Nakanoshima Qross Global Life Sciences Cluster vol.3 Japan–US Innovation Bridge

Through Nakanoshima Qross, we seek to foster an international life science innovation ecosystem and investment community that connects startups, investors, corporations, research institutions, and global innovation hubs. The program will feature three events. In addition to introducing activities and initiatives by overseas life science clusters, VCs, and CVCs, promising Japanese startups and US startups will deliver pitches designed to facilitate new business matching and international collaboration among investors, corporations, and startups. Who Should Attend Life science and healthcare startups VCs, CVCs, investors, and corporate investors Companies in pharmaceuticals, medical devices, diagnostics, regenerative medicine, biomanufacturing, and digital health Universities, research institutions, and healthcare organizations Overseas life science clusters, accelerators, and support organizations Companies and organizations interested in collaboration with startups, investment, joint research, business development, and international expansion Timeline 4:30 PM : Opening 4:35 PM : Presentation on the Nakanoshima Cross Project Risa Taniguchi / Project Manager of CIC Tokyo 4:40 PM : Presentation on Overseas Life Sciences Business and Investment Trends Tetsu Yung, PhD MBA / TETSUNAGI Consulting Inc. Founder & CEO 4:55 PM : Pitch Atsuhiro Ishii / PtBio Inc. Chief Operating Officer Andy Kadlec, M.D., Ph.D. / Founder and CEO of Ten Bay Bio Christopher P Locher, Ph.D. / Co-founder and CEO of Versatope Therapeutics, Inc. Chris Hopkins, Ph.D. / CEO of Glafabra Örn Almarsson / Co-founder and CEO of Axelyf, Inc. Calling all Japan-based startups! We are now accepting applications from startups interested in speaking at the event. https://forms.gle/5sX6NKYcZq2H64kS6 5:55 PM : Closing Remarks 6:00 PM : Networking & Live Broadcast of the Life Sciences Startup Pitches from the Global Startup Expo to the Osaka Venue 7:00 PM : End Speakers  Tetsu Yung, PhD MBA /  Founder & CEO of TETSUNAGI Consulting Inc. Tetsu Yung, PhD, MBA is the Founder and CEO of TETSUNAGI Consulting Inc., a life sciences consultancy dedicated to bridging Japan with the global biopharma and biotech ecosystem. He brings close to 25 years of experience across pharmaceutical R&D, clinical development, CRO operations, business development, and academia. Tetsu began his career as a post-doc at the Tokyo Institute of Technology before joining Eisai, where he supported the Chief Scientific Officer in overseeing the company’s global R&D pipeline. He subsequently spent almost 12 years at Covance/Labcorp/Fortrea Japan, leading clinical development projects and serving as Head of the Clinical Team Lead group. Today, he advises biotech and pharmaceutical companies on Japan–global strategy, partnering, licensing, fund raising, clinical development, and cross-border collaboration. His work increasingly focuses on connecting emerging biotech innovation with investors, strategic partners, and development opportunities across Japan and internationally. Tetsu holds a PhD in Cellular and Molecular Biology and an MBA in Finance and International Management. A lifelong cross-cultural bridge, he is fluent in English, Japanese, Mandarin, French, and Spanish. Andy Kadlec, M.D., Ph.D. / Founder and CEO of Ten Bay Bio Andy is Founder and CEO of Ten Bay Bio, a stealth US-based biotech. Most recently, Andy was part of the core team leading in-licensing and NewCo formation activities at Aditum Bio. Previously, he was an investor at Vida Ventures and Clarevia. He completed his MD and PhD at the Medical College of Wisconsin and undergraduate degree at the University of Wisconsin - Madison. Ten Bay Bio is a seed-stage biotechnology company developing first-in-class bispecific antibodies for immune and inflammatory diseases. Founded in 2024 and based in Milwaukee (USA), the company is built on the observation that there exist numerous immune-mediated diseases that are complex, and blocking any single pathway allows compensatory mechanisms to survive, leading to persistent disease progression and suboptimal therapeutic efficacy. By targeting central nodes driving disease and engaging multiple pathways in one molecule, Ten Bay is designed to close that escape route and provide more comprehensive impact with first-in-class therapies. The lead program addresses fibro-inflammatory diseases, with a portfolio spanning other complex immune-mediated conditions, including asthma/COPD and dermatomyositis/SLE. Christopher P Locher, Ph.D. / Co-founder and CEO of Versatope Therapeutics, Inc. Christopher P. Locher, PhD is the CEO and a co-founder of Versatope Therapeutics, a clinical-stage Massachusetts-based company currently focused on developing immunotherapeutics using nano-vesicles. He previously led drug discovery projects at Vertex Pharmaceuticals in Boston, inflammatory diseases projects at Opsona Therapeutics in Ireland and malaria and alphavirus vaccines projects at Maxygen in California. He completed postdoctoral training at the University of California, San Francisco, was a Fulbright Hays Research Fellow at the Institute of Tropical Medicine in Antwerp, Belgium and received his PhD in Tropical Medicine and BA in Biological Sciences from the University of Hawai`i. Versatope Therapeutics is a clinical-stage biotechnology company that leverages a proprietary synthetic biology platform to design cutting-edge immunotherapies and vaccines. Originally licensed from Cornell University, the company’s core technology utilizes genetically engineered, detoxified bacterial extr