【November 17th 2025 ~ November 21st 2025】KSAC Boston Program 2025

Osaka Business Development Agency (OBDA)- secretariat office of KSAC※1-successfully held KSAC Boston Program 2025 with BioLabs, a biotech global accelerator based in Boston, MA.
※1: KSAC (Kansai Startup Academia Coalition) is a platform to create a world-class startup ecosystem by expanding the base of entrepreneurs in the Kansai region with participation of more than 90 institutions from universities, industry, finance, and local governments in the region.

The program was designed to introduce five highly innovative research projects from Japan’s Kansai region to the world’s leading biotech ecosystem in Boston/Cambridge. This initiative, launched in 2024, was implemented to introduce Japan’s outstanding research opportunities and KSAC’s initiatives to local communities, accelerate concrete commercialization through joint research and investment, and explore opportunities for global expansion. Six researchers from five research teams selected from KSAC participating universities flew to Boston to tackle their innovative projects as part of their entrepreneurial endeavors.

＜Day 1＞ BioLabs Acceleration Program

From day 1 to day 4 of KSAC Boston Program 2025 was a dedicated 4-day acceleration program co-organized by BioLabs. Day 1 began with a workshop on creating a compelling pitch deck, followed by a walking tour exploring the history of Boston-Cambridge, one of the world’s largest biotech clusters, deepening participants’ understanding of the context in which innovation emerged.

＜Day 2＞BioLabs Acceleration Program & Networking

On the second day, workshops were held on the themes of “Fundraising Strategies” and “Market Validation & Business Models.”
Following the workshops, KSAC and BioLabs hosted a networking event with local biotech stakeholders. Approximately 30 participants attended-including biotech startups, support organizations and industry professionals- and the researchers introduced their work and journey to key local figures. Through this networking event, valuable connections were established that will lead to future commercialization opportunities.

＜Day 3＞BioLabs Acceleration Program & Visit to Babson College

The third day started with a workshop on utilizing the Target Product Profile (TPP), an essential tool for pharmaceutical development.
Following this, researchers had one-on-one meetings with local investors, lawyers and universities, and the participants got meaningful advice on commercializing their research ideas and expanding to global biotech market. Then, participants visited Babson College, renowned for entrepreneurship education in the United States, where they had a workshop on commercializing academic research into successful business.

＜Day 4＞ BioLabs Acceleration Program – Final Presentations

On the final day of the Acceleration Program, a workshop was held to learn about effective communication skills in the U.S.
Following the previous day, participants deepened discussions toward commercialization through one-on-one meetings with local investors, corporations, and universities.
As the program’s highlight, a pitch event was held to present the outcomes of the four-day program, inviting members of the local biotech-life science community.

With approximately 20 local stakeholders in attendance, the researchers were able to build practical insights and a global network to help university-developed technologies take flight worldwide.

“Today’s Pitch” Award Winner!
Through judging by the panel and voting by participants, Professor Makiko Maeda from The University of Osaka was awarded for “Today’s Pitch”!

＜Day 5＞ Pitch Event “Deep Tech Bridge 2025”

On the last day of the program, KSAC co-hosted the pitch event “Deep Tech Bridge 2025: Connecting Kansai and Boston” with Venture Café Tokyo at CIC Cambridge. The event welcomed approximately 64 attendees, bringing together venture capitalists, industry professionals, entrepreneurs, and academic experts from the local biotech community. KSAC researchers delivered their pitch and received feedback from the panel. The atmosphere was energized by another pitch from a Japanese startup active in Boston and lightning talks by expert.

Through networking sessions, researchers were able to build meaningful connections with local stakeholders and link Japan’s outstanding research achievements to Boston’s innovation ecosystem.

■Program Outcomes and Future Prospects

Participants expressed high satisfaction, stating that this week-long “CEO experience” enabled them to acquire both skills and a new mindset.
This program directly leads to concrete business collaborations. Among the participating researchers, some already have scheduled joint research meetings with local medical institutions and collaboration meetings with domestic and international companies.

KSAC will continue to leverage the global network built through this program to accelerate the building of an ecosystem where university-spinoff startups can thrive globally from the Kansai region!