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Digital Garage Launches “Open Network Lab BioHealth”, an Accelerator Program Specialized in Biotechnology and Healthcare
Collaborating with Companies to Support Researchers to Start-up and Go Global
Digital Garage, Inc. (TSE first section: 4819; HQ: Tokyo; Representative Director, President Executive Officer and Group CEO: Kaoru Hayashi; DG) launches “Open Network Lab BioHealth” (https://onlab.bio/), an accelerator program to develop start-ups and promote the open innovation-type R&D in the DG Lab’s focused fields, biotechnology and healthcare. “Open Network Lab BioHealth” will put out a call for teams to participate in the accelerator program starting on May 23 (Wednesday).
DG will utilize the business achievements and engineer resources of DG Lab in its five priority R&D fields (Blockchain, AI, VR/AR, Security, and BioHealth) for this accelerator program to develop and support mainly start-ups doing business in domains where biotechnology/healthcare and IT intersect. Excellent Japanese and international companies that lead the biotechnology and healthcare fields will participate as partners in this accelerator program, providing mentoring to program participants and lectures on businesses expertise. Support will also be provided to Japanese start-ups for overseas expansion, and to overseas start-ups to initiate business in the Japanese market, utilizing the know-how cultivated in the Open Network Lab (https://onlab.jp/en/; the first Japanese accelerator program started by DG in 2010), as well as through collaboration with DG’s global network linking Japan, North America, Asia, and Europe. DG will form communities of researchers, entrepreneurs, and partners in the biotechnology and healthcare fields, and build an ecosystem to support new businesses launch.
“DG has worked to build a global platform in collaboration with industry-leading companies through open innovation-type R&D in our DG lab founded in 2016. In 2017, we entered into a business partnership with PureTech Health plc (LSE: PRTC; HQ: Boston, USA; Founder & Chief Executive Officer: Daphne Zohar; PureTech Health), who is involved in the incubation business in the biotechnology domain. We have begun investing in the biotechnology and healthcare fields and cultivating businesses. As we start the Open Network Lab BioHealth, DG will position itself in the middle of ecosystem for promoting biotechnology and healthcare innovation on the global stage. We will also develop more businesses in these fields going forward.” (Kaoru Hayashi, DG Representative Director, President Executive Officer and Group CEO)
“Biotech and Pharma are in a period of transformation similar to the early days of the Internet. Computers and digital technology in addition to advances in many fields have made the field much more multidisciplinary and complex. Our understanding of health systems now take our diagnostics and therapies beyond hospitals and extend the point of care to every part of our life involving everyone on healthcare, not just doctors and drug companies. It is an exciting and disruptive time and there will be a significant role for startups and new innovators.” (Joi Ito, DG Board of Director member and Co-Founder)
“We are pleased to be a part of the Digital Garage network and to contribute our expertise in helping to translate technology into novel healthcare solutions. We look forward to our continued work with the skilled innovators in the Japanese community and around the world, with the vision of supporting the next generation of breakthrough therapeutics.” (Eric Elenko, Chief of Research and Strategy at PureTech Health)
Partners (no particular order)
Takeda Pharmaceutical Company Limited; MSD K.K.; Astellas Pharma Inc.; TEIJIN PHARMA LIMITED; Mitsubishi Tanabe Pharma Corporation; Nippon Boehringer Ingelheim Co., Ltd.; Eisai Co., Ltd.; DAIICHI SANKYO COMPANY, LIMITED; Sumitomo Dainippon Pharma Co., Ltd.; Mitsubishi Chemical Holdings Corporation; SHIONOGI & CO., LTD.; Life Science Innovation Network Japan, Inc. (LINK-J); Shonan Health Innovation Park, etc.
Global network (no particular order)
DG717; PureTech Health; 500 Startups Management Company, L.L.C.; All Turtles Corporation; Betaworks Studio, LLC; Inamoto & Co.; byFounders; Hardware Club; BEENEXT PTE. LTD; Mind Fund Group Ltd; Golden Whales Group Corporation.
【Open Network Lab BioHealth outline】
・Support
– Providing funding for activities in the program
– Mentoring and lectures by a diverse range of specialists
– Providing usage rights for office spaces, experiment spaces, and laboratory equipment
– Domestic and international network
・Eligible candidates
People with research results, technologies, or business plans in field where biotechnology/healthcare and IT intersect
・Schedule
Applications accepted: May 23 (Wednesday) to end of July, 2018
Teams selected: End of August 2018
Program provided: Early September 2018 to mid-January 2019
Demo Day*: Mid-January 2019 (to be held in Tokyo)
*Demo Day: Japanese and international investors, as well as business companies, are invited to this pitch event that is an opportunity for fundraising, joint research, and collaboration.
・Website
https://onlab.bio/
【Information session on the call for participating start-ups】
Date: May 31, 2018 (Thursday); 7:30 – 9:00 p.m. (Reception opens at 7:00 p.m.)
Location: 9F, Digital Garage, Inc.
Eligible participants: Researchers, entrepreneurs, and people with business ideas who are considering applying to this accelerator program
How to apply: Apply via peatix. https://peatix.com/event/383159
*Information sessions will also be held in major Japanese cities.
【DG Lab】
https://www.dglab.com/en/
An open innovation R&D organization jointly established and operated by DG, Kakaku.com, Inc. (TSE first section: 2371, HQ: Tokyo; President and Representative Director: Shonosuke Hata) and Credit Saison Co., Ltd. (TSE first section: 8253; HQ: Tokyo; President and CEO: Hiroshi Rinno). Daiwa Securities Group Inc.; TIS Inc.; and Resona Bank, Limited. are sponsoring partners.