NQ Global Startup Gateway R7 “Achievement Showcase” was held on Thursday, March 12 at Qrossover Lounge Dream on the 2nd floor of Nakanoshima Qross.
This event was held to share the results of the "NQ Global Startup Gateway (Nakanoshima Qross Global Startup Creation and Hub Promotion Project)" sponsored by the Osaka Prefectural Government, as well as the future development and direction of the future medical startup ecosystem with Nakanoshima Qross as its starting point. Through sessions on the COO Human Resource Development Program, AI Accelerator Program, and NQ Health Accelerator Program, participants shared the results of this year's efforts and suggestions for the future formation of the ecosystem.
Mr. Kenshi Okumura, Director of Future Medical Industry Promotion, Commerce, Industry and Labor Department, Osaka Prefectural Government, opened the session by stating that this project has started as a core project for the formation of a startup ecosystem in Nakanoshima Qross. He shared the advanced nature of promoting three programs in parallel, namely, global support, COO human resource development, and AI utilization, as well as the current status of steady results being produced in each program. Next, Mr. Yoshiki Sawa, President of the Future Medical Technology Promotion Organization, introduced the role of Nakanoshima Qross as a center for industrialization of future medicine, and explained the significance of this project and its future direction. He also shared the current status of Nakanoshima Qross, which is now in its second year since its opening, with the proactive participation of various parties involved, and the discussions and co-creation that are taking place. He emphasized that the startups, supporters, and the community as a whole need to be proactive and have the ability to take action to achieve this goal. Afterwards, Mr. Jun Miyagawa (CEO, Miracle Science Innovation Corporation/Assistant to the President, Future Medical Technology Promotion Organization) gave an overview of the NQ Global Startup Gateway and its activities for this fiscal year. He also introduced the overseas network formed in a short period of time based in Nakanoshima Qross as one of the strengths of the project. The participants shared their policy to create startups that can compete on the global stage.
The panel discussion on the Nakanoshima Qross version of the COO human resources development program was followed by a panel discussion on the theme of "From Osaka to the World: Implementing a COO OS that determines the success or failure of startups", featuring Kazumasa Motohashi (Life Science Industry Division, Growth Industry Promotion Office, Commerce, Industry and Labor Department, Osaka Prefecture), Yoshihide Ishii (President and CEO, Alloy Therapeutics K.K./online panel), Masataka Yamamoto (COO, MOLMILL, Inc. (COO, MOL Mill Corporation), Yuki Tsuchioka (Investment Manager, Genesia Ventures Corporation / online speaker), Yosuke Ushimaru (Manager, Pharmaceutical Team, Bioscience Products & Fine Chemicals Department, Healthcare Division, Mitsubishi Corporation / online speaker), and Takehiro Okumura (General Manager, Alloy Therapeutics K.K. / online speaker). The discussion focused on the need for COOs to advance drug discovery startups and the possibility of creating a regional ecosystem through the development of such COOs. The participants shared the realization that the essence of a COO is the practical ability to advance a business while involving experts, and the connection between the lecturers and students was also a major outcome of the program.
In the crosstalk for the NQ version of the Bio-Catalyst AI Accelerator Program, Shinya Yamamoto (General Manager, Deep Intelligent Pharma Co., Ltd.) introduced the program online, and Kazuma Yamakawa (Associate Professor of Emergency Medicine, Osaka Medical and Pharmaceutical University) and Norimasa Nakamura (Associate Professor of Emergency Medicine, Osaka University of Medical and Pharmaceutical Sciences) and Dr. Norimasa Nakamura (Chief Researcher and Professor, Osaka University of Health Sciences/Invited Professor, Osaka University) gave online reports on the results of the program. Mari Kobayashi (MIRACLE SCIENCE INNOVATION Co., Ltd.) gave a review, and Motofumi Suzuki (Senior Manager, Deloitte Tohmatsu LLC) served as an interlocutor, explaining the key points for seeds in the life science and healthcare fields to break through in light of the advancement of AI, The panelists deepened the discussion on the current issues and future prospects in the healthcare deep tech domain. In addition, a video message from Dr. Yu Moriguchi (Assistant to the President, Organization for the Advancement of Future Medicine / Specially Appointed Lecturer, Osaka University International Medical Center) shared the features of this program, which utilizes AI not only as a tool to improve efficiency but also as a means to promote commercialization, including business strategy, pharmaceutical affairs, intellectual property, and clinical trial design. The program's unique features were shared. The selected participants reported progress in a short period of time, including AMED applications and concrete realization of business plans, indicating the possibility of accelerating new commercialization by combining the knowledge of researchers and medical professionals with AI.
The NQ Health Accelerator Program roundtable was moderated by Ms. Maki Kawanami, Senior Officer for Investment in the UK, Tech & Life Sciences, Business and Trade, British Consulate-General, Japan, Mr. Junichi Higashi, General Manager, MedTech Actuator G.K., Japan, and Mr. Lei Liu, Director, Innovation Partnership & i2.JP, AstraZeneca KK. Innovation Partnership & i2.JP Director) and Misato Yoshida (EVP, MIRACLE SCIENCE INNOVATION K.K.) moderated a discussion on Japan's potential and challenges from a global perspective, as well as the possibilities for startup support and international collaboration. The discussion was moderated by Mr. Misato Miyata (EVP, MIRACLE SCIENCE INNOVATION Co. It was shown that in order for Japanese startups to compete in the global market, in addition to technology, human resources, funds, and an experienced support layer are important, and that this program is a practical foundation to compensate for these deficiencies.
In the latter half of the input talk, Mr. Taku Serio (President, Japan Pharmaceutical Development and Competence Organization) presented the viewpoint that drug development is not about obtaining approval, but is valuable only when it is used in actual clinical practice and becomes the standard of care. He emphasized the importance of cooperation among universities, companies, medical professionals, and start-ups, based on an understanding of their mutual differences.
The event concluded with networking time, during which the speakers and participants engaged in lively exchanges. The event provided an opportunity to share the current location and future possibilities of the future medical startup ecosystem, starting with Nakanoshima Qross, as well as to connect to new collaborations and challenges.