12 Startups Selected to Participate in the “J-StarX AI Medical Course"

12 Startups Selected to Participate in the “J-StarX AI Medical Course”

—Strong Support for U.S. Market Entry, Access to Medical Data, and Product Improvement

through Collaboration with the Mayo Clinic Platform_Accelerate—

JETRO, with the cooperation of the Ministry of Economy, Trade and Industry (METI), announces the selection of 12 startups for Phase 1 of the “J-StarX AI Medical Course” (formerly “J-StarX HealthTech Gateway ‘AI Medical in the US’”).

This program, launched in FY2024, is an acceleration program supporting digital health startups, including those leveraging AI, in expanding into the U.S. market. It provides practical assistance for understanding diverse regional regulations, gaining knowledge, developing strategies, and building evidence—key elements for global expansion in the healthcare sector. The program aims to create healthcare startups ready to take on the world.

In this second round of the program, building on last year’s success, JETRO will once again collaborate with Mayo Clinic Platform, U.S.-based venture capital firm Kicker Ventures, and, newly for this year, the Mayo Clinic Berg Innovation Exchange. This addition further strengthens connections with Key Opinion Leaders such as clinicians within Mayo Clinic.

List of Selected Companies

	AISI X is a platform that analyzes brain images, tests, and medical history using AI to diagnose brain diseases ten times faster.
	Digireha promotes rehabilitation with personalized therapy tools using digital art and sensing systems. Their mission is “working towards a future unaffected by disabilities.”
	Godot integrates behavioral science with AI to accurately model human behavior and decision-making.
	GramEye tackles the global issue of antimicrobial resistance by accelerating infectious disease diagnosis and optimizing treatment selection with AI medical devices.
	Humanity Vision offers an innovative platform that captures pupil movements with 0.1mm precision using smartphone face cameras.
	LIFESCAPES develops brain-computer interface (BCI) technology to restore function for stroke patients with severe paralysis, even those traditionally considered untreatable.
	NeoCure's AI is aimed at ending 30,000 cases of childhood blindness from ROP, a retinal disease in preterm babies.
	nonat is building foundational models focused on women and children. Its first project applies these models to research and development related to preterm birth, stillbirth, and neonatal death.
	Sound Wave Innovation is pioneering a non-invasive treatment for dementia using Low-Intensity Pulsed Ultrasound (LIPUS).
	Surg storage provides a comprehensive medical data platform designed to accelerate AIdriven innovation in healthcare.
	SyntheticGestalt is an AI company specializing in molecular information. They have developed the world's largest molecular-focused foundation model.
	Xcoo provides “Chrovis,” an AI-powered service supporting cancer genome diagnosis and treatment decisions for medical institutions.

 

Phase 1: Foundational Program (Sept.–Dec. 2025)
An online program centered on lectures, workshops, and mentoring, designed to foster the mindset and strengthen the strategy-building skills needed for U.S. market entry. In the final week, participants will visit the Mayo Clinic campus in Minnesota to deepen their understanding of the local ecosystem and connect with KOLs.

Phase 2: Medical Data Utilization Program (Feb.–Sept. 2026)

Up to four healthtech startups with AI-enabled devices or products will have 30 weeks of access to the Mayo Clinic Platform’s medical data platform. With millions of anonymized patient records, they can validate and refine AI models, build clinical evidence, and receive support for entering the U.S. market.

“The J-StarX HealthTech Gateway program is an innovative bridge connecting Japanese innovation with the U.S. healthcare ecosystem. Through our collaboration with JETRO, Mayo Clinic Platform_Accelerate is proud to support pioneering Japanese startups in their expansion into the U.S. market.”

-Jamie Sundsbak, Director, Mayo Clinic Platform_Accelerate

Partner Organizations

• Mayo Clinic Platform
  Founded on the patient-centered philosophy of Mayo Clinic, Mayo Clinic Platform is a cutting-edge digital health initiative aimed at revolutionizing patient care and medical research. Through collaboration with medical technology innovators, it enables new knowledge, solutions, and technologies to build a healthier world.
  
  
• Kicker Ventures
  Kicker Ventures is a U.S.-based venture capital firm backing early-stage startups shaping the future of healthcare. With more than two decades of experience, Kicker partners closely with founders developing transformative science and evidence-based solutions — accelerating growth and amplifying global impact.
  
  
• Mayo Clinic Berg Innovation Exchange
  The Mayo Clinic Berg Innovation Exchange is a pioneering platform dedicated to addressing healthcare's most pressing needs by refining and accelerating transformative ideas into scalable solutions. Guided by the Mayo Model of Care — a patient-centered, multidisciplinary approach — the Exchange ensures that innovations align with real-world challenges and are prepared for funding, validation, testing and implementation
  
  

About JETRO
The Japan External Trade Organization (JETRO) promotes trade and investment and conducts research on developing economies with the aim of contributing to the further development of Japan’s economy and society. Leveraging its headquarters in Tokyo and Osaka, about 50 domestic offices, more than 70 overseas offices, and the Institute of Developing Economies, JETRO supports innovation creation, export of agricultural, forestry, and fishery products, and the overseas expansion of SMEs. It also conducts surveys and research on corporate activities and trade policy. In recent years, JETRO has strongly promoted support for startup overseas expansion in line with the government’s “Five-Year Startup Development Plan.”

 

Contact
JETRO Innovation Department – Startup Division

Attn: Hatazaki, Kondo

Email: su-support@jetro.go.jp