Welcome to 2023 GSAP | Bio & Healthcare Cohort!

Main Program: September 6 - December 8, 2023

Follow-On Program: January 15 - March 8, 2024

2023 JETRO　

Global Startup Acceleration Program (GSAP)

Bio/Healthcare

Powered by CIC Japan Desk

"participant companies will aim at overseas market expansion and network building by receiving support for business plan development and promotion activities, as well as having Demo Days geared toward international investors and visiting local ecosystems." -- Jetro

Phase 1 | Kick-off

(Tokyo/Hybrid)

Seminars, Tour & Networking

Phase 2 | Acceleration

(Online)

Online Seminars, One-on-One Mentoring, Coaching & Matchings

Phase 3 | Boston

(Cambridge, MA)

Seminars, Mentoring/Coaching, Networking, Tours & Demo Day

Cambridge, MA | CIC Japan Desk

CIC Japan Desk is a division of CIC Cambridge. Our mission is to Connect Japanese innovators, founders, and organizations to the US market, ensuring a richer, quicker, and smoother expansion experience. (Cambridge, MA)

Jessy LeClair

Director

Jessy LeClair directs the Japan Desk at CIC Cambridge. The mission of the Japan Desk is to connect Japanese innovators with each other, the CIC network, and other important resources so they can fix the world through innovations. Jessy has a BA in Japanese and Biology from Williams College. She received her PhD in Social Psychology from UC Santa Barbara with a focus on how culture shapes the mind. Outside academia, Jessy has worked in PR and communications to facilitate cross-border and intercultural communication with experience in nonprofit organizations, startups, and companies. Jessy is passionate about fostering new communities across boundaries.

Kyoko Taguchi

Assistant Director

Kyoko Taguchi leads the Operations team at the CIC Japan Desk located in Cambridge, MA. She earned an MBA in General Management from the Owen Graduate School of Management at Vanderbilt University in Nashville, TN, and holds a BA in Literature from Sophia University in Tokyo, Japan. Kyoko has gained valuable experience through her diverse roles at multinational IT companies including Nortel Networks and Microsoft in both Japan and the United States, as well as a rapidly expanding Japanese startup focused on Education and AI in Bellevue, WA. Kyoko loves the magic of connecting people and businesses.

Hayley Valk

Senior Manager

Hayley Valk is Senior Manager for the Japan Desk at CIC Cambridge. Since graduating with a BA in Asian Languages & Cultures from Barnard College, she has spent most of her career in Japan supporting startups through diverse roles in communications, translation, finance, and operations. Most recently, she headed global public relations and communications for one of Tokyo’s highest-valued cleantech startups with business in Japan, Singapore, and the US. Hayley is passionate about bridging cultures so innovation can thrive.

Sayumi Suzuki

Manager

Sayumi Suzuki manages the Japan Desk at CIC Cambridge. Sayumi has a BA in Japanese language and Culture from University of Tsukuba, and MA in Linguistics from Syracuse University. She has worked as an IT consultant at Hitachi, and Japanese lecturer at several universities in the U.S and Japan including University of Nevada, and International Christian University in Tokyo. She is also a developer of two innovative e-learning materials for learners of Japanese, which are implemented by nearly 50 institutions worldwide.

Tokyo | CIC Institute

CIC Institute is a division of CIC Tokyo. We are dedicated to supporting the growth of Deeptech related startups in Japan that can achieve global success in collaboration with national and local governments, universities and like minded organizations.

Masaru Nagura

Director, CIC Institute

Masaru Nagura received his BA in Physics from Keio University. In addition, he holds a PhD in Nuclear Engineering from the University of Tokyo and a Masters in Engineering and Management from MIT. Masaru has been an integral part of CIC’s launch in Tokyo by focusing on building collaborations between stakeholders, investors, startups - both locally and internationally. Masaru brings a diversity of experiences to CIC Tokyo from experience in the Japanese government to working in investment.

Ayano Kagami

Community Dev. Lead

Ayano Kagami holds multiple degrees from the University of Tokyo, including a BS, MS, and PhD in BioChemistry, Biophysics, and Molecular Biology. In addition, Ayano holds an MS in System Design and Management from MIT. She worked as an intern at BioLabs in Cambridge, Massachusetts. She also has experience working in the Japanese government in the Cabinet Office and the Ministry of Education, Culture, Sports, Science, and Technology. She joins CIC Tokyo with a strong network in both Boston and Japan, as well as a strong scientific background.

Seina Ohe

Project Associate

Seina Ohe completed her Ph.D. in Medical Science from the University of Tokyo, specializing in transcription and cell signaling within cancer cells. Her research proficiency developed during her doctoral studies at both IMSUT (the Institute of Medical Science, the University of Tokyo) and MGH (Massachusetts General Hospital), enhancing her understanding of medical science.

As a researcher in Sumitomo Pharma's cancer research unit, she participated actively in drug discovery, focusing on identifying Mechanisms of Action (MOA) and evaluating drug efficacy both in vivo and in vitro.

Currently, Seina directs her skills toward fostering innovation and cultivating an ecosystem at the CIC Institute, where she assists startups in the life science sector.

The Venues

CIC Tokyo

(Toranomon Hills)

September 6-8, 2023 (Tokyo Time)

CIC Cambridge

(245 Main Street)

December 4-8, 2023 (Boston Time)

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