I-PEX Sponsors WRO 2026 Japan — Empowering Young People to Shape the Future of Manufacturing

I-PEX Inc. (Headquarters: Shimogyo-ku, Kyoto; Representative Director and President: Reiji Konishi; hereinafter referred to as I-PEX) is a sponsor of WRO 2026 Japan, a talent-development program run by the nonprofit WRO Japan. The program centers on an autonomous-robot competition for young people, along with an educational symposium for instructors.

Through this sponsorship, I-PEX supports young people who identify challenges, think them through, and design and build their own solutions in the form of robots. By standing alongside the next generation as they reach for the world stage through engineering and ideas, I-PEX intends to contribute to nurturing the talent that will drive tomorrow's innovation.

Background of the Sponsorship

Robotics, AI, and programming now underpin much of modern society—and developing talent who create these technologies is a challenge the entire industry shares.

Since its founding in 1963, I-PEX has grown from a precision-mold manufacturer into a company spanning connectors, contract manufacturing, MEMS foundry services, and energy solutions, delivering the sharpest and most advanced technologies and value to the world as an "Innovative Product development & Engineering solutions eXpert."

I-PEX wants to pass on the appeal and possibilities of manufacturing—the very foundation of our business activities—to the next generation, and to support the growth of the people who will pioneer the future. With this aspiration, I-PEX supports the philosophy of WRO^®, which encourages young people to take on the world through their own ideas, design, and programming.

About the WRO 2026 Japan Finals

WRO^® (World Robot Olympiad^™) is an international educational contest using autonomous robots. Launched in 2004, it brings together participants aged 8 to 22 from more than 100 countries and regions around the world. Its four competition categories—from events that test robot performance and control to challenge where teams design and pitch robot-based solutions to real social issues—help young people build creativity, problem-solving skills, and international communication skills.

The domestic finals in Japan, the WRO 2026 Japan Finals, will be held over two days on Saturday, August 22 and Sunday, August 23, 2026, at the Tokyo Metropolitan Industrial Trade Center, Hamamatsu Cho Hall (Minato-ku, Tokyo). Teams achieving outstanding results will earn the right to compete in the WRO international finals to be held in Puerto Rico in December 2026.

Looking Ahead

Guided by its brand statement, "To be the Sharpest," I-PEX delivers technologies and solutions that support the most advanced manufacturing to customers around the world.

Through this sponsorship, I-PEX is helping young people who take on the challenge of manufacturing so that they can experience the joy of thinking, designing, and creating for themselves—and grow into the innovators of the future.

By supporting WRO Japan activities and the young people who will shape the future of manufacturing, and contributing to STEAM education and talent development, I-PEX is also working toward a more sustainable society.

Going forward, I-PEX will continue to strengthen its ties with education, local communities, and society through both innovation in its core businesses and its social-contribution effort, helping to nurture the talent who will shape the future of manufacturing while creating new value along the way.

About I-PEX Inc.

I-PEX stands for “Innovative Product development & Engineering solutions eXpert” providing value in the form of inspiration and astonishment in the global marketplace. The company was founded in 1963 as Dai-ichi Seiko, a precision mold manufacturer, and has since produced numerous world-firsts and unique products and solutions. I-PEX currently operates in five business fields: Connectors, Contract Manufacturing (Automotive Components & Electronics Components), Molds & Equipment, MEMS Foundry, Energy Solutions. By delivering the sharpest tip to the world, we will contribute to exciting value-creation in the digitalized society by working globally with every client who open up the new era.