Call for startups: The Masterclass Program by BioLabs - Cohort2 (Application deadline: March 27)

*Japanese page

Life Science Innovation Network Japan (LINK-J) , BioLabs and Mitsui Fudosan Co., Ltd. announce that they have been selected for the Tokyo Metropolitan Government's "TIB CATAPULT (Cluster Creation Project to Challenge Global Innovation)" program and have launched the startup incubation cluster, "LINK-BioBAY TOKYO". This collaboration, with expertise in Japan and the US, will support the growth of Japanese life science startups globally.

As part of our supports, we will launch The Masterclass Program by BioLabs - Cohort 2.
Startups selected for it will receive the following support:
 

• Online webinars: 6 times
• Online mentorings: 8 times
• Online pitch coaching: 2 times
• On-site workshops
• An opportunity to present at a demo day attended by corporations and investors

We welcome applications from life sciences startups aiming for global growth.

Please refer to the feedback from Cohort 1 startups and the demo day report!

Apply here

Application Guidelines

Application Requirements

[Business Area]
Discovery-stage life science startups (Preferred human health technologies – therapeutics, devices, diagnostics)

[Business Stage]

• Established company with 1-10 employees, ready to learn how to scale to global stage
• Startup that has been established for less than 10 years since its founding
• Funding stage: Preferred Pre-seed, Seed, working to raise Series A VC funding
• Own their IP, or exclusive use license from university or other spinout entity

[Language]
Applicants must be able to communicate at a business level in English.
Note: All contents including document screening, pitch screening, lectures, mentoring, and demo day in this program will be conducted in English.

[Other Requirements]
Applicants must be

• able to disclose business details as non-confidential information.
• able to participate in all selection processes leading to the final selection.
• able to participate in all events and programs planned in this program.
• conducting business in Tokyo or have plans/intention to do so in the future.

Application Method and Screening Process

(1) Application Schedule

(*1) The results of the document screening will be notified via email, regardless of the outcome.
(*2) The schedule for the pitch screening day will be separately notified to those who pass the document screening.
(*3) All times are Japan Standard Time.

(2) Submission Documents

Please prepare and submit the following materials in English.

*Please limit the disclosure to non-confidential information.  We cannot be held responsible for any confidential information disclosed.

(3) Document Submission Method

Please upload via the entry form. 
Submit the documents with the file names "TIB_CompanyName_Overview" and "TIB_CompanyName_Aspiration".

(4) Screening Process

Document Screening -> Pitch Screening -> Selection of Companies 
Approximately five companies will be selected.

Important Notes

• If your application includes confidential information or deviates from the application conditions, any resulting compensation, claims, or issues will be the sole responsibility of the applicant. The organizers, co-organizers, and sponsors will not be held responsible for any such matters.
• Applications with incomplete or false information will not be considered for screening.
• We cannot respond to inquiries regarding the screening content.
• The program content may change due to the organizer's circumstances. Please understand this in advance.
• Due to time differences, the program may be conducted outside of regular business hours.

Program Overview

Please refer to the schedule below for the overall program. 
The planned dates are provisional and subject to change.
 

Virtual program

Tokyo Biotech day (In-person program)

