LINK-J begins collaboration with the Office of the City of Yokohama Representative to the Americas (New York in the U.S.A.) in the field of life sciences

「Establishment of the Yokohama-LINK-J Life Science Lounge @NYC

Life Science Innovation Network Japan (Headquarters: Nihonbashi-Muromachi, Chuo-ku, Tokyo; Chairman: Hideyuki Okano; hereinafter, "LINK-J"), a general incorporated association based in Nihonbashi, Tokyo, and Osaka that supports the commercialization of seeds and ideas in the field of life sciences by promoting human interaction and technological exchange, has begun collaboration with the Office of the City of Yokohama Representative to the Americas (New York in the U.S.A.) in the field of life sciences and established the Yokohama-LINK-J Life Science Lounge @NYC (hereinafter, "the Lounge") within the Office of the City of Yokohama Representative to the Americas.

LINK-J concluded a memorandum of understanding (hereinafter, "MOU") on mutual collaboration in the field of life sciences with the City of Yokohama in August 2019 and worked together on events related to the life sciences and the distribution of information. As one of the initiatives specified under the collaboration, we established the Lounge to provide the latest information on life science-related businesses in the US and a venue for exchange and will promote an open innovation in the life science fielded.

The Office of the City of Yokohama Representative to the Americas has supported life science startups entering the US market by lending meeting rooms and temporary desks to companies in Yokohama City. LINK-J and LINK-J Special Members are now eligible for temporary use of the Lounge (reservation required). They are not only provided a meeting space but also can use it as an interactive space with other companies seeking to enter into the US market as well as with Japanese experts working locally.

Moreover, the Lounge will host seminars and other events centered on the theme of life sciences in order to distribute the latest information on life sciences and businesses in the United States. Because of locating on the East Coast, the Lounge will serve as an information hub for Boston in addition to New York and its neighboring. Events can be viewed online in Japan as well and it has been decided that a seminar to commemorate the start of the collaboration, "Latest Life Science Situation in the U.S. Focusing on Trends in Drug Discovery and Activities of VCs (Tentative Title)," will be sent live from New York on the morning of December 16th in Japan (the evening of December 15th in New York) as the first initiative. The details of the seminar will be announced as soon as they are finalized.

Mr. Ken Akaoka, Executive Officer of the Office of the City of Yokohama Representative to the Americas, made the following remark concerning the establishment of the Lounge. "The Office of the City of Yokohama Representative to the Americas is engaged in supporting companies in Yokohama City entering into the United States and attracting international companies. For these purposes, a network inside and outside the US and collection and distribution of information are important. Life sciences is a field with massive future growth potential, and we are confident that we will be able to aggregate and provide useful information, as well as contribute to the achievement of our objectives through this collaboration with LINK-J. We will do our best to make sure that this initiative successfully contributes to the life sciences ecosystem in Yokohama and in Japan."

Ph. D. Shunichi Takahashi, Secretary General of LINK-J, said, "We have been collaborating with the City of Yokohama since the conclusion of the MOU and we are delighted to have the opportunity to further deepen our collaboration through the establishment of the Lounge with the support of the Office of the City of Yokohama Representative to the Americas. We hope to provide the latest information in the field of life sciences from the East Coast of the United States to the people of Japan by utilizing the Lounge not only as a physical venue for exchange but also as a hub for the distribution of information. Along with our distribution of information from the West Coast of the US that LINK-J has been working on, we are now able to cover the life science clusters along east and west coasts of the United States. LINK-J will continue to contribute to the development of the life sciences industry with the support of the City of Yokohama and the Office of the City of Yokohama Representative to the Americas."

LINK-J will continue to promote the revitalization of the life science industry around the world by encourage the creation of life science innovation and contribution to the creation of new value.

About Life Science Innovation Network Japan (LINK-J）
LINK-J is an NPO established mainly by Mitsui Fudosan Co., Ltd. and volunteers from industry and academia. Based in the Nihonbashi area of Tokyo, where pharmaceutical-related companies are concentrated, it aims to promote open innovation in the life science field through industry-government-academia collaboration and support the creation of new industries. We will promote cross-disciplinary human and technological exchanges in the life science field, which is a complex area of all sciences, including medicine, science and engineering, and new technologies such as ICT and artificial intelligence.