Space Quarters Wins Startup Kyoto International Award at IVS2026 Launchpad
The win marks the first major public validation for Space Quarters' in-orbit construction robot system, a concept that has faced skepticism since the company's founding in 2022.
Reporting from 1 sources: ASCII.jp.
Space Quarters Inc., a space construction company developing the robot system "DAIQ," won the Startup Kyoto International Award (first place) at IVS2026 LAUNCHPAD on July 3. The company was selected from 15 finalists out of over 500 applications. The award includes a 10 million yen prize.
Space Quarters Inc. took the top prize at IVS2026 LAUNCHPAD, the pitch event held July 3 as part of the larger IVS2026 conference in Kyoto. The company's founder, Munenori Takahashi, presented the robot system DAIQ, which is designed to build structures in space rather than launching pre-assembled modules. Takahashi argued that current methods limit construction to the size of a rocket's payload fairing. The Startup Kyoto International Award comes with 10 million yen in prize benefits. The event drew over 500 applications, roughly 20 percent from outside Japan, and narrowed the field to 15 finalists. Judges noted that the overall quality of entries has risen each year. Space Quarters was founded in 2022 and has been working toward in-space assembly since then.
Synthesized by Yomimono from the 1 cited source below, including Japanese-language reporting where cited, then editorially reviewed before publishing.