Entering full-scale LP investment in life science venture companies
Mitsui Fudosan Co., Ltd. (headquartered in Chuo-ku, Tokyo; President and CEO: Masanobu Komoda; hereinafter "Mitsui Fudosan") has been working on "building a community" and "creating a place" to construct an eco-system to create new industries through innovation in the life science realm jointly with Life Science Innovation Network Japan, Inc. (Chairman of the Board: Hideyuki Okano; hereinafter "LINK-J").
To further strengthen the eco-system, Mitsui Fudosan will significantly expand life science facilities, including the opening of a new shared wet lab in Nihonbashi in cooperation with Beyond Next Ventures Inc. (headquartered in Chuo-ku, Tokyo; CEO and Managing Partner: Tsuyoshi Ito; hereinafter "BNV") so as to "create a place." Mitsui Fudosan will also begin making full-scale limited partner (LP) investments in life science venture companies as a new initiative to cultivate and support venture companies that are indispensable for the building of the eco-system.
LINK-J will work to build a community not confined to Nihonbashi by stepping up cooperation with academia and overseas groups.
Mitsui Fudosan and LINK-J will contribute to strengthening Japan's competitiveness by accelerating their efforts to construct an eco-system in the life science realm.
Develop four more life science facilities in Nihonbashi
Mitsui Fudosan has developed facilities in four locations, including Nihonbashi Life Science Building. In Nihonbashi, Mitsui Fudosan will enhance the Nihonbashi Life Science Series* to eight facilities by adding four more facilities in the future. Mitsui Fudosan will cluster players in the life science realm centering on venture companies by setting up a venture office, a shared office, a conference room and a lounge, etc. at these facilities.
*Nihonbashi Life Science Series is a collective term for Nihonbashi Life Science Hub, Life Science Building and life science floors developed by Mitsui Fudosan in the Nihonbashi area.
Providing management and administration operations of incubation facilities (Hongo Campus) of the University of Tokyo
Leveraging the know-how it has cultivated in a life science innovation promotion project, Mitsui Fudosan will extend support for building an eco-system at universities and will cooperate with universities beyond Nihonbashi. For new incubation facilities which the University of Tokyo will establish on its Hongo Campus, Mitsui Fudosan has been entrusted with operations related to the management and administration of the facilities and venture support.
Open a shared wet lab in Nihonbashi
A shared wet lab will be opened on the first basement of Nihonbashi Life Science Building in cooperation with BNV.
Mitsui Fudosan, LINK-J and BNV have been working on cooperation in a range of areas, such as cultivating the support of venture companies, and they will cooperate in developing a shared wet lab as a new function. In this endeavor, Mitsui Fudosan will lease a building it owns to BNV, and BNV will develop a shared lab to be used by venture companies.
A shared wet lab is a facility that will help venture companies in the life science realm to start a business quickly by preparing collaborative experimental equipment necessary for their research and development in advance to reduce the initial investment of the users. The shared wet lab in central Tokyo is the first initiative of its kind in Japan. We will further accelerate the Nihonbashi eco-system by promoting interactions among users, partner companies and experts, in addition to providing a sophisticated research environment.
Beginning full-scale LP investment in life science venture companies
In October 2018, Mitsui Fudosan made an LP investment in Beyond Next Ventures Investment Limited Partnership II which BNV originated and operated as an unlimited liability partner.
Mitsui Fudosan will accelerate the creation of new industries by translating more seeds for advanced technologies at universities and research institutes into practical applications and supporting life science venture companies through this LP investment.
Takashi Ueda, Executive Managing Officer of Mitsui Fudosan and Director of LINK-J, commented: "I believe that the eco-system in Nihonbashi that will encourage the creation and cultivation of innovation will be further solidified by opening the shared wet lab in Nihonbashi, a center for business, and enhancing the "place" by adding four more facilities. We will take the life science innovation promotion project of the Company to the next stage by building a system to comprehensively support innovations from their seeds to commercialization, in conjunction with the commencement of the LP investment in the life science realm."
Mitsui Fudosan, LINK-J and BNV will contribute to the development of the life science industry in Japan and seek to contribute to the solving of challenges for the next generation on a global scale by cultivating venture companies with a sense of speed while continuing to bolster their cooperation.
Life Science Building Series Bases
| Nihonbashi Life Science Building | 2-3-11, Nihonbashi Honcho, Chuo-ku, Tokyo |
| Nihonbashi Life Science Building 2 | 3-11-5, Nihonbashi Honcho, Chuo-ku, Tokyo |
| Nihonbashi Life Science Hub | 1-5-5, Nihonbashi Muromachi, Chuo-ku, Tokyo |
| Tosho Building Life Science Floor | 3-8-3, Nihonbashi Honcho, Chuo-ku, Tokyo |
| MFPR Nihonbashi Honcho Building | 3-7-2, Nihonbashi Honcho, Chuo-ku, Tokyo |
| Ueno Building | 1-9-10, Nihonbashi Horidomecho, Chuo-ku, Tokyo |
| LAUNCH Building | 3-7-6, Nihonbashi Ningyocho, Chuo-ku, Tokyo |
| Fukushima Building | 1-5-3, Nihonbashi Muromachi, Chuo-ku, Tokyo |
Management and Administration Operations of New Incubation Facilities (Hongo Campus) of the University of Tokyo
Please see the press release on October 18, 2018 published by Mitsui Fudosan.
https://www.mitsuifudosan.co.jp/corporate/news/2018/1018_01/index.html
Outline of Shared Wet Lab
Outline of facility
Facility name: Beyond BioLAB TOKYO
Outline of Fund
| Official name | Beyond Next Ventures Investment Limited Partnership II |
| Unlimited liability partners | Beyond Next Ventures Inc. and Beyond Next Ventures Investment Limited Partnership II |
| Date of establishmen | October 1, 2018 |
Life Science Innovation Network Japan, Inc. (LINK-J)
LINK-J is a general incorporated association established by Mitsui Fudosan and volunteers from industry and academic circles. With its base in the Nihonbashi area, where a number of pharmaceutical companies are clustered, LINK-J aims to promote open innovation in the life science realm through industry-government-academia cooperation and extend support to the creation of new industries. Across the entire life science area, which is the area where all sciences are combined, ranging from medicine to science and further to engineering or new technologies, such as information and communication technology (ICT) or artificial intelligence (AI), LINK-J will accelerate interdisciplinary human and technological exchanges. The number of members has exceeded 270, including corporations and individuals, in just two years since applications began to be accepted.
Beyond Next Ventures Inc. (BNV)
BNV is an independent accelerator specializing in commercialization support and seeds investment for technology startups, and it began operation in August 2014. It invests in a number of technology startups and their commercialization and growth support by managing funds of more than 10 billion yen based on its broad experience, ranging from commercialization support for university seeds to venture investment and growth support and its track record in investment performance. BNV also operates the "BRAVE Acceleration Program" that provides knowledge and human networks to realize commercialization and "Blockbuster TOKYO", an acceleration program for drug discovery ventures entrusted by the Tokyo Metropolitan Government.
Outline of Beyond Next Ventures Inc.
Head office: Nihonbashi Murohon Building 1, 1-4- 3, Nihonbashi Honcho, Chuo-ku, Tokyo
Representative: CEO and Managing Partner Tsuyoshi Ito
Date of establishment: August 2014
Website: http://beyondnextventures.com
