Supporters

Atsushi Usami, Ph.D.

Director & Partner, The University of Tokyo Edge Capital Partners Co., Ltd. (UTEC)

Dr.Usami focuses on startup investment and growth support in the drug discovery and life sciences sectors. At LINK-J, he contributes to a range of initiatives that promote knowledge sharing and engagement across the life sciences ecosystem. Recent highlights include serving as a featured speaker at LINK-J FESTIVAL 2026 “VC Selection | Notable Startup Showcase,” where he shared an investor’s perspective on identifying and supporting promising startups. Through these activities, Dr. Usami helps foster connections across industry, academia, government, and the investment community.

Hajime Oshita

President & CEO, MedVenture Partners Co., Ltd.

Mr. Oshita is the founder and CEO of MedVenture Partners, a venture capital firm specializing in medical devices. He leads the firm’s investments in medtech startups both in Japan and overseas, working closely with portfolio companies to support their growth. At LINK-J, he serves as a lecturer for the “Oshita Seminar SUMMER CAMP” and frequently serves as a judge for medtech pitch competitions. By sharing his expertise in fundraising, business growth, and exit strategies, Mr. Oshita works to nurture the next generation of medtech startups.

Masashi Kiyomine

Kicker Ventures, Managing Partner

Based in Philadelphia, USA, Mr. Kiyomine leads Kicker Ventures, a venture capital firm focused on next-generation healthcare. Mr. Kiyomine is also a specially appointed visiting professor at Tohoku University and severs as advisor for numerous healthcare innovation programs, including Dartmouth College’s DIADH and METI’s InnoHub. At LINK-J, he speaks at the “LINK-J VC Summit” and the “Talk with VCs” series, sharing insights on the U.S. healthtech market and cross-border investment.

Masashi Matsunaga, Ph.D.

CEO, BIOSPIRE Inc. / Biospire UK Limited | Founder, Harwell Japan Day

With over 25 years of experience in Japan–UK innovation and commercialisation, Dr Matsunaga supports companies, universities and startups in building cross-border business opportunities. Based at Harwell Campus in the UK, he has worked with LINK-J for over eight years, connecting the UK and Japanese life science ecosystems through initiatives including the UNIKORN Programme.

Shingo Tsuda

CEO, INDEE Capital / Technical Director,Co-founder INDEE Japan

Mr. Tsuda engages in new business creation and startup support across the life sciences and healthcare sectors. He also runs a seed accelerator, supporting entrepreneurs as they develop their businesses and explore opportunities in international markets. At LINK-J, Mr. Tsuda is a frequent speaker at entrepreneurship seminars and serves as a pitch instructor for the “LINK-J Academia MedTech Innovator Discovery Program 2026,” sharing practical insights and experience in business development and fundraising.

Takashi Kiyoizumi, M.D., Ph.D.

Executive Manager, JFIT, Japan Forum for Innovation and Technology, UC San Diego

Dr.Kiyoizumi is an entrepreneur and angel investor based in San Diego, USA. After serving as president of Mitsubishi Tanabe Pharma’s U.S. subsidiary, he founded MediciNova and, as CEO, led the company through its IPO. Today, he invests in and provides management support to life science ventures while promoting research and industry collaboration between Japan and the United States. As a LINK-J supporter, Dr. Kiyoizumi brings a U.S.-based perspective on the startup landscape and fundraising.