Life Science & Healthcare

Established in 1946 as a maker of scrubbing brushes and brooms, Aisen Co., Ltd. currently manufactures a variety of household products aimed at resolving inconveniences in daily life. The company offers joy from cleaning, washing and cooking, and the pleasing experience of feeling cleansed. While upholding the tradition of manufacturing that Aisen has developed over many years, the company aims to create a cleaner and more comfortable culture of living, while responding quickly to customer needs as well as environmental and social changes.

The Air Water Group is engaged in a variety of businesses related to daily life. Starting with the supply of industrial gases, Air Water offers a wide range of products and services across fields including chemicals, medical care, energy, agriculture and food, logistics, seawater products and aerosols. The International Advanced Medical Center Kobe serves not only as Air Water's key base for its medical care operations but also as a place for learning about health care. The basis of Air Water's activities is air and water. The company aims to contribute to society and people's lives by creating businesses that utilize the Earth's irreplaceable resources.

Nissin FULFIL Co., Ltd. conducts research and development (R&D) of medical devices, leveraging technology honed through the development and manufacturing of automobile engine parts and machine tools.
The company is a startup that emerged from a new business initiative launched in 2015 by Nissin Manufacturing Co., Ltd., an automobile engine parts manufacturer. It was spun off as an independent entity in 2022. Leveraging Nissin Manufacturing's expertise in precision component processing technologies, Nissin FULFIL develops innovative composite bone processing machinery for medical applications, allowing bone screws to be crafted from a patient's own bone during surgery. This breakthrough enables real-time processing of bone into screws in the operating room, reducing the need for multiple surgeries and promoting faster patient recovery. Still under development, this technology is expected to facilitate more effective fracture treatment and cartilage repair. The company aims to bring it to market as soon as possible.
Through the development of medical devices, Nissin FULFIL aims to address the healthcare needs of people both in Japan and around the world.

PITTAN Inc. is a health-tech startup that specializes in analyzing sweat composition to provide insights into an individual's nutritional state to help him or her make better health decisions. Under the concept of "Technical Pop," the company has implemented highly credible science-based technologies into accessible health care services. Specifically, the company employs a noninvasive method to collect extremely small amounts of sweat easily and provides analysis results in 15 minutes on the spot using a portable analyzing device that utilizes a microfluidic device technology. It aims to analyze sweat data for all human beings, thereby contributing to solving healthcare problems for mankind.

Haircare and skincare cosmetics maker Morecosmetics Co., Ltd. develops its products based on scientific evidence,giving the highest priority to minimizing burdens on the skin. It sells products via beauty salons and medical institutions so that people with skin issues and damaged hair can use them without worry. The company's sophisticated research and development capabilities have been highly evaluated. One of the firm's research papers has been published in a journal of the American Oil Chemists'Society, while it has won the “Editor's Award” from the Japanese Cosmetic Science Society. The company plans to offer a hand-washing detergent containing its uniquely developed "Laureth-3 carboxylate amino acid salt" (Japanese Patent No. 5057337) for use by visitors to Expo 2025 and exhibit it at the Osaka Healthcare Pavilion.

Founded in 1939, Yamashina Seiki Co., Ltd. is widely known for its industrial equipment and machine tools, with particular focus on factory automation, heat exchangers and medical equipment. In the medical field, the company has created innovative products such as the Suction Ball Coagulator, a surgical suction device, and the End Shower, an endoscopic cleaning suction catheter, with total sales to date of more than 150,000 units. Actively engaged in industry-academia cooperation, it is also expanding overseas, starting with Asia. Under the corporate culture of "putting people first," Yamashina Seiki has introduced an evaluation and education system that supports the growth of employees, while continuing to evolve as a next-generation manufacturing company.

