Five days in Japan filled with opportunities in Biotech & Pharma

On 7-12 October, the EU-Japan Centre for Industrial Cooperation organised its annual business mission in the Life Sciences field. 10 SMEs from Austria, France, Germany, Greece, Latvia, and Portugal, and the Clust-ER Health from Emilia-Romagna in Italy participated in the 5-day mission. 

The mission began in Osaka with participation in the EU-Japan Biotech & Pharma Partnering Conference. The conference was jointly organised by the EU-Japan Centre and the Osaka Prefectural Government, and supported by various Japanese and European clusters, EU Member State embassies, and trade promotion organisations. 153 participants from 18 European countries and Japan attended the partnering meetings in Osaka. Luncheon pitches, a poster exhibition and a reception completed the conference programme. Together with online sessions, the event hosted a total of 302 meetings.

On the second day, a visit to Doshomachi, Osaka's pharmaceutical district, and Nakanoshima Qross, a centre for future medicine, gave participants a further insight into the local life sciences ecosystem. At the end of the day, after moving to the capital region, some participants also attended the Global Life Sciences Session organised by Link-J, a life sciences network in the Nihombashi area of Tokyo.

The last 3 days of the mission were spent at BioJapan, Asia's largest partnering event, hosted annually by the Japan Bioindustry Association in Yokohama. At the joint EU-Japan Centre stand, each mission participant had a display and poster stand. Interpreters at the stand and posters translated into Japanese by the EU-Japan Centre facilitated communication with Expo visitors. Most participants also had a busy schedule of one-to-one meetings in the dedicated partnering area at the venue. At the BioJapan Reception and Partnering Party, participants took advantage of the informal networking opportunities.

Testimonial

“The most valuable component of the mission was the BioJapan partnering and joint exhibition booth, as it provided an excellent platform for visibility, networking, and showcasing our products. The onsite partnering opportunities were instrumental in fostering face-to-face interactions, which are particularly important in Japan's business culture. These personal meetings were crucial in building trust with potential customers. Additionally, the support from the EU-Japan Centre staff before and during the mission was highly valuable. Their preparation and guidance helped ensure we were well-equipped to engage with the Japanese market effectively. Our participation in the EU-Japan mission will significantly benefit PL BioScience in the mid-to-long-term”.

By Franziska Uber, Business Development Manager, PL BioScience GmbH