UTokyo IPC Announces the 13th Cohort of “1stRound” and Welcomes JERA as New Corporate Partner
PrintUTokyo Innovation Platform Co., Ltd. (UTokyo IPC), the venture investment arm of the University of Tokyo, is pleased to announce the selection of eight new teams for the 13th cohort of its Cross-academia Accelerator 1stRound — Japan’s largest academia-driven, non-equity startup support initiative. UTokyo IPC also welcomes JERA Co., Inc.(JERA) as a new corporate partner, expanding the program’s partner network to 24 leading companies.
About 1stRound
Launched in 2017 as UTokyo IPC’s entrepreneurship support initiative, 1stRound has evolved into a consortium-style, academia-led program co-hosted by 22 universities and 5 national research institutions. It is a non-equity growth acceleration program that provides early-stage startups with funding and intensive hands-on support, helping them transform academic innovations into viable businesses.
Over the past eight years, 1stRound has supported 102 teams, achieving a fundraising success rate of approximately 90% and a large-grant acquisition rate of more than 50%. More than half of each cohort has also gone on to collaborate with leading companies, primarily among our corporate partners. Through this program, UTokyo IPC fosters a vibrant community that accelerates the commercialization of academic technology seeds and promotes startup creation.
Notably, 20–25% of the teams selected have re-applied from prior rounds, demonstrating the program’s role in reinforcing academia-based entrepreneurship. Alumni have also been accepted into world-class university-affiliated accelerators such as StartX and Berkeley SkyDeck, with several expanding globally, including establishing headquarters in the U.S.
Internationally, 1stRound has advanced collaborations with Europe’s largest research consortium Cyber Valley (April 2024), the University of Helsinki (May 2025), and MassChallenge (May 2025), aiming to cultivate startups that can compete globally by combining Japanese academic technology with international expertise.
Expansion of Corporate Partner Network
1stRound is supported by leading companies across diverse industries. With the addition of JERA from the energy sector, the program is now backed by a total of 24 corporate partners, further accelerating open innovation and startup–corporate collaboration.
Call for Applications: 14th Cohort of 1stRound
The program is held twice annually, and applications for the 14th cohort opened on October 6, 2025 (Deadline: November 24, 2025). For details, please visit the official website:
The 13th Cohort
At the 13th 1stRound selection committee held in June 2025, eight teams were selected. With this round, the cumulative number of teams supported by 1stRound has reached 110 over the past eight and a half years. The eight newly selected teams are introduced below.
・CASB power
CEO: Prof. Manabu Ihara (Institute of Science Tokyo, former “Tokyo Institute of Technology”), CTO: Keisuke Kameda / CRO: Kentaro Matsunaga
https://casbpower.com, https://imlab.cap.mac.titech.ac.jp/
Commercializing the world’s first Carbon Air Secondary Battery (CASB) system. The team achieved the first-ever discharge reaction from solid carbon over 20 years ago under JST-PRESTO. Furthermore, they have overcome the challenge of the charge reaction and developed a mechanism free from degradation. CASB promises ultra-compact, safe, low-cost, and reliable supply of product, requiring only carbon to expand storage capacity, thereby enabling an affordable renewable energy society. (in preparation for incorporation)
・IntraPhoton
Founders: Dr. Toshihiko Honkura / Prof. Yasufumi Fujiwara
Commercializing rare-earth-doped GaN microLED epi-wafers to realize ultra-high-resolution AR/VR displays with unprecedented realism. Leveraging Prof. Fujiwara’s pioneering Eu-doped GaN technology, IntraPhoton enables red microLEDs that maintain efficiency at micron scale and a novel three-layer stacked process for full-color integration. This semiconductor-based approach improves yield and reduces cost for mass production of next-generation microdisplays.(in preparation for incorporation)
・Helioverse Innovations Inc.
