UTokyo IPC Hosts Seminars at BioJapan 2025 on Global Startup Creation and the Future of Japan–U.S. Drug Discovery Ecosystems

UTokyo Innovation Platform Co., Ltd. (Headquarters: Hongo, Bunkyo-ku, Tokyo; President & CEO: Kosuke Ueda; hereinafter “UTokyo IPC”) hosted two seminars at BioJapan 2025, held at PACIFICO Yokohama:

 

・the Luncheon Seminar “Building Global Startups: Lessons from UTokyo IPC’s Portfolio” on October 8 (Wed), and

・the Sponsored Seminar “Japan–U.S. Bioventure Activity Review 2025 Q1–Q3: Is the Gap in Drug Discovery Ecosystems Narrowing?” on October 10 (Fri).

 

Both sessions were fully booked in advance, drawing strong interest from participants across the biotech and pharmaceutical sectors in Japan and abroad.

 

Building Global Startups: Lessons from UTokyo IPC’s Portfolio

 

At the October 8th Luncheon Seminar, Makoto（Mark） Ohori Ph.D., Partner and Chief Investment Officer, Life Science, at UTokyo IPC, served as moderator.

The session featured the following speakers:

 

・Ping Zhu, Ph.D., Founder & CEO, CORE Biomedicine, Inc.

・Frank Langston, SVP Strategy, Beren Therapeutics K.K.

 

Together, they discussed global fundraising strategies, organizational development for emerging drug discovery startups, and research collaboration between Japan and the United States.

The discussion also explored how Japan’s strong clinical and academic infrastructure can be leveraged to build globally competitive R&D models.

 

Japan–U.S. Bioventure Activity Review 2025 Q1–Q3

 

On October 10th, UTokyo IPC held its annual symposium, continuing the series launched in 2021, titled “2025 Q1–Q3 Japan – U.S. Bioventure Activity Review : Is the Gap in Drug Discovery Ecosystems Narrowing?”

 

The session reviewed investment trends and technological advances across Japan and the U.S., comparing the two countries’ biotech ecosystems and exploring future growth opportunities.

 

The featured review was delivered by Takashi Futami, Partner, AN Venture Partners, who shared insights on global biotech investment, M&A, and partnership trends.

 

The panel discussion, moderated by Makoto (Mark) Ohori, UTokyo IPC, brought together:

 

・Sakae Asanuma, President & CEO, Taiho Ventures, LLC

・Takashi Futami, Partner, AN Venture Partners

・Yujiro S. Hata, President & CEO, IDEAYA Biosciences, Inc.

・Mark Noguchi, Advisor, Chugai Pharmaceutical Co., Ltd.

 

Panelists engaged in an in-depth discussion of venture financing and exit trends through Q3 2025, the growing convergence of AI and drug discovery, advances in delivery and platform technologies, and strategies to enhance the global competitiveness of Japan-origin startups.

 

Continuing Efforts to Advance Japan’s Innovation Ecosystem

 

UTokyo IPC remains committed to fostering innovation ecosystems rooted in academia and extending these models globally through investment, acceleration, and partnerships that drive the creation of world-class startups.

 

 

Contact:

UTokyo Innovation Platform Co., Ltd.

Entrepreneur Lab 261, South Research Building, 7-3-1 Hongo, Bunkyo-ku, Tokyo 113-8654 Japan

TEL +81-3-3830-0200 / FAX +81-3-3830-0183

Email: info2@utokyo-ipc.co.jp

Life Makoto（Mark）Ohori / Atsuhiro Bingo