Clust-ER Health at the EU–Japan Biotech & Pharma Partnering Mission 2025

From October 6 to 10, 2025, Clust-ER Health Emilia-Romagna participated in the EU–Japan Biotech & Pharma Partnering Mission, organized by the EU–Japan Centre for Industrial Cooperation to foster collaboration between European and Japanese ecosystems in biotech, pharma, and healthcare.

The initiative, targeting SMEs, startups, and European clusters active in areas such as drug discovery, regenerative medicine, digital therapeutics, and AI-assisted drug development, aims to create new scientific and industrial partnerships. It promotes direct engagement between European and Japanese innovators, paving the way for tangible collaborations in the most advanced fields of life sciences.

From Osaka to Yokohama: through Japan’s Innovation core

The mission began in Osaka, Japan’s second-largest biotech hub and a historic center of national pharmaceutical research.
On October 6, the EU–Japan Biotech & Pharma Partnering Conference took place, featuring B2B meetings, thematic seminars, and networking sessions that brought together European and Japanese clusters, along with institutional and industry representatives.

Clust-ER Health was represented by Communication Manager Nicole Ticchi, showcasing the Emilia-Romagna ecosystem alongside long-standing European partners and the Italian Consul in Osaka.

The following day, participants took part in on-site visits organized in collaboration with local authorities and Kansai-area biotech clusters. Key stops included:

• Nakanoshima Qross, a cutting-edge hub for future medicine hosting the CiRA Foundation (Kyoto University iPS Cell Research Foundation) and the PMDA (Pharmaceuticals and Medical Devices Agency);
• KENTO – Health and Biomedical Innovation Town, home to the National Cerebral and Cardiovascular Center Research Institute (NCVC) and the National Institute of Health and Nutrition (NIHN).

These visits offered first-hand insights into Japan’s research infrastructure and collaborative models, highlighting why the country is a global reference for translational research and advanced therapy development.

BioJapan 2025: Asia’s Biotech Industry in Yokohama

From October 8 to 10, the mission moved to Yokohama to attend BioJapan 2025, the leading Asian partnering event in the bio-industrial sector.
Within the joint EU–Japan Centre booth, participants showcased products, technologies, and services, supported by professional interpreters and Centre staff to ensure maximum visibility to attendees.

During three days of B2B meetings, seminars, and networking events, participants explored new opportunities for collaborative research, technology transfer, and business development with Japanese companies and international partners active in digital therapeutics, pharmaceutical biotechnology, regenerative medicine, and drug-device combinations.

Evening networking sessions further facilitated the exchange of experiences and the building of trust—a key factor for companies aiming to establish a stable and long-term presence in Japan, recognized as the world’s third-largest market and one of the most open to collaboration with Europe.

A relationship built over time

Clust-ER Health’s participation comes just weeks after the Emilia-Romagna Region Week at Expo Osaka 2025, confirming the continuity of the relationships it has built over the years with Japanese innovation actors—from Osaka to Kobe, and on to Yokohama.

These relationships are founded on mutual trust, shared visions, and common objectives, such as promoting sustainable healthcare based on the integration of science, technology, and social responsibility.

As Nicole Ticchi emphasizes:

“Japan is not just a market, but a partner with whom we share a perspective on innovation: rigorous, human-centered, and focused on collective benefit. Repeated participation over the years has allowed us to build genuine relationships and initiate collaborative paths that we will continue to nurture over time.”

Future objectives

The consolidated collaboration with the EU–Japan Centre for Industrial Cooperation enabled meetings with strategic partners and stakeholders in building the network, including Osaka Prefecture – Business and Investment, Japan Bioindustry Association (JBA), Life Science Innovation Network Japan (LINK-J), and JETRO – Japan External Trade Organization.

Clust-ER Health will continue to strengthen these connections and promote cooperation between European and Japanese clusters, contributing to a more sustainable, open, and collaborative future for biotechnology.