Healthcare x Digital 2026 Pitch Event
On February 13, the ACCJ Healthcare x Digital (HxD) Initiative hosted its 2026 Pitch Event, bringing together private and public sector stakeholders for a full day dedicated to healthcare innovation. The program featured a panel discussion as well as 12 startup pitches, highlighting the momentum across Japan’s health and life sciences ecosystem.
We sincerely thank the ACCJ President’s Circle Members Cisco and Eli Lilly, 2026 ACCJ HxD sponsors; AstraZeneca, L.E.K Consulting, Dentsu, EY, Ubie, Welby and supporting organizations for making this year’s pitch event possible.
The day opened with remarks from Richard Larsen, Consul General of the U.S. Consulate General Osaka-Kobe, followed by guest remarks from Hirokazu Shimoda, Senior Director at the Japan Agency for Medical Research and Development (AMED).
SESSION ONE: PANEL
The first session concluded with a panel discussion on how stakeholders across sectors can better collaborate to support healthcare startups by examining current initiatives, industry perspectives, and how these efforts connect back to HxD mission. We especially thank Kevin Yamaga-Karns, ACCJ Governor - Kansai and Associate VP, Legal Affairs, at Eli Lilly Japan K.K. for presenting our panelists with certificates of appreciation.
Panelists:
Mr. Makoto Kawai (Zimmer Biomet)
Mr. Yasuhiko Iida (Eli Lilly Japan)
Ms. Marisa Watanabe (University of New South Wales)
Dr. Okechi Oduori (Nakanoshima Qross)
SESSION TWO: PITCHES
The second session featured pitches from 12 innovative startups competing for five awards. Their solutions spanned areas such as cross-border second-opinion platforms, early cancer detection and intervention, AI-powered mobility support, and hospital workflow automation, all with a shared goal of improving healthcare outcomes for all.
Award winners:
SelectUSA Investment Summit Award: SalivaTech
Nakanoshima Qross Award: PurinoScience
ANCHOR KOBE (Kobe City) Award: Aman Wellness Solutions
Osaka Bio Headquarters Award: Quadlytics
Osaka LifeScience Nexus Award: VisionPath
Thank you to all the startups, speakers, sponsors, partners, and supporters for your incredible contributions and commitment to advancing healthcare innovation.
