Welcoming the CoLaborator Kobe to our international CoLaborator family

CoLaborator Kobe – the first incubator laboratory to be established in Japan by a foreign pharmaceuticals company

On June 6, 2018 the CoLaborator Kobe was inaugurated with an opening ceremony and reception bringing together more than 100 guests and participants. Located in the Biomedical Innovation Cluster, the incubator space is providing excellent conditions at competitive cost for young life science companies who are looking for a research location or collaboration space to grow their business. The first two tenants have already moved in – Epigeneron and Myoridge!

If our research leads to something, we already have a potential customer – Bayer. At the same time, the range of our research isn’t limited to a particular topic the way it would be with the typical grant, and we get to hold the patents on what we accomplish. So, it’s a good relationship with Bayer – we’re close, but not too close says Hotaka Fujii, professor at Hirosaki University and president of Epigeneron, the first tenant to take up residency.

Dr. Hodaka Fujii

CEO of Epigeneron

The biotech startup launched from Osaka University develops practical technologies for drug discovery target identification, and therapies for intractable diseases.

Myoridge, was formed at Kyoto University and possesses technology for creating high-quality, protein-free cardiomyocytes from iPS cells.

Bayer is looking forward to bringing in other tenants, providing each with an incubation environment where they can operate for up to three years and pursue research that may lead to collaborative relationships with diverse partners, including Bayer or other pharma companies.

We are eager to help form and grow the ecosystem for startups that seek to identify candidates for research subjects to advance drug discovery and innovate platform technologies for drug discovery. We will do this by creating an environment that gives them access to state-of-the-art research equipment notes Dr. Shunichi Takahashi, CoLaborator Kobe’s director and Head of Bayer Yakuhin’s Open Innovation Center Japan.

Dr. Shunichi Takahashi

CoLaborator Kobe’s Director and Head of Bayer Yakuhin’s Open Innovation Center Japan

The biomedical industry’s interest in Bayer’s efforts is also reflected by the large number of CoLaborator tour requests received. Among them, RIKEN President Hiroshi Matsumoto paid a courtesy call to the site.

Shunichi Takahashi talking to guests in the meeting area

Opening of the sake barrel by breaking the lid with wooden hammer at the feast

Greetings from Shunichi Takahashi to the guests

Shunichi Takahashi explains to the guests

Opening and the tape cut ceremony at the Laboratory part

For details in Japanese language, please visit our local CoLaborator website.