News & Updates
First-ever global healthcare symposium and business contest aimed at solving health issues and creating new innovations Registration for Participation in Global Healthcare Challenge (GHeC) Opens
Jun 20, 2025
Period: June 25 (Wednesday) – 26 (Thursday)
Venue: Grand Prince Hotel Osaka Bay
The JETRO and Ministry of Economy, Trade and Industry of Japan opened registration for participation in the Global Healthcare Challenge (GHeC) to be held on June 25 and 26 at the Grand Prince Hotel Osaka Bay on Wednesday, May 28.
Since 2016, the Ministry of Economy, Trade and Industry has been holding the Japan Healthcare Business Contest (JHeC), business contest for healthcare startups in Japan. The GHeC, the global version of JHeC held on the occasion of its 10th anniversary, will uphold the theme of "Accelerating Healthcare Innovation beyond Borders" and host a business contest for healthcare startups in and outside Japan, as well as a symposium and networking event with key persons and opinions leaders in healthcare fields from around the world, together with the JETRO which supports global businesses.
The business contest targets startups in Japan and overseas that possess innovative products, services, and technologies in the field of healthcare (health tech, med tech, age tech, etc.) and aim to expand overseas. 20 finalists selected from over 350 global candidates based on five factors—innovativeness, contribution to solving health issues,
social impacts, achievability, and business feasibility—will compete.
The panel discussion will cover themes such as development of medical ecosystems and health tech innovations and bring forth groundbreaking discussions focused on future healthcare. It will be a precious opportunity that gathers many world-renowned speakers.
Through this event held during the "Health and Well-being" theme week at the Expo 2025 Osaka, Kansai, the JETRO and Ministry of Economy, Trade and Industry aim to promote growth and overseas expansion of startups that strive to solve healthcare issues and create new innovations around the world, solve global health issues, and realize a society of healthy longevity.
Event overview
- Date and time: June 25 (Wed) 13:30–19:15 / June 26 (Thu) 8:30–18:20
- Venue: Grand Prince Hotel Osaka Bay (1-13-11 Nanko-Kita, Suminoe-ku, Osaka City, Osaka Prefecture)
- Participation fee and method: Free of charge; register on the event website
- Event website -Global Healthcare Challenge（GHeC）
- Organizers: JETRO, Ministry of Economy, Trade and Industry (METI)
- Sponsorship/cooperation: National Cancer Center Japan; National Cerebral and Cardiovascular Center; National Institute of Advanced Industrial Science and Technology; Institute of Science Tokyo; Strategic Global Partnership & X(Cross)- Innovation Initiative, Graduate School of Medicine, The University of Osaka & The University of Osaka Hospital; Chiba University; Department of Medical Science, Osaka Metropolitan University; Osaka Dental University; AMDD (American Medical Devices and Diagnostics Manufacturers’ Association); PhRMA (Pharmaceutical Research and Manufacturers of America); MIT Industrial Liaison Program
- Language: English (Japanese interpreting available)
Program
| Time | Session | Title |
|---|---|---|
| 13:30 | Opening | Opening Remark: Ryo Minami, Director-General for Commerce and Service Industry Policy, METI |
| 13:50 | Keynote Speech | Future Healthcare in Denmark Sophie Løhde, Minister for the Interior and Health |
| 14:00 | Keynote Speech | Building a Healthcare Ecosystem in the Netherlands (Barbara Goezinne, Vice Minister, Ministry of Health, Welfare &Sports) |
| 14:10 | Panel Discussion | 1. How Healthcare Startup Ecosystem is Shaped and Influences Country’s Health System |
| 15:20 | Video Message |
|
| 15:30 | Panel Discussion | 2. Health Tech Revolution: Innovations and Future Trends |
| 16:40 | Video Message | Keren Etkin, Creator, TheGerontechnologist.com |
| 16:45 | Panel Discussion | 3. Future of Aging and Care |
| 17:55 | Keynote Speech | Healthy Longevity Society in Scotland (P) Neil Gray, Minister for Health and Social Care |
| 18:05 | Panel Discussion | 4. Healthy Longevity: Global Perspectives and Approaches |
| 19:05 | Keynote Speech | Healthcare Startup Innovation and CIC‘s Activity and role in Japan Tak Umezawa, Chairperson, CIC Japan |
| Time | Session | Title |
|---|---|---|
| 8:30 | Opening | Opening Remark: Mio Kawada, Executive Vice President, JETRO |
| 8:45 | Panel Discussion | 5. The Future of Women’s Health: Innovations and Insights |
| 9:55 | Panel Discussion | 6. Unlocking Opportunities in Emerging Markets |
| 11:05 | Panel Discussion | 7. What’s Next for Japan?: Globalizing Japanese Health Tech Ecosystem |
| 12:05 | Special Session | Special Session
|
| 13:05 | Pitch contest | Pitch Competition Introduction Video message from Minister of Economy, Trade and Industry |
| 13:20 | Startup Presentation (1) (10 startups) | |
| 15:20 | Startup Presentation (2) (10 startups) | |
| 17:20 | Panel Discussion | 8. Creating Value Together: Collaboration with Japanese companies |
| 17:55 | Closing | Award Closing Remark Evan Felsing, Minister Counselor for Economic and Scientific Affairs, U.S. Department of State |
Business contest
| Company name | Country | usiness overview |
