Shonan Health Innovation Park (Shonan iPark), the research and development (R&D) facility operated by Japan-based pharmaceutical firm Takeda, launched a venture capital cooperative venue yesterday.
Japan VC Consortium aims to accelerate Japan’s biotechnology and life sciences-themed VC and corporate venturing investments. It has opened the application period for the initial batch of 20 companies, which will run until July 10.
Shonan iPark will serve as a facilitator for Japan-based venture capitalists and corporate venturers in a bid to promote collaboration opportunities such as gathering information on biotech developers and sharing relevant deal flow.
Takatoshi Kuno, the park’s commercial and business development head, will oversee the initiative, with members to be renewed annually.
Shonan iPark already has an incubator dubbed World Without Disease, which is jointly run by Takeda and peer Johnson & Johnson, the latter through China-based investment arm Johnson & Johnson Investment and R&D subsidiary Janssen Research & Development.
