The evening concludes with a poster session, offering a valuable opportunity for in-depth conversations with founders and researchers. We warmly encourage participants to visit the posters that spark their interest, ask questions, and explore opportunities for future collaboration!

Startups include, separated by MEDTECH & BIOTECH:

MEDTECH

• Certis Therapeutics SAS (Univ of Bordeaux)
  Developing MRI-guided, minimally invasive therapies for treating cardiac diseases, cancers, and neurological disorders, building on research from IHU Liryc in Bordeaux.
  
  

• Vesica AI (Univ of Tsukuba)
  Vesica AI is a med-tech startup based in San Diego and Tsukuba, developing AI-powered clinical support software for bladder cancer detection via cystoscopy. Its real-time system assists urologists in identifying lesions often missed during exams. By advancing diagnostic precision and consistency, Vesica AI aims to transform cystoscopy and improve outcomes for bladder cancer patients worldwide.
  
  

• WeiAn MedTech (National Cheng Kung Univ)
  Developing a closed-loop, home-care neuro-health platform that combines high-definition transcranial electrical stimulation (HD-tES) with real-time brain activity monitoring using fNIRS to support personalized treatment for neuropsychiatric disorders.
  
  

• VentEase Inc (Univ of Tsukuba)
  VentEase is a MedTech startup developing an innovative diaphragmatic pacing device for patients at high risk of prolonged mechanical ventilation after major cardiac surgery (median sternotomy). Our unique device simultaneously performs pleural drainage and phrenic nerve stimulation, accelerating weaning from ventilators and reducing the risk of complications. It can be placed using the same technique as standard drains, providing safe and minimally invasive respiratory support without disrupting existing ICU workflows.
  
  

• PARO Robots (Univ of Tsukuba)
  A baby seal robot, PARO, is a biofeedback medical device in Class 2 by the FDA. After accumulated clinical evidence, there are some CPT codes for "biofeedback therapy with PARO" for patients with dementia, cancer, PTSD, brain injury, Parkinson's disease, developmental disorders, etc. when they are diagnosed as pain, depression, anxiety, agitation, insomnia, etc. The costs of treatments can be reimbursed by "Medicare and Medicaid" and private medical insurance. PARO is also effective for patients with "delirium."
  
  

• AVIONOVA (Ohio State Univ)
  Developing drug-free, earbud-based vestibular technology that uses targeted bilateral cooling to stabilize the inner ear in real time, helping treat motion sickness and vertigo while supporting safety and performance in high-motion environments.
  
  

• iLAC Co.,Ltd. (Univ of Tsukuba)
  iLAC, a startup from University of Tsukuba, excels in advanced genome analysis. Collaborating with Unicharm on the FemTech project "Sofy FemScan," iLAC leverages its cutting-edge genetic testing technology to analyze biological data from menstrual blood. This innovative service enables early detection of cervical cancer risks like HPV from home. By combining advanced science with daily comfort, iLAC empowers women's health, showcasing its strength in social well-being biotechnology.
  
  

• University of Tsukuba, AMED project S1 (Univ of Tsukuba)
  Boron neutron capture therapy (BNCT) is an advanced radiotherapy that treats refractory cancer by destroying at cell-level. Tsukuba-type BNCT system is unique in that it has a single, short irradiation period and reduced radiation exposure by low radioactivation feature. This project takes advantage of this superior feature to develop a therapy for tumors deeper than 2-3/8 inches from the body surface by diverse irradiation methods such as multi direction irradiation.
  
  

• Fabs3D AI (Al-Farabi Kazakh National Univ)
  Developing AI-driven 3D modeling technologies that transform medical and visual data into structured, analyzable models for applications in medical imaging, facial analysis, predictive medicine, and scientific visualization.
  
  

• PicoShape (RU Bochum)
  Developing a high precision 2PP 3D printing system that uses compact, low-cost diode lasers to produce sub-200 nm microstructures with significantly higher throughput for applications in microfluidics, micro-optics, quantum technology, and medical technology.
  
  

• Ostic Pharma Pvt Ltd (IIT Bombay)
  Developing affordable in vitro diagnostic kits and point-of-care solutions, including rapid, molecular, and CRISPR-based tools, to make disease detection more accessible.

BIOTECH

FerroptoCure Inc. (Univ of Tsukuba)
FerroptoCure is a clinical-stage oncology biotech pioneering a first-in-class, oral ferroptosis-inducing platform that overcomes apoptosis resistance in cancer. Our proprietary dual-targeting of xCT and ALDH drives synthetic lethality, unlocking therapeutic potential across all tumors. We completed Japan's first ferroptosis-based Phase 1 trial and are now expanding to Australia and the U.S. — backed by $12.5M raised and AMED government support.

• CLOVERNA Inc. (Univ of Tsukuba)
  CLOVERNA is an RNA therapeutics company developing CLV-201, a first-in-class antisense oligonucleotide for ALS and related TDP-43 aggregation. CLV-201 was discovered through CLOVERNA's proprietary DIRAC RNA-target discovery platform and is supported by preclinical proof-of-concept in disease-relevant models. The company is preparing a U.S. NewCo to accelerate IND-enabling studies, clinical translation, and partnering with venture investors and biopharma companies.
  
  

• ER Stress Research Institute Inc. (Univ of Tsukuba)
  ER Stress Research Institute is a drug discovery startup built on a proprietary ER stress-based screening platform targeting proteostasis dysregulation. Our lead compound IBT30, identified through this platform, targets TDP-43 proteinopathy in ALS, demonstrating dramatically superior chemical chaperone activity over existing drugs. Preclinical PoC has been confirmed in silico, in vitro, and in ALS mouse models. As an oral small molecule, IBT30 is advancing toward clinical trials.
  
  

• Permeasis Therapeutics (Ohio State Univ)
  Developing an MTD-based intracellular delivery platform that enables membrane-impermeable proteins and other macromolecular therapeutics to enter cells efficiently, supporting applications such as protein replacement, protein-protein interaction modulation, and in vivo gene editing.
  
  

• DUCOLEGE Biotech Company (National Cheng Kung Univ)
  Developing an advanced in vitro drug-screening platform that visualizes collagen fibril structure and stiffness to identify repurposed and novel anti-fibrotic therapies for keloids and organ fibrosis.
  
  

• ZeitBio Therapeutics Inc. (Univ of Tsukuba)
  ZeitBio Therapeutics is a University of Tsukuba spinout positioned to lead a paradigm shift in sleep medicine. Our patent pending small molecule platform targets circadian rhythm disruption, unlocking a large global market with limited treatment options. Focused on early morning awakening insomnia, we combine strong biological insight with a capital efficient development strategy to deliver first in class, potentially curative therapies and create significant long term value.

• Kitasato University, AMED project S1 (Univ of Tsukuba)
  Developing a gene therapy for DFNA10, a hereditary progressive hearing loss caused by mutations in the EYA4 gene. The approach targets the genetic root cause, offering potential for long-term hearing preservation. Building on cutting-edge research at Kitasato University, they are seeking co-development collaborators to accelerate growth.