based AI consulting and software development startup. They turn enterprise data into actionable intelligence across sectors, including energy, clean-tech, and infrastructure.
Their work includes AI deployment, model training, and analytics tailored to Japan’s unique market needs. (DAI Labs)
5. TerraWind Renewables (CIO: Hunter McDonald)
TerraWind Renewables focuses on on-shore wind project development across Japan and the Asia-Pacific region, combining AI-driven operational optimization with project finance.
Their vision: integrate wind energy with digital intelligence to maximize efficiency and grid flexibility. (Shizen Energy PDF)
Closing Reflections
The event underscored that the energy transition is no longer just about solar panels and wind turbines — it’s about intelligence, flexibility, data, platforms, and business model innovation.
Startups and panelists alike are bridging AI and energy to address challenges like grid constraints, clean compute, and sustainable growth. The future is here: energy is becoming smart, adaptive, and AI-driven.
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