Setsuro Tech is a startup established on February 22, 2017, on the basis of genome-editing technology and expertise developed at Tokushima University. In 2015, Tatsuya Takemoto of its Institute of Advanced Medical Sciences and Masakazu Hashimoto of Osaka University developed "a method for easily and efficiently producing genome-edited mice," and filed a related patent application. Additionally, Shun Sawatsubashi, also of the institute and a co-founder of Setsuro Tech, developed the VIKING method for highly efficient genome editing in cultured cells and filed a corresponding patent application. Leveraging these innovative technologies, Setsuro Tech provides contract production and sales of genetically engineered mice and cultured cells.
Setsuro Tech views genome editing as a technology that "unlocks the diverse potential of living organisms." Looking ahead, the company aims to become a foundational player not only in research but also in supplying genome-edited organisms across a wide range of industries, thereby advancing the genome-editing sector as a whole. Setsuro Tech is committed to utilizing the new field to enrich people's lives and contribute to the realization of a sustainable society.

Marine Nano-fiber Co., founded in 2016 and headquartered in Tottori, the capital of Tottori Prefecture, specializes in the research, development, manufacturing and sales of chitin nanofibers--a cutting-edge material derived from crab shells. Chitin nanofibers are produced through the extraction of chitin, the primary component of crab shells, followed by its refinement into ultrafine fibers. This advanced material offers exceptional skin-friendly properties due to its larger surface area compared with conventional chitin powder and its ability to disperse easily in water. Therefore, it provides moisturizing, anti-inflammatory and wound-healing benefits, making it ideal for use in skin care and pet care products. Sourced from materials with a proven record of human consumption, these nanofibers are also highly safe for both humans and animals.
Chitin nanofibers can be incorporated into a wide range of products, including pharmaceuticals, as well as applications in the industrial and agricultural sectors. Marine Nano-fiber actively collaborates with partners both domestically and internationally to expand research and explore new applications for chitin nanofibers. Committed to environmental sustainability, the company develops materials that minimize environmental impact.

StemRIM Inc. is a biotechnology company focused on developing Regeneration-Inducing Medicine™. This innovative technology employs a unique mechanism that addresses the limitations of conventional cell therapy and regenerative medicine. It enhances tissue regeneration by boosting the supply of stem cells, which are essential for tissue regeneration capacity. The administration of Regeneration- Inducing Medicine releases mesenchymal stem cells from the bone marrow into the peripheral bloodstream, increasing the overall circulation of stem cells in the body.
This process facilitates the accumulation of stem cells in damaged tissues, thereby accelerating tissue reconstruction. StemRIM is currently conducting clinical trials for a variety of diseases, including dystorophic epidermolysis bullosa and acute ischemic stroke, attracting significant attention in the medical community.

At Co., Ltd. is a health technology startup originating from Osaka University, specializing in the development and manufacture of nailfold capillaroscopy (NFC). The company’s proprietary capillary image analysis technology provides a system that facilitates easy health check-ups. Through joint research with government-affiliated research institute RIKEN, At Co. has patented a mechanism that integrates this system with blood tests. Additionally, in collaboration with Tohoku University, the company published research findings demonstrating that NFC is effective in detecting diabetic retinopathy. At Co. also offers a clinical testing service for health foods, serving a diverse clientele that includes universities, pharmaceutical companies, pharmacies, fitness centers and beauty salons. The company is actively recruiting local sales agencies in countries around the world.

Nakamura Choukou Co., Ltd. is a manufacturer of special precision parts for machine tools and industrial machinery, founded in 1954. The company's strength lies in its technology for the high-precision processing of hard and difficult-to-process special materials such as cemented carbide and sintered diamond. It also develops and makes diamond wire, a tool used to thinly slice wafers used as substrates for semiconductors and other products, as well as nozzles for spinning synthetic fibers.
In addition, Nakamura Choukou works on R&D and commercialization for nano-sized zeolites, a type of powder that absorbs water and gas and exchanges ions instantly, with various applications.
The company will continue to aim for further growth through both traditional manufacturing and cutting-edge technology development.