Sessions

How can the encounter between founders and investors unlock new possibilities for startups? This session will showcase the story of a founder–investor pair who first met at last year’s Startup Elevate, went through an intensive one-month mentoring period, and subsequently developed into a lasting collaboration. It offers the audience practical insights into how deeptech partnerships can evolve and drive innovation forward.

Okinawa is known worldwide as a symbol of longevity, yet it also faces modern healthcare challenges such as lifestyle-related diseases and the rising burden of an aging population. In this session, the former and current Deans of the University of the Ryukyus School of Medicine will join a moderator with pharmaceutical R&D experience who now leads licensing activities at OIST. Together, they will explore how local insights can be translated from academic research into real-world implementation, and what opportunities lie ahead for healthcare innovation emerging from Okinawa.

Entering the U.S. market presents healthcare startups with multiple challenges, from regulatory approval and clinical validation to fundraising, reimbursement, and market access. This session will bring together perspectives from APAC-based accelerators, VCs/CVCs, and U.S. payers to outline a practical roadmap for global expansion. The discussion will explore key steps such as building robust clinical evidence, leveraging local networks for partnerships, securing the right capital strategy, and aligning with the outcomes and reimbursement requirements valued by payers in the U.S. healthcare system.

For Japan’s biotech and life science startups, growth requires diverse approaches to capital strategy—there is no single solution. This session will welcome Chieko Murata from NASDAQ to discuss how entrepreneurs can confront the so-called “100-yen biotech problem,” and consider how NASDAQ may serve as a new option within a broader toolkit. Rather than a silver bullet, NASDAQ will be presented as one possible path among many, encouraging founders to rethink and diversify their strategies for sustainable growth.

RegCell’s journey is built on the fusion of Japan’s cutting-edge scientific foundations with global business expertise. In this session, Michael McCullar, a seasoned serial executive who has led multiple biotech companies through drug development, M&A, and commercialization, will share why he chose Japan as the base to advance Treg cell therapeutics. The discussion will highlight how Japan’s scientific strengths and international management know-how come together to form a new model for biotech startups.

This interactive session will bring together international investors and healthcare entrepreneurs from Okinawa for direct dialogue and exchange. Participants will explore opportunities for collaboration, investment, and innovation in Okinawa’s growing healthcare ecosystem, while gaining insights into how local startups are addressing global health challenges.

Pitch Elevate is a new style of pitch competition where founders do not take the stage alone, but instead present together with experienced VC mentors who have worked with them one-on-one in the month leading up to the event. The pitches, sharpened through this dialogue, showcase both the challenges of the earliest stages of company building and the future potential of healthcare innovation. A diverse panel of guest judges—comprising leading investors and accelerators from Japan and abroad—will join to provide insights and support the next generation of healthcare startups.