ikigai Launchpad Spring 2026 (Sp'26) Applications Are Now OPEN
Spring 2026 Applications are open, 'Pitch & Connect' event on 11/25, and a new talent hub on our Discord!
Hey everyone,
We have a few announcements we want to share!
1. ikigai Launchpad Spring 2026 (Sp’26) applications Are Now Open
We are officially opening applications for the next ikigai Launchpad batch, happening in Spring 2026.
We are building the Silicon Valley of Asia and looking for ambitious founders who want to build the next generational company. The program is led by Kevin Lin (co founder of Twitch) and Kai Huang (creator of Guitar Hero) and gives early stage teams the funding, mentorship, and community to move faster and go further.
Here is what the 12-week program includes:
100K USD in funding
Weekly 1-on-1 office hours with Kevin and Kai
Founder-led workshops on product, growth, fundraising, and go-to-market
Guest speakers from founders, VCs, alumni, and operators
Access to the 886 Studios and Lifelike Capital global network
A tight-knit founder community with batch activities and a retreat
Free office space in our Taipei startup hub plus corporate perks worth over 5K
Demo Day with top investors across the US and Taiwan
If you’re ready to level up your startup or you are a builder thinking about starting something, ikigai is your launchpad.
Deadline to apply: January 31, 2026
Batch begins: March 3, 2026
Duration: March to May 2026
Apply here.
More info here.
2. ‘Pitch and Connect’ Night on Nov 25!
We are hosting a ‘Pitch and Connect’ night on November 25. This is an open pitch night for founders, builders, and anyone curious about the startup scene in Taipei.
After wrapping up our S’25 batch and Demo Day, we wanted to host something more casual where people can share what they are building and meet others in the community.
What to expect:
8–10 short pitches (1-3 minutes each, no Q&A, all in English)
Networking with Taipei’s startup community
Drinks, snacks, and a fun, casual vibe
Date: November 25, 6:30 to 9:00 PM
Register here.
If you want to pitch, you can select that option directly on the Luma page when you register!
3. New Discord Channel: #find-talent
We just launched a new channel in our Discord called #find-talent.
Our community has a lot of smart and talented people - founders, aspiring founders, engineers, growth people, ops, and more. We often get asked for intros, so we created this channel to make it easier for everyone to connect directly.
You can share who you are, what you are building, what you are looking for, or whether you are hiring. Let’s make it easier for people to find talent & opportunities!
If you haven’t joined the Discord, join here.
That’s it for now, thanks everyone!