Pitch Screening Judges

	Profile
	Masahiro Takeuchi, Ph.D. Special Advisor, LINK-J Special Advisor, Life Science Innovation Department, Innovation Promoting Division, Mitsui Fudosan Co., Ltd After earning a Ph.D. in Science from Kyoto University Graduate School in 1993, joined Astellas Pharma (formerly Yamanouchi Pharmaceutical). Gained experience in research operations in both the U.S. and Japan, managed partnerships with domestic and international academia and venture companies, led post-merger integration (PMI) of overseas companies, and served as Head of the Oncology Unit. After working as a science advisor for a venture company, joined Mitsui Fudosan in 2021.
	Ikuo Hayashi, Ph.D. General Manager, LINK-J Special Advisor, Life Science Innovation Department, Innovation Promoting Division, Mitsui Fudosan Co., Ltd After working as a postdoctoral researcher at the University of Tokyo, he worked as a researcher at pharmaceutical companies both domestically and internationally. In May 2020, he joined the Bayer's Open Innovation Center Japan, where he was involved in managing startup support programs and shared labs. Since May 2023, he has been in his current position, contributing to the cultivation of the life sciences innovation ecosystem. He is a licensed pharmacist and holds an MBA from the University of California, San Diego.
	Hiroko Yasuga, Ph.D. Producer, LINK-J  Worked as a research assistant in a pharmaceutical company before going to the UK, where studied immunology at Imperial College London (ICL). After studying at ICL, undertook doctoral research on autoimmune diseases at Nanyang Technological University/Agency for Science, Technology and Research (A*STAR) in Singapore. Later, returned to Japan and worked in medical affairs for major pharmaceutical companies, where involved in pre-launch activities for new drugs in the immunology field and post-launch activities for drugs in the neurological disease field. Since July 2024, started the current position and contributing in fostering the life science innovation ecosystem, promoting overseas collaboration and the accelerator programme UNIKORN at the Life Science Innovation Network Japan (LINK-J). Doctor of Science.
	Dr. Laura Stevens Sr. Project Manager Business Development, BioLabs Laura Stevens, PhD, is a Senior Project Manager in the Business Development group at BioLabs. Biolabs is a global operator of laboratory co-working facilities for life science start-ups.  Dr. Stevens manages BioLabs’ portfolio of business expansion projects, with a focus on new markets in North America and Asia. Dr. Stevens is also responsible for the development and deployment of enterprise-level company management processes to enable strategic growth, business case evaluation and feasibility, and efficient project execution.   A scientist by training, Dr. Stevens has a PhD in Cell and Developmental Biology from Vanderbilt University School of Medicine, where her work focused on tissue regeneration and wound healing.  Following graduate school, Dr. Stevens moved to Boston, MA, where she worked as a senior research scientist at multiple start-up pharmaceutical companies, developing small molecules targeting autoimmunity and inflammation indications.   Transitioning to the business side of biotech, Dr. Stevens managed multi-national, high-throughput screening projects, as well as daily lab and business operations, for a an early-stage startup company developing inflammatory cell death therapeutics.   As a former resident of BioLabs’ sister company, LabCentral, Dr. Stevens has first-hand experience as a user working within the BioLabs/LabCentral business model.   Dr. Stevens is based at BioLabs’ headquarters office in Cambridge, MA.

Application Information Session

Online information sessions will be held for companies considering applying to this program. 
*The content of the first and second sessions will be the same.
 

#1
Date and Time: Wednesday, March 4, from 12:00 to 12:45 PM
Location: Zoom Webinar
Registration: https://evententry.link-j.org/public/seminar/view/34

#2
Date and Time: Tuesday, March 17, from 12:00 to 12:45 PM
Location: Zoom Webinar
Registration:  https://evententry.link-j.org/public/seminar/view/13302
 

Reference Information: Webinar Themes, Speakers, and Mentors for Cohort 1

The webinar themes, speakers, and mentors for Cohort 1 (held in 2025) were as follows.
The content for Cohort 2 will be adjusted based on the participating teams and is therefore undecided at this time.
Please note that the information below is provided for reference purposes only.

Webinars

Mentors
Experts who support the growth of startups from multiple angles participated as mentors.
Their areas of expertise encompassed the following domains, providing a broad range of insights.

[Examples of their expertise]

• Executive leadership experience in biotechnology startups
• Business development
• Investment and corporate evaluation
• Consulting
• GxP compliance
• Non‑clinical and pre‑clinical studies
• Research and development
• Licensing
• Open innovation
• Incubation laboratory
   

Organizers

Life Science Innovation Network Japan (LINK-J)
BioLabs Global, Inc.
 

Contact

LINK-J secretariat
Contact persons: Yasuga, Imoto
E-mail: contact@link-j.org

BioLabs-Related News

BioLabs Decides to Open BioLabs Tokyo,
its First Directly Operated Coworking Wet Lab in Asia,
in Shinkiba, Tokyo, a Neighborhood Where Researchers Gather
Accelerating the Clustering of Researchers by Providing an Incubation Platform Specializing in Life Science Startups

BioLabs Global, Inc. announced that, with the support of Mitsui Fudosan Co., Ltd., a leading global real estate company headquartered in Tokyo, and Life Science Innovation Network Japan Inc. (LINK-J), it will open BioLabs Tokyo at MITSUI LINK-Lab SHINKIBA 2 in Shinkiba, Tokyo, a neighborhood where researchers gather. The new facility is scheduled to open in spring 2026 or later.

BioLabs Tokyo will be BioLabs’ first directly operated coworking lab in Asia. With BioLabs Tokyo’s entry onto the scene, new partnerships and collaborations among startups and diverse players from Japan and abroad are expected to accelerate in Tokyo’s Shinkiba area, driving further expansion in the clustering of researchers. BioLabs, Mitsui Fudosan, and LINK-J will contribute to building an ecosystem for the life sciences domain not only in Tokyo’s Shinkiba area, but also across Japan as a whole, thereby helping to enhance the international competitiveness of research in the life sciences domain.

For more details, please refer to the press release.
If you have any questions, please feel free to contact LINK-J.