US-Japan MedTech Innovation Collaboration with Stanford Biodesign

On Thursday, February 12, the Consulate General of Japan in San Francisco partnered with Japan Biodesign and the Japan Society of Northern California (JSNC) to host a medtech collaboration event at the Japan Innovation Campus (JIC) in Palo Alto. The event also commemorated the 13th anniversary of the Japan Biodesign program, a Stanford University-affiliated fellowship that aims to help Japanese medical experts create innovative medical devices and solutions using design thinking.

The program began with opening remarks from Consul General Kotaro Otsuki and an explanation of the fellowship from Japan Biodesign Program co-director, Dr. Atsuhiro Nakagawa, followed by remarks from Dr. Josh Makower, Director of Stanford Mussallem Center of Biodesign. Afterwards, there was a special presentation from Mr. Shoya Taki, representing Japan’s Ministry of Health, Labour, and Welfare (MHLW), who gave an overview of Japan’s policies related to medtech innovation support.

Then, this year’s Japan Biodesign fellows, representing Tokyo University and Osaka University, took the stage to showcase their medical device solutions. Finally, a pair of Japanese medtech founders, Dr. Toruh Satoh, CEO of SONIRE Therapeutics, and Dr. Kazutaka Takahashi, CEO of Ruten, pitched their innovative treatments for cancer and dysphagia.

The program ended with closing remarks from JSNC President Steve Pollock, before opening up into a networking reception.