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Innovation from US-Japan MedTech Collaboration: Celebrating 13 years of Japan Biodesign / Stanford Biodesign collaboration

Feb 12 2026, 3:00 pm - 6:00 pm

Invitation Only


**INVITATION ONLY, NO WALK-INS!

This is an invitation only event. If you are interested in joining this event, please register to become a corporate member.

We are pleased to host this program and reception focused on innovation in the MedTech sector, welcoming fellows and alumni of the Japan Biodesign Program as well as from Stanford Biodesign.  Japan’s rapidly aging population and growing shortage of healthcare professionals have become well-known issues for the country. Against this backdrop, digital transformation drives attention toward the development of innovative medical technologies and new healthcare solutions. Advances in technology are also enabling the creation of medical devices capable of efficiently and effectively treating diseases that were once difficult to address.  As the importance of medical device innovation rises in the United States as well, this seminar and networking reception will bring together universities, research institutions, and startups from both Japan and the U.S. to share their initiatives, discuss the current state of Japan–U.S. collaboration, and foster new connections

Japan Biodesign | A Stanford Biodesign Program Development Partner
Osaka University, The University of Tokyo and Tohoku University concluded program-development partnership with Stanford Biodesign in order to establish Japan Biodesign. With implementing entities being made up of Osaka University’s Graduate School of Medicine and the Global Center for Medical Engineering and Informatics, The University of Tokyo’s Medical Innovation Initiative, and Tohoku University Hospital, Japan Biodesign cooperates with Nihon Biodesign Gakkai to conduct Fellowship, Classes and various seminars.

This event and reception are exclusively for invited guests. Please do not forward or share this link under any circumstances. If you would like to request approval for an accompanying guest, please contact us at jsnc@usajapan.org

スタンフォード大学バイオデザインとタッグを組むジャパン・バイオデザイン・プログラムに参加するフェローや卒業生たちがシリコンバレーに集結する機会を活かし、MedTech(医療機器)分野のイノベーションをテーマとしたイベントを開催します。

日本では少子高齢化が進み、医療現場では医療従事者の不足が顕在化しています。こうした状況の中、デジタル技術の進展を背景に、革新的な医療機器の開発や新たなイノベーションが大きな注目を集めています。また、技術の進歩により、従来は治療が困難であった疾病に対して、効率的かつ効果的な治療を可能にする医療機器の開発も進められています。

米国でも医療機器イノベーションの重要性が高まる中、日米双方の研究機関・大学・スタートアップ等が、それぞれの取り組みや日米連携の現状を共有し、交流するセミナー及びレセプションを実施します。

Japan Biodesign とは?
2015年10月にスタンフォード・バイオデザインと日本の3大学 (大阪大学、東京大学、東北大学) がプログラムディベロップメントパートナーシップを締結し、医療機器産業と連携しながら日本の医療機器イノベーションを促進する「ジャパン・バイオデザイン・プログラム」が発足しました。イノベーションを牽引する人材の育成を通して医療機器におけるイノベーションの活性および日本の産業の発展に寄与し、創出された医療機器が、多くの患者の診療に役立つことが期待されています。

ご招待者さまのみに限定しております。リンクの転送・共有は固くお断りいたします。ご同伴されたいゲストのリクエストに関しましては、jsnc@usajapan.orgにご連絡ください。

Date & Time:
Thursday, February 12th, from 3:00-6:00 P.M. (2:30pm Doors Open)

Venue: Location will be shared with participants at registration.

Agenda:
2:30-3:00
Doors Open
3:00-3:05 Opening Remarks 1, The Consul General of Japan in San Francisco| Kotaro Otsuki

3:05-3:10 Japan Biodesign, Stanford Biodesign | Fumiaki Ikeno, Program Director (US)

3:10-3:20 Keynote Stanford University
Stanford Mussallem Center of Biodesign | Josh Makower, MD, MBA, Director of Stanford Mussallem Center of Biodesign. Yock Family Professor and Professor of Bioengineering

3:20-3:25 Ministry of Health, Labour, and Welfare | Shoya Taki, Office of Medical Devices policy, Policy Planning Division for Pharmaceutical Industry Promotion and Medical Information Management, Health Policy Bureau

3:25-3:40  Short pitch Osaka University, Tokyo University Fellow (4min each)

3:40-3:50  Japanese Startups Pitch (4min each)
SONIRE Therapeutics Inc. | Tohru Satoh, President & CEO, Founder
Ruten Inc | Kazutaka Takahashi, CEO

3:50-3:55 Closing Remarks, Japan Society of Northern California | Steve Pollock, President
3:55-5:00  Networking Reception

Our Amazing Speaker:

Stanford Mussallem Center of Biodesign | Josh Makower MD., MBA. Director of Stanford Mussallem Center of Biodesign Yock Family Professor and Professor of BioengineeringJosh co-founded Biodesign in 2001 with Dr. Paul Yock.  Founder & Executive Chairman of ExploraMed, a medical device incubator, creating 10 companies since 1995. Josh is also a Senior Advisor to Patient Square Capital, and an Advisory Venture Partner with Sofinnova Partners. Josh serves on the boards of Elevage, VentureWell, Revelle Aesthetics, ExploraMed, Moximed, Willow, X9 and Coravin. Josh holds over 300 patents and patent applications. Josh has been awarded the Coulter Award for Healthcare Innovation by the Biomedical Engineering Society in 2018. 

SONIRE Therapeutics Inc. | Tohru Satoh, President & CEO, Founder
Sonire Therapeutics Inc. is developing next-generation medical devices that enable ultra-minimally invasive cancer treatment using ultrasound technology. The company is conducting clinical trials in Japan and the United States targeting pancreatic cancer and other hard-to-treat cancers, and in 2024 received Breakthrough Device Designation from the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) for pancreatic cancer treatment.

Ruten Inc | Kazutaka Takahashi, CEO/CSO and co-founder
Ruten Inc is a neurotech startup company founded in 2023 in US with a Japanese branch, Ruten Japan G.K. focusing on developing brain machine interface/neuromodulation technologies to aim monitoring and therapies for severe symptoms, especially dysphagia caused by neurological conditions and cancers. Ruten Inc has received a pre-seed investment in 2023, and NIH in US and Japanese ATLA funding in 2024/2025, and currently raising a preseed extension to prepare us to become a strong seed contender in the US next year.

Ministry of Health, Labour, and Welfare | Shoya Taki, Assistant Director, Office of Medical Devices policy, Policy Planning Division for Pharmaceutical Industry Promotion and Medical Information Management, Health Policy Bureau