|---|---|---|
| AI Medical Service Inc. | Japan | AI Medical Service develops endoscopic AI technology to detect early-stage gastrointestinal cancers. Their real-time diagnostic tools support physicians, aiming to save lives globally through early cancer detection and prevention. |
| Aillis, Inc. | Japan | Aillis pioneers AI-powered throat diagnostics, offering pain-free, rapid tests for infectious diseases like flu. With insurance approval and a growing database, Aillis redefines AI’s role in clinical care. |
| Aktivolabs Pte. Ltd. | Singapore | Aktivolabs provides digital health solutions using real-time data and AI to predict and prevent chronic diseases. Their tools drive engagement, reduce insurance costs, and support global health and longevity initiatives. |
| Anaut | Japan | Anaut addresses the high risk (15%) of serious surgical complications, often caused by misrecognition. Aims to reduce these complications using AI visualization to enhance surgical vision. |
| Anise Health, Inc. | USA | Anise Health is a culturally-responsive digital mental health platform focused on Asian Americans, delivering personalized therapy, coaching, and community support through AI and integrated care to improve outcomes. |
| Bloomlife | USA | Bloomlife addresses rising US maternal mortality rates. A tech-enabled healthcare company redefining maternal care delivery using FDA-cleared prenatal wearables for monitoring, enabling personalized, predictive care. |
| EyeCare SpA | Chile | EyeCare SpA aims to make vision diagnosis accessible and affordable for children, preventing learning/growth issues caused by late diagnosis. Addresses the high prevalence of solvable vision problems and serious eye diseases. |
| FathomX Pte. Ltd. | Singapore | FathomX Pte. Ltd. empowers women's health by addressing breast cancer, the #1 killer cancer among women. Highlights that early detection saves lives and aims to improve low screening rates worldwide. |
| Impli | UK | Impli tackles the issue that infrequent blood draws provide insufficient data for optimal treatment decisions across various health areas. Offers a tiny, dime-sized implantable platform for real-time biomarker monitoring. |
| KA Imaging | Canada | KA Imaging delivers innovative X-ray products providing better actionable data for improved outcomes at lower costs. Vision is "Innovative X-ray Everywhere," targeting a $40B market opportunity with unique SpectralDR (Color) X-ray technology. |
| Kintsugi | USA | Kintsugi develops foundational AI models for human insights, "surfacing the unspoken". Addresses the widespread struggle to access mental healthcare, noting high stress and mental health risks among Japanese workers, causing devastating consequences. |
| MabLab | USA | MabLab aims to prevent such deaths by developing tests for laced drugs/spiked drinks, addressing undetected dangerous agents beyond fentanyl. |
| Malama Health | USA | Malama offers doula-led, tech-enabled care for high-risk pregnancies, enhancing maternal outcomes through culturally competent navigation, coordination, and remote monitoring, especially for gestational diabetes and postpartum health across Medicaid populations. |
| MicroHeal | India | MicroHeal's mission is to enhance existing drug therapies with Digital Therapeutics (DTx) to manage chronic conditions and disorders by leveraging cutting-edge digital therapy (AI/ML, AR/VR, and IoT devices) |
| Neurosoft Bioelectronics | Switzerland | Neurosoft Bioelectronics develops minimally invasive brain interfaces for severe neurological disorders, with a long-term vision of creating non-invasive interfaces for everyone, redefining interaction with technology. |
| Neurowyzr Pte Ltd | Singapore | Neurowyzr, founded in 2019, aims for brain longevity via digital neuroscience. Recognized by Forbes Asia and Medtech Innovator, it has regulatory approval in 8 countries and serves 30+ clients. |
| QART Medical Ltd. | Israel | QART Medical aims to revolutionize IVF by providing objective data for sperm cell selection. Its breakthrough solution offers highly informative characterization, striving to improve IVF success rates and establish a new standard. |
| sydTM Life AI | UK | syd life AI delivers AI-powered preventative health and life quality solutions. It tackles the staggering global cost of chronic, yet preventable, diseases by focusing on lifestyle changes to improve individual outcomes. |
| TIIM Healthcare Pte. Ltd. | Singapore | TIIM Healthcare tackles the high cost and long delays of emergency department chest pain evaluations. Its aiTriage platform provides rapid, accurate, and cost-effective AI-powered risk stratification for these common visits. |
| Toy Eight | Japan | Toy Eight provides an AI screening tool to transform early child development. It tackles inaccessible screening in many countries, enabling personalized, inclusive learning and timely support during crucial developmental years. |
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Healthcare Industries Team,
Japan External Trade Organization (JETRO)
Tel: +81-3-3582-8351
E-mail: healthcare@jetro.go.jpHealthcare Industries Division, Commerce and Service Industry Policy Group, Ministry of Economy, Trade and Industry
Tel: +81-3-3501-1511 (Ext.) 4041
E-mail: bzl-venture-healthcare@meti.go.jp
