On May 3th (Tuesday), the "Nakanoshima Qross Innovation Challenge" was held, and three companies were selected to advance to the UK Immersion Program.

On Tuesday, May 12th, the "Nakanoshima Qross Innovation Challenge," organized by Osaka Prefecture, was held at the Qrossover Lounge Yume on the 2nd floor of Nakanoshima Qross.

This event is a selective pitch event where 16 promising startups aiming for global expansion in the life sciences field will present the results of a training program that has lasted approximately six months. The purpose of the event is to select promising startups from Nakanoshima, Osaka, that will take on the global market and create a "platform for challenge" that will lead to their next growth opportunity.

After a rigorous selection process, the following three companies have been chosen to advance to the next phase (Phase 2).

Qualips Co., Ltd.

Physiologas Technologies, Inc.

Linkmed Co., Ltd.

Selected companies will receive further growth support and executive mentoring, as well as participation in the UK Immersion Program scheduled for September 2026, where they will work to collaborate with UK ecosystem players, gain local market understanding, and build partnerships.

【judge】
Buzz Palmer (CEO, MedTech Actuator)

Vikram Chand (Executive Officer, Head of Research and Development, AstraZeneca K.K.)

Hanae Suzuki (Venture Capitalist, Life Sciences Professional, JIC Venture Growth Investments Co., Ltd.)

Tatsuo Ito (Professor, Department of Hygiene, Kawasaki Medical School)

Takeshi Machino (Associate Professor, Faculty of Medicine, University of Tsukuba / Clinical Professor, University of Tsukuba Hospital / Director, Translational Research Support Center, University of Tsukuba / Vice Director, Tsukuba Clinical Research and Development Organization (T-CReDO) / Director, Translational Research Promotion Center)

[Progress]
Lei Liu (Director, Innovation Partnership & i2.JP, AstraZeneca K.K.)

Prior to the pitches, Ms. Mio Kondo, Supervisor for the Promotion of Future Medical Industrialization, Department of Commerce, Industry and Labor, Osaka Prefecture; Mr. Michael Blyth, Consul General of the United Kingdom in Osaka; and Mr. Yoshiki Sawa, Chairman of the Board of Directors, Future Medical Promotion Foundation, each took the stage and expressed their expectations for the program.

Next, Junichi Higashi, General Manager of Medtech Actuator LLC Japan, explained the details of the "NQ Health Accelerator," in which the 16 companies that presented at this pitch event participated.

In the keynote session, under the theme of "How can innovations that open up new possibilities for life reach the world? – Exploring the potential of Japanese startups from the perspectives of AI, regenerative medicine, and ecosystems," Professor Hiroshi Ishiguro of the Graduate School of Engineering Science, Osaka University / CEO of AVITA Inc. / Visiting Director of the ATR Ishiguro Hiroshi Special Research Institute / Theme Project Producer for the Osaka-Kansai Expo and Yoshiki Sawa, Chairman of the Board of Directors of the Foundation for the Promotion of Future Medical Care, took the stage, with Jun Miyagawa, CEO of MIRACLE SCIENCE INNOVATION Inc., serving as moderator.

In the subsequent talk session, "From Nakanoshima Qross to the World: The Potential of Future Medical Startups and the UK Ecosystem," Vikram Chand, Executive Officer and Head of Research and Development at AstraZeneca K.K., Yu Moriguchi, Assistant to the Chairman of the Board of Directors at the Japan Medical Innovation Foundation, and Hanae Suzuki, Venture Capitalist and Life Sciences Professional at JIC Venture Growth Investments Co., Ltd., took the stage. Facilitated by MedTech Actuator CEO Buzz Palmer, they delved into how to utilize the UK ecosystem in the global market.

In addition, during the judging time following the Startup Pitch, an "Osaka Life Science Nexus (O-Nexus) Introduction & Site Visit Tour" was conducted for the participants.

At the end of the event, Mr. Jun Miyagawa gave an introduction to future Nakanoshima Cross-related projects, and the event concluded with closing remarks by Mr. Akihiro Nishino, Director of the Life Science Industry Division, Department of Commerce, Industry and Labor, Osaka Prefecture.

[Moderator] Mari Ogihara (Innovation Partnerships & i2.JP Community Manager, AstraZeneca K.K.)
[Osaka Life Science Nexus (O-Nexus) Tour Explanation] Ms. Misato Yoshida (EVP, MIRACLE SCIENCE INNOVATION Co., Ltd. / Expert Supporter, Future Medical Promotion Foundation)

Following the conclusion of the first part of the event, hosted by Osaka Prefecture, we held a Networking Reception as the second part. It was a very meaningful time, with speakers and participants actively interacting with each other and forging new connections that transcended fields and positions.