Innovating Together: Insights from BioJapan 2024 with Life Science Nation 

By Claire Jeong, Chief Conference Officer, Vice President of Investor Research, Asia BD, LSN

A few weeks ago, Life Science Nation (LSN) headed to Yokohama to attend BioJapan 2024 from October 9-11, 2024. As one of the largest partnering conferences in Asia focused on the life sciences industry, this year’s event attracted over 18,000 attendees over the course of 3 days. For many years, BioJapan has served as a useful platform for LSN to expand its international network, including startups, investors/strategic partners, bioclusters, service providers, and more.

This year, LSN was invited by Life Science Incubation Council (LSIC) to join a seminar on “how life science startups in Japan can work together with global partners”. Founded in 2022, LSIC is a Japanese organization that has created a platform on which key players in the sector such as start-ups, VCs, pharmaceutical companies, medical device companies and government organizations can work together to develop innovative technology seeds, aiming towards commercialization of these technologies. LSN has signed an MOU with LSIC earlier this year to collaborate on initiatives to support the life sciences ecosystem in Japan.

The seminar took place on the last day of BioJapan, Friday, October 11, and featured the following panelists: Claire Jeong (Life Science Nation), Hélène Moore (BIOQuébec), Angela Kukula (MedCity), and Toru Seo (NewSight Tech Angels). The seminar presented an opportunity for each panelist to shed more light into their activities and their respective ecosystems, and to provide guidance on how Japanese companies can establish better relationships with international partners for expanding their business on an international scale.

▲ Shigehiro Asano (National Cerebral and Cardiovascular Center, Osaka), Claire Jeong (VP of Investor Research, Asia BD), Toru Seo (NewSight Tech Angels), Nao Yoshizawa (Life Science Incubation Council), Hélène Moore (BIOQuébec), Angela Kukula (MedCity), Tsuneaki Sakata (Osaka University / Biocommunity Kansai BiocK)

It was a great honor for LSN to share the panel with key industry experts and engage with more connections in Japan. LSN looks forward to continue providing a platform for life science and healthcare startups to connect with investors and strategic partners. Whether you are a startup seeking to identify more international investors and partners, or an investor seeking more international dealflow, please contact RESI@lifesciencenation.com if you are interested in learning more about how LSN can be helpful.

As with previous years, this year’s BioJapan was a very productive and well-executed event, and we look forward to returning next year!