As part of the "NQ Global Startup Gateway (Nakanoshima Cross Global Startup Creation and Location Promotion Project)," a three-day event will be held from January 26 (Monday) to January 28 (Wednesday), 2026, at the Qrossover Lounge Dream on the 2nd floor of Nakanoshima Qross. The event is part of the "NQ Global Startup Gateway (Nakanoshima Qross Global Startup Creation and Globalization Project).NQ Health Accelerator ProgramAs one of the "*1" events,INTENSIVE INNOVATION ACCELERATOR 2026.We held.
This event was part of the program's efforts to promote the "Gateway to the UK Market: Scaling Strategies for Health and MedTech Innovation from Japan," an acceleration program by MEDTECH ACTUATOR, LLC, with the participation of companies and organizations involved in the program's promotion. The program was implemented with the participation of companies and organizations involved in the promotion of the program. The program targeted 16 selected startups, and one company also participated in the audience slot.
The program consisted of three days: Day 1 covered global trends and market outlook in the healthcare sector, financing, and global market validation; Day 2 covered stakeholder analysis, regulatory and reimbursement strategies, and sales strategies; Day 3 covered the UK market and NHS system.note 2 (supplementary information)On all three days, there were lively discussions both on-site and online.
The speakers were Buzz Palmer from MEDTECH ACTUATOR LLC on Day 1, Vishaal Kishore on Day 2, and Claire Richardson and Buzz Palmer on Day 3, who shared practical insights on business development and scale strategies in the UK market. They shared practical insights on business development and scaling strategies in the UK market, and interacted interactively with participants, engaging them in serious dialogue about their questions and concerns.
After the lectures on the third day, an open session was held for general participants in addition to the selected companies, and a program was conducted by relevant organizations and experts. At the beginning of the session, Mr. Kenshi Okumura, Director of Future Medical Industry Promotion, Ministry of Commerce, Industry and Labor, Osaka Prefecture, Mr. Michael Blyth, Consul General of the United Kingdom in Osaka, and Mr. Yu Moriguchi, Assistant Director General, Future Medical Industry Promotion Organization, gave opening remarks, explaining the significance of this program and their expectations for future international collaboration.
A panel discussion followed from 4:15pm to 5:15pm. Panelists included Claire Richardson, CEO, GHS Clinics; Maki Kawanami, Senior Investment Officer, British Consulate-General in Osaka; Lei Liu, Director, Innovation Partnerships, Commercial Excellence Division, AstraZeneca K.K.; Yu Moriguchi, Assistant to the President, Japan Foundation for Future Medicine; and Buzz Palmer, CEO, MEDTECH Actuator LLC. Yu Moriguchi, Assistant to the President of the Organization for the Advancement of Future Medicine, and Buzz Palmer, CEO of MEDTECH ACTUATOR, LLC. Discussions focused on strategic positioning for market entry in the UK, understanding the regulatory and approval systems, how to work with the NHS, investment and financing in the UK, and issues and points to keep in mind when actually entering the market.
After the panel discussion, networking was held at the venue. The event provided an opportunity for a diverse range of participants, including the general public, to exchange opinions and share information to promote relationship-building.
The selected startups will go through strategy mentoring for each company and then participate in a pitch competition-style selection and networking event at Nakanoshima Qross on April 24.
The three selected companies will participate in the Nakanoshima Qross Innovation Challenge. The three selected companies will participate in the UK immersion program scheduled for this fall, where they will enter the local ecosystem in the UK, explore the market in depth, build partnerships, and open up new opportunities for global expansion. Please stay tuned for future initiatives of this program.
note 1 NQ Health Accelerator Program
In collaboration with Nakanoshima Qross, the company will gather promising startups in the life science field and promote efforts to create globally active startups through the provision of tailor-made SU support programs and overseas travel support programs.
AstraZeneca, Cambridge Consultants, and MedTech Actuator will collaborate to plan and execute a tailor-made global acceleration program focused on overseas market development under the title "Nakanoshima Qross (NQ) Health Accelerator" that leverages each other's strengths. The three companies will plan and execute a global acceleration program focused on overseas market development under the title "Nakanoshima Qross (NQ) Health Accelerator.
For more information, click here ▶ https://nq-gateway.jp/programs#nqhealth
note 2 (supplementary information)NHS System
The National Health Service (NHS) in the United Kingdom is a public health care system established in 1948 and funded mainly by tax revenue. In principle, citizens can receive medical consultation, hospitalization, and treatment at no cost to themselves, and the system is based on the principle of "cradle-to-grave" medical care coverage. Residents use registered family physicians (GPs) as their point of contact for medical services, and in principle, specialized medical care is provided through referrals from GPs.
On the other hand, there are co-payments for some services such as prescription drugs, dental and eye care, etc. Private practice (private hospitals) is also used as a complement to the NHS in order to reduce waiting time and for other purposes.