On July 30, Tech Startup HOKURIKU (TeSH) (*1) implemented “TeSH × ACADEMIA STARTUP NIGHT – Building Networks Connecting Hokuriku to the World” at CIC Tokyo (Minato‑ku, Tokyo).
A total of 303 participants joined the event, including 224 onsite attendees. Many researchers, startup founders, investors such as VC (venture capital) and CVC (corporate venture capital), business corporations, and representatives from universities and support organizations—mainly from the Tokyo metropolitan area—gathered for the event.
The event began with opening remarks by Trustee Seigo Kinuya of Kanazawa University. In the following panel discussion, titled “How to Utilize Ecosystems to Accelerate Academia‑Driven Startups,” Professor Sakiko Ogoe, President & CEO of Mirai no Design Inc. and Professor at Fukui National College of Technology, andProfessor Sakiko Ogoe, President & CEO of Mirai no Design Inc. and Professor at National Institute of Technology, Fukui College, and Professor Kosuke Kuroda, Faculty of Biological Science and Technology, Institute of Science and Engineering, Kanazawa University, introduced their respective research and commercialization initiatives. Additionally, together with Yasunori Okajima, Representative of PnO, and under the moderation of Professor Naoki Yasukawa of the FSSI (Frontier Science and Social Co-creation Initiative, Kanazawa University), the panel discussed the roles of universities, VCs, support organizations, and external talent in fostering academia‑driven startup growth, as well as practical methods for leveraging regional and national networks. Throughout the session, participants shared the understanding that accelerating startups requires not only research achievements and technological advantages but also human resources, funding, intellectual property, sales channels, and strong connections with external networks.
Next, a second panel discussion titled “Securing Management Talent for Academia‑Driven Startups” focused on challenges researchers face during the commercialization process. In FY2025, TeSH and Startup Class Inc. held a matching event (*2) connecting research seeds from Hokuriku with management talent from the Tokyo metropolitan area. Participants in this event— Associate Professor Hirofumi Nishizono of Kanazawa Medical University, Professor Takeshi Akasaka of Kanazawa Institute of Technology, and Kiyotaka Fujioka, President & CEO of Startup Class Inc.— discussed the outcomes of the matching process, the qualities required of management talent for academia‑driven startups, and practical insights on how researchers and external professionals can meet and collaborate effectively.
Furthermore, representatives involved in startup support and industry‑academia collaboration from Shinshu University, University of Toyama, Osaka University, and Kyushu University OIP Inc. joined a panel titled “Networks Built by Diverse Careers Strengthen the Ecosystem.” Moderated by Specially Appointed Associate Professor Shingo Oyama of FSSI, the discussion explored how collaboration among supporters with diverse backgrounds generates positive cycles of research seeds, talent, and support expertise, ultimately strengthening the entire ecosystem.
To conclude the event, Professor Fumihiko Uchida of Japan Advanced Institute of Science and Technology (JAIST) delivered closing remarks.
During the networking session that followed, lively interactions took place among onsite participants. Speakers, researchers, business corporations, investors, and support‑organization representatives gathered in one place, engaging continuously in business card exchanges and discussions aimed at commercializing research seeds originating from Hokuriku, launching co‑creation projects, and building further collaborations. The venue remained energetic throughout the event.
*1 Tech Startup HOKURIKU（TeSH）
A platform jointly operated by Kanazawa University and Japan Advanced Institute of Science and Technology (JAIST), aiming to create startups based on research achievements from 16 universities and 3 technical colleges in the Hokuriku region.
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Opening remarks by Trustee Kinuya -
Panel discussion -
Panel discussion -
Panel discussion
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