|
|||||
|
|
|
|
|
|
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
| HOME >> ACTIVITIES >> PROMOTION OF INDUSTRY |
![ACTIVITIES [PROMOTION OF INDUSTRY]](img/t_promo01.gif) |
|
|
|
 |
 |
|
 This
is the one and only Bio-business Competition in Japan utilizing the research seeds
of universities and research institutes for promotion of Japan’s bio-industry,
aiming for 
start-up of bio venture enterprises, 
discovery of business-seeds and transfer of technology to companies, 
promotion of industry/ academia joint research. It started in 2000. Co-sponsored
together with major universities nationwide, entries were sent in from all around
Japan, for the Competition’s recognition as the gateway to success in bio-venture
of nationwide operations.For the Competition, prize money is offered to the most excellent and excellent of prize winners; and for those who passed screening by examining documents, of personal records, arrangements are made for meetings with supporters such as life science-related companies or venture capitalists, as well as for consultation with some specialists, all as a support to industrialization. About 60 entries are made every year from university researchers and bio venture enterprises, to be strictly screened by nationally selected and known specialists, for prizes to be awarded only to those considered to have good future prospects. The Competition has produced concrete results such as 25 cases of new bio-venture enterprises and 11 cases of technology transfer and business tie-ups. |
|
 |
|
|
Bio-medical: medicines, appliances and instruments, analyzers, regenerative treatment, |
|
Bio-science: genes, protein, bioinformatics, |
|
Agri-bio: microorganisms, gene-recombined produce, functional food, |
 |
Nano-bio: biochips, DDS, biocompatible materials, medical micromachining, etc. |
| Researches by overseas researchers are accepted as eligible entries, as long as start-up of business or further researches are conducted in Japan. |  |
 |
|
| Phase II of this Plan was drawn up in March 2004, putting together
some measures for promotion of bio-industry as one of the engine industries. Ultimately
it aims to form a world-class bio-cluster in North Osaka. More concretely it is to move ahead with 25 projects in the following 7 fields:
For Phase I of this Plan, mainly OCCI, Osaka Prefecture and Osaka University (in July 2001) put together bio-industry promotion measures for the Osaka region, with emphasis on creation of new medicines, and achieved some success in inviting a state-organized project and creation of private sector venture businesses. And so Phase II has been drawn up to further enlarge the target areas. |
 |
 |
 |
|
| Amid rising concern for prevention of diseases caused by food,
the “functional food” dispatched worldwide by Japan has become a key
area for R&D in the EU and U.S., and competition involved is now intensifying.
On the other hand, by the progress in scientific verification of disease-preventing
effects by food as a result of bio researches, indications and regulation on functional
food are now internationally undergoing some changes. For the purpose of offering the latest information, both within and outside Japan, on the functionality and safety of food as well as of urging development of new products and means of verification through the same collaboration, OCCI conducts the Study Meetings consisting of two Parts (Part1: Information Offering Seminar, Part 2: Joint R&D Proposals). Participants now are those of 79 companies and 34 universities and research institutes from nationwide. |
 |
|
 In
fiscal 2003, OCCI organized and set up ‘Study Meetings for Nano-bio Industrialization’
consisting of researchers from universities and state research institutes as well
as those of private sector companies, and made studies on the tasks ahead of us
concerning the feasibility of industrialization and the work involved, by putting
in order trends of R&D both in Japan and abroad. At the state-run agency,
the road map for strategy of development is being drawn up, by analyzing key technologies
through studies of technological development both in and outside Japan.For nano-biotechnology to develop as the next generation’s leading industry, it is essential for numbers of joint development to be achieved one after another by industry/academia/government collaboration. At OCCI, seminars are held in series under themes such as ‘Medical field’, ‘Device’ or ‘Measuring’, to offer the latest useful information for companies to promote nano-bio-related R&D on the strength of their own technologies. |
 |
|
| In July 2003, OCCI set up the Forum for the purpose of promoting
development of medical supplies, including medical appliances and instruments
or materials and bio-related ones to support researches, all of which are required
by the medical and research fields, and also manufacturing of appliances and instruments
still at the stages of being developed for basic techniques at universities and
research institutes. With the makeup of the Forum promoting nationwide medical fields and research institutes to make proposals for joint development directly to companies, concrete results are being produced in progress in development of medical supplies, or in application of technology to manufacturing of products or trial products. |
 |
|
 |
Regular Study Meetings --- (consisting of Part I and Part II) |
| Part I : At Part I “Latest Information Session”, introduction
is made with full information on; status quo and main issues (both domestic and
overseas) concerning medical appliances and instruments; the latest on re-examination
of regulation for development of medical appliances and instruments, outstanding
examples of cutting-edge (most advanced) medical appliances and instruments developed
by research institutes and also those by companies. -Part II : At Part II “Joint Development Proposal Session”, the needs of medical fields and research results are announced by medical researchers, and proposals for joint development aiming for application to manufacturing are made directly to companies. These proposals are most wide-ranging; from improving conventional ones, or those keenly needed in the fields yet still left undeveloped, to the most innovating ones that may epochally advance even today’s foremost medical service. |
|
Working Group Meetings --- (held from time to time as occasion rises) |
 |
|
 |
 |
 For
the development of bio-industry, it is essential for bio-venture enterprises to
be nurtured and brought up, one after another, to make researches required for
commercialization or industrialization of basic results of researches. However,
the problem in Japan is the conspicuous lack of human resources for such bio-venture.
For the purposes of developing such human resources and of providing staffers
for start-up of venture businesses, the School is held where not only bio-business
but also business management is taught as well.http://www.bbstation.net/ (only in Japanese) |
 |
|
 At
this Forum, high-tech venture enterprises in IT-related fields announce their
business-plans and research institutes and others introduce technology seeds that
can be expected to be utilized for start-up of new business. With investment in
and partnership with venture enterprises in mind, about 70 companies participate
in the Forum, and those interested in the announced business-plans form working
group with the venture enterprises concerned for early start-up of business. Such
activities are bringing about good results in setting up new venture business
as well as in promoting investments. Whenever occasion arises, the Forum accepts
applications for making an announcement of business-plans and also for participating
in the Forum.http://www.osaka.cci.or.jp/it-forum/ (only in Japanese) |
 |
|
| For companies and manufacturers, dealing with environment issues
forms an important factor in their business strategy, on top of all the beneficial
activities so far contributed to the society. With consideration of appropriate responses to increasingly diversifying environment issues, useful and wide-ranging information for business management is timely offered, through introduction of state-proclaimed and regionally-enacted environmental measures and also examples of innovative management of these issues. |
 |
 |
