― A new hub for bio-health innovation launches, bringing together academia, industry, and government ―
On Friday, May 23, 2025, Chiba University held the opening ceremony for the newly established Biohealth open Innovation Hub (BIH) on its Kashiwanoha Campus, along with the J-PEAKS Symposium. The event welcomed approximately 170 participants from academia, industry, and government, marking a successful and lively start for the new initiative.
BIH is a new open innovation hub in the field of bio-health, developed under the Ministry of Education, Culture, Sports, Science and Technology's (MEXT) initiative called "Program for Forming Japan's Peak Research Universities (J-PEAKS)"―an infrastructure development program supporting collaborative research between regional core universities and society. As a key base of operations for J-PEAKS, and with the support of the university's wholly owned company, Chiba University Connect Co., Ltd., BIH aims to serve as a 'node' connecting universities, companies, and local communities, fostering future innovation.
The ceremony began with an opening address by President Koutaro Yokote of Chiba University, followed by congratulatory remarks from Mr. Toshihito Kumagai, Governor of Chiba Prefecture, and Ms. Kazumi Ota, Mayor of Kashiwa City. A ribbon-cutting ceremony followed their remarks.
The subsequent J-PEAKS Symposium featured the following program:
Followed by the symposium, attendees were invited to a guided tour of the BIH research facilities. The tour featured introductions to ongoing collaborative research and equipment, as well as tasting booths where visitors enjoyed samples of rum, beer, sake, and sausage―products developed through Chiba University's industry-academia collaboration―accompanied by explanatory posters.
An informal networking session followed, opened with remarks from President Yokote, Ms. Mutsuko Inoue, Director of the National University Corporation Support Division at MEXT, and Professor Hiroshi Nakajima of the Graduate School of Medicine. The session provided a valuable opportunity for active exchange among attendees.
The ceremony and symposium served as a valuable opportunity to showcase Chiba University's industry-academia-government collaboration activities, the vision of J-PEAKS, and the potential of BIH to a broader audience.
President Yokote remarked during the networking session, "What truly matters is the connection between people." In keeping with this sentiment, the diverse partnerships emerging from BIH are expected to generate new encounters, collaborations, and the seeds of innovation.
Chiba University remains committed to advancing research and innovation that address societal challenges through collaborative initiatives centered around BIH.