Co-Founder & CEO: Taiyo Kuroda
https://www.helioverseinnov.com/
A U.S. startup spun out of artificial heart research at Cleveland Clinic. Helioverse is developing the world’s first fully implantable wireless power system and long-term catheter-based micro artificial heart. By eliminating driveline cables—the leading source of infection—the company aims to enable zero-infection, minimally invasive, and long-term artificial heart therapy, restoring patients’ quality of life.
・T1D Scout, Inc.
Co-Founder & CEO: Yuta Matsuda
Developing a platform for the early detection of type 1 diabetes. Founded by Y Combinator alumni and serial entrepreneurs with $100M+ exits in diabetes tech, supported by a team of individuals living with T1D or with family members affected—bringing a strong, mission-driven commitment to the business.
・Xtelligence
Co-Founder & CEO: Yo Murofushi
Xtelligence enables the production and utilization of all high-value enzymes with Protein Crystal Materials (PCM), which encapsulate intercellularly produced enzymes.
PCM benefits industries through;
– Suppressing the cytotoxicity of the produced enzymes to host cells, which leads to far greater yields.
– Expediting the manufacturing process for enzymes and products through biocatalytic reactions, which leads to cost and time efficiency, and environmental benefits.
– Giving a greater stability and making enzymes recyclable.
Additionally, PCM can encapsulate various types of proteins, including antibodies, which enhances its modality.
With PCM, Xtelligence is committed to impactful solutions for a sustainable future.(in preparation for incorporation)
・Muso Action, Inc.
CEO: Ryutaro Murayama
Muso Action is a robotics startup that provides general-purpose robots by integrating AI and robotics. The company aims to create a society where people can focus on more creative work by automating light tasks across diverse settings such as logistics, manufacturing, and retail.
By combining its proprietary robot foundation model (VLA: Vision-Language-Action model) with advanced force-control technology, Muso Action enables the automation of small-lot, high-mix light tasks that were previously difficult to achieve, thereby building a sustainable labor infrastructure.
・Yanai Laboratory, The University of Tokyo
Representative: Masanori Uji
https://sites.google.com/view/yanai-lab-jp
Developing photon upconversion materials that convert visible light into ultraviolet light. While UV light is valuable for resin curing and sterilization, it is scarce in everyday environments. The team has created new materials capable of generating UV light even from low-intensity sources such as LEDs, opening new possibilities for industrial and consumer applications.(in preparation for incorporation)
・NectaRay
Representative: Yuki Kusano
We are developing space optical communication technology to accelerate satellite communications, which are becoming increasingly vital as next-generation infrastructure. Optical communication can achieve speeds more than 100 times faster than radio waves, but challenges have included satellite integration and weather susceptibility. By providing user-friendly optical communication devices and a weather-resilient ground station network, NectaRay aims to make space communication more accessible and enhance people’s everyday lives.(in preparation for incorporation)
About 1stRound
“1stRound” is Japan’s largest cross-academia, non-equity startup growth support program, designed to accelerate the commercialization and societal implementation of promising technologies and ideas originating from universities and research institutions. In addition to intensive hands-on support and up to JPY 10 million in non-equity funding for each selected team, the program actively facilitates collaboration opportunities with corporate partners. Moreover, 1stRound provides access to venture capital—including UTokyo IPC’s AOI Fund I—and supports fundraising, executive talent development, and business collaboration networks, all aimed at enabling the rapid scale-up of participating startups.
By leveraging advanced research and technologies emerging from the University of Tokyo as well as other leading national universities and research institutions, 1stRound continues to broaden the pipeline of academia-related entrepreneurs and provide comprehensive support to those aspiring to launch startups.
Contact
UTokyo Innovation Platform Co., Ltd.
Entrepreneur Lab 261, South Research Building,
The University of Tokyo, 7-3-1 Hongo, Bunkyo-ku, Tokyo
TEL: +81-3-3830-0200 / FAX: +81-3-3830-0183
Email: info2@utokyo-ipc.co.jp
Contact: Hideki Nagasaka