On Wednesday, April 8th, we held a seminar titled "Social Implementation Strategies for Interdisciplinary Collaboration and Medical Technology Innovation at Kobe University."

On Wednesday, April 8th, we held an event titled "Social Implementation Strategies for Interdisciplinary Collaboration and Medical Technology Innovation at Kobe University" at the Qrossover Lounge Yume on the 2nd floor of Nakanoshima Qross.
This event was held with the aim of sharing strategies and practices for translating research results into social implementation, focusing on Kobe University's interdisciplinary collaborative approach to medical technology innovation. A diverse range of participants attended, including university researchers, startups, pharmaceutical and medical device companies, investors, and healthcare professionals.

At the beginning of the session, Mr. Yoshiki Sawa (Chairman of the Board, Future Medical Promotion Foundation) spoke about the potential to build a world-class drug discovery ecosystem by leveraging the strengths of collaboration in the Kansai region (Kyoto, Osaka, and Kobe) and having each base complement each other's roles. He also emphasized the importance of strengthening mechanisms to connect university research results to social implementation, centered around Nakanoshima Qross, and expanding Japanese science to the world by involving global companies and investments.

Next, in his keynote speech, Masato Fujisawa (President of Kobe University) spoke on the theme of "What the Hinotori Development Taught Us - The Inevitability of Medical Innovation Engineering," highlighting the need to build an innovation ecosystem that connects science and business in the medical field. Drawing on his experience in developing the surgical assistance robot "hinotori," he also mentioned the challenges of medical device development in Japan, as well as the importance of cultivating interdisciplinary talent and establishing a system with a view to global expansion.

Following this, Professor Yoshihiro Muragaki (Center for Future Medical Engineering Research and Development/Graduate School of Medicine, Kobe University) presented on the field of medical innovation engineering, and Professor Hiroaki Kageyama (Graduate School of Science, Technology and Innovation, Kobe University) presented on the field of startup creation, demonstrating a system that comprehensively promotes research and commercialization.

In the following sessions, Keiichi Morita (Specially Appointed Professor, Kobe University), Hideto Ueki (Assistant Professor, Kobe University Hospital), Shinobu Tsuchida (CEO, VITA Inc. / Visiting Professor, Kobe University), and Toshiro Shirakawa (Dean, Graduate School of Science, Technology and Innovation, Kobe University) presented specific research seeds and commercialization examples related to medical devices and pharmaceuticals.

In the panel discussion, Mr. Shirakawa, Mr. Tsuchida, Mr. Muragaki, Mr. Kageyama, and Mr. Yu Moriguchi (Assistant to the Chairman (International), Future Medical Promotion Foundation / Specially Appointed Lecturer, Osaka University) took the stage. Under Mr. Moriguchi's moderation, they discussed specific challenges in the social implementation of medical technology. Issues such as funding and personnel shortages in commercializing university-developed seeds, the gap between the development period and the business timeline, and the need for strategies that look towards overseas markets were pointed out. The importance of passionate supporters, support for international expansion, and network and hub functions were also shared.

The event concluded with networking opportunities, during which speakers and participants engaged in lively discussions. This event provided an opportunity to demonstrate concrete strategies for transforming university research results into social value and to showcase the potential for co-creation starting with Nakanoshima Qross.