UTokyo IPC Decides to Make an LP Investment in the “Red 1 Healthcare Limited Partnership”
PrintTokyo University of Tokyo Innovation Platform Co., Ltd. (headquartered in Bunkyo-ku, Tokyo; CEO: Kosuke Ueda; “UTokyo IPC”), which manages the Academic Startup Acceleration Fund (“ASA Fund”), has made an LP investment in the Red 1 Healthcare Limited Partnership, managed by Red Capital Co., Ltd. (headquartered in Shibuya-ku, Tokyo; Managing Partners: Maiko Katadae, Ph.D., and Tomoko Inoue, Ph.D. MBA).
A Long-Term, Hands-on Investment Model Combining Primary and Secondary Strategies
Red Capital is a venture capital firm specializing in healthcare and life sciences, with investment areas spanning therapeutics, regenerative medicine, medical devices, and digital health. The fund primarily invests in domestic and global R&D-driven startups possessing core technologies in the healthcare sector. Combining its “Seed-Driven Model”—supporting startups consistently from seed to exit—with an “Ecosystem Complementation Model”, which addresses structural funding gaps and enables corporate transformation and re-growth through secondary transactions, Red Capital provides long-term support aligned with the timelines required for deep-tech development.
In highly specialized fields such as biotech and medical devices, Red Capital flexibly deploys both primary and secondary strategies, supporting technology development, clinical validation, and business scalability. This approach enables continuous support during phases in deed-tech development where funding often becomes scarce, facilitating sustainability and advancement to the next growth stage.
UTokyo IPC highly values Red Capital’s expertise and its long-term, hands-on investment model that integrates primary and secondary approaches. UTokyo IPC expects Red Capital to serve as a strong partner in advancing the social implementation and global expansion of healthcare deep-tech startups, and has therefore decided to make this LP commitment.
Comments from Red Capital
Maiko Katade, Ph.D., Managing Partner, Red Capital Co., Ltd.
“As an advisor to UTokyo IPC’s startup support program ‘1stRound,’ we have long collaborated in fostering innovation originating from academia. We are honored that UTokyo IPC has chosen to invest in our Red 1 Healthcare Limited Partnership. This commitment strongly accelerates our mission to translate high-quality inventions from academia into impactful innovations. Through co-investment and multi-layered support, we look forward to deepening our partnership and delivering outcomes that contribute to solving societal challenges.”
Tomoko Inoue, Ph.D., MBA Managing Partner, Red Capital Co., Ltd.
“It is a great honor to receive this investment from the ASA Fund managed by UTokyo IPC. Healthcare and life sciences require deep expertise and a long-term commitment. By flexibly leveraging both primary and secondary investments, we remain dedicated to supporting the value creation and real-world implementation of R&D-driven startups. Encouraged by this commitment, we aim to contribute even further to innovation in Japan and beyond.”
ASA Fund: Building Japan’s Leading Hub for University-Originated Deep-Tech Startups
The ASA Fund aims to strengthen Japan’s university startup ecosystem by addressing structural challenges, deepening collaboration among industry, academia, government, and international partners, and elevating Japan’s university startup ecosystem to a world-class level. By nurturing unicorn startups capable of competing globally, the fund contributes to enhancing Japan’s industrial competitiveness.
In practice, the fund invests in university-oriented venture capital funds (a fund-of-funds model) to uncover promising technology seeds within universities, support commercialization, and accelerate global expansion of startups originating from academic research.
About Red Capital Co., Ltd.
Mission: Advancing healthcare innovation through science
Founded: 2024
Head Office: 18F, Ebisu Garden Place Tower, 4-20-3 Ebisu, Shibuya-ku, Tokyo
Managing Partners: Maiko Katae, Ph.D.; Tomoko Inoue, Ph.D.
URL: https://redcapital.vc/
About UTokyo Innovation Platform Co., Ltd. (UTokyo IPC)
UTokyo IPC collaborates with a wide range of stakeholders—including universities, corporations, venture capital firms, and government agencies—to strengthen Japan’s industrial competitiveness through world-class startup creation and ecosystem development.
Established in 2016 as a wholly owned subsidiary of the University of Tokyo, UTokyo IPC supports startup creation, growth, and financing through two investment funds, hands-on company-building programs such as “Startup Incubation” and “DeepTech Dive,” and operation of 1stRound, Japan’s largest Cross-academia Accelerator “1stRound”. By integrating incubation, acceleration, and venture investment, UTokyo IPC provides a comprehensive platform for deep-tech startup development.
In 2024, UTokyo IPC launched the Academic Startup Acceleration (ASA) Fund, selected through a public process by the Tokyo Metropolitan Government, to establish a global hub for deep-tech startup creation in collaboration with domestic and international institutions.
Company Overview
Mission: Developing and scaling university-related startup ecosystems
Established: January 2016
Shareholder: The University of Tokyo (100%)
Location: Entrepreneur Lab 261, South Research Building, The University of Tokyo, 7-3-1 Hongo, Bunkyo-ku, Tokyo
CEO: Kosuke Ueda
URL: https://www.utokyo-ipc.co.jp/
Contact
UTokyo Innovation Platform Co., Ltd.
Entrepreneur Lab 261, South Research Building, The University of Tokyo
7-3-1 Hongo, Bunkyo-ku, Tokyo
TEL: 03-3830-0200 / FAX: 03-3830-0183
Email: info2@utokyo-ipc.co.jp
Contact: Masafumi Kawai