CIO, the Japanese maker known for chargers and power banks, held its "CIO UPDATE 2026: Challenge and Expand" event at LIFORK HARAJUKU in Tokyo on July 1, 2026[1]. Timed to the company's 10th year, the event unveiled new products and a "Made-in-Japan Charger Project," and featured a talk session with YouTuber Ichiken, who is collaborating on the project. Here is a rundown of what this Japanese gadget maker laid out for its next decade.
A 10-Year-Old CIO Sets Out to "Challenge and Expand"
CIO is a manufacturer headquartered in Moriguchi, Osaka, founded in 2017[1]. Under the slogan "creating an exciting future with multifunctionality and the latest technology," it has built a lineup of smartphone and PC accessories such as power banks, chargers, and cables. Its popular "SMARTCOBY" series and its adoption of semi-solid-state batteries have earned support from users who value the balance between price and features.
The event was held to mark the company's 10th year[1]. CEO Shota Nakahashi gave a presentation and, under the theme "Challenge and Expand," looked back on the company's journey while outlining its direction for the coming decade. He emphasized a focus not only on functionality and design, but on making products that customers can use safely for a long time. New products the company will focus on going forward were also introduced, some of which will be on display at the pop-up event described below.
The Core of the Anniversary Effort: A Made-in-Japan Charger
The centerpiece of the announcement was the "Made-in-Japan Charger Project," launched to mark the 10th anniversary[1]. It is described as an effort to explore the future of charger manufacturing around three themes: production through Japanese factories, reliable thermal design with sustained output, and the use of domestically sourced parts wherever possible[2].
The talk session welcomed YouTuber Ichiken, who is collaborating on the project's joint development[1]. Nakahashi and Ichiken exchanged views on the background behind the project's launch, the practical challenges of domestic production, and their approach to thermal design and parts selection.
The session also addressed the heat management that becomes unavoidable as chargers grow smaller[1]. It highlighted the importance of capacitors, insulation, thermal design, and component makeup that are hard to judge from a spec sheet alone, and laid out a policy of openly sharing not just the finished product but the realities of the development and testing process. The discussion conveyed a mindset of growing the project together with users, looking beyond output figures to internal design and safety.
Iori Moe as Special Guest, Plus a Pop-Up Event
Talent Iori Moe appeared as a special guest and introduced the experiential pop-up event "CIO POP-UP STORE TOKYO 10th ANNIV.," which begins on July 2[1].
The event runs for four days, from July 2 to July 5, 2026, at LIFORK HARAJUKU on the third floor of WITH HARAJUKU (1-14-30 Jingumae, Shibuya-ku, Tokyo)[3]. It is open from 11:00 to 19:00 and is a one-minute walk from Harajuku Station on the JR Yamanote Line. In addition to displays of new and coming-soon products and sales of standard products, the venue offers content that lets visitors experience CIO's past and future, including a "CIO HISTORY" panel tracing the company's 10-year journey and "Meet Shio," where visitors can encounter the AI avatar "Shio"[1].
For visitors, limited-edition stickers and pouches will be handed out, and a gacha-gacha (capsule-toy) campaign will be held for those who spend 6,000 yen or more including tax[1]. Prizes include miniature versions of CIO products and other perks unique to the event. Some of the new products introduced at the event are also expected to be on display, making it worth a visit for anyone who wants to see the hardware in person.
Summary
At its 10th-anniversary event "CIO UPDATE 2026: Challenge and Expand," CIO announced new products and a "Made-in-Japan Charger Project"[1]. The distinguishing feature this time is its push into the quality of safety and design that is hard to see from output figures alone, emphasizing domestic factory production, the use of local parts, and a commitment to thermal design[2]. A pop-up event in Harajuku runs from July 2 to 5, where visitors can experience the new products and the company's 10-year history[3]. Specific product specifications and prices await future announcements, but the event offered a clear glimpse of CIO's direction for its next decade.
出典:https://prtimes.jp/main/html/rd/p/000000677.000043212.html
