TOKYO Biotech Day 2026 by TIB CATAPULT/LINK-BioBAY TOKYO Held on October 5 (10/5)

On Monday, October 5, 2026, LINK-J held “TOKYO Biotech Day 2026 by TIB CATAPULT/LINK-BioBAY TOKYO” at Mitsui Link-Lab Shinkiba 2.

Organized in collaboration with BioLabs, the event provided an opportunity to connect Japanese life science startups with accelerators, investors, and companies in Japan and overseas. Through initiatives such as this event, LINK-J and LINK-BioBAY TOKYO support collaboration across domestic and global life science ecosystems and the international expansion of startups.

A total of 119 people participated, including 36 online and 83 in person. In-person attendance was approximately 2.6 times higher than the previous year. The pitch session and fireside chat generated active questions and exchanges of views, while the networking session provided participants with opportunities to connect and engage with one another in person.

LINK-J participates in this initiative as “LINK-BioBAY TOKYO,” a startup incubation cluster in the life sciences field.

Opening Remarks

At the beginning of the event, Ikuo Hayashi, Secretary General of LINK-J, delivered the opening remarks and introduced the initiatives and programs of LINK-BioBAY TOKYO.

Ikuo Hayashi, Secretary General, LINK-J

Pitches by Four Startups Selected for the Masterclass Program

The following four startups selected for the Masterclass Program took the stage to deliver their pitches:

Each company gave an eight-minute presentation introducing its business and technologies under development, followed by a seven-minute Q&A session. Questions were raised by both the judges and participants at the venue, leading to an active exchange of views that reflected strong interest in the companies’ technologies and future business development.

Ayaka Washizaki, Arrowsmith Inc.

Kenichi Yamahara, CellFold Inc.

Yuji Otsuki, FerroptoCure Inc. (participating online)

Takanori Kuno, Veneno Technologies Co., Ltd.

Fireside Chat

An in-person-only fireside chat was held under the theme “Connecting Japan to the Global Biotech Ecosystem: Lessons from the US and Asia.”

Drawing on their knowledge of the biotech ecosystems and investment environments in the United States and Asia, the speakers exchanged views on connecting Japan with the global biotech ecosystem. The active exchange among the speakers made this a valuable session that participants could experience firsthand at the venue.

(From left)
Moderator
Shu Konakahara, Producer, Business Development Division, LINK-J / Life Science Innovation Department, Mitsui Fudosan Co., Ltd.

Panelists
Johannes Fruehauf, Founder & CEO, BioLabs
Tom Wu, Head of AbbVie Ventures Asia Pacific
Takaaki Ishii, Senior Investment Director, Taiho Ventures, LLC.

Arrowsmith Wins Both the Judges’ Award and the Audience Award

Following the pitches, the companies were evaluated by the judges, while both in-person and online participants voted for the Audience Award. Arrowsmith Inc. won both the Judges’ Award and the Audience Award, receiving strong recognition from both the judges and event participants.

Judges’ Award, presented by Johannes Fruehauf, Founder & CEO, BioLabs

Audience Award, presented by Ikuo Hayashi, Secretary General, LINK-J

Certificates Presented to the Masterclass Program Startups

Certificates were presented to the startups selected for the Masterclass Program.

Networking Session and BioLabs Tokyo Tour

Following the program, a networking session was held for speakers, startups, investors, companies, and other participants.

Participants also toured Mitsui Link-Lab Shinkiba 2, the event venue, and BioLabs Tokyo. The tour provided an opportunity to see firsthand the facilities that support life science research and development and the growth of startups.

Topics raised during the pitches and fireside chat also served as starting points for conversation, encouraging participants to engage actively with one another. With a significant increase in in-person attendance from the previous year, the event created opportunities for interaction among a diverse range of stakeholders.