Order of final selection
(Dispense with Mr. and Mrs)
- 13:00 - 13:05
- Opening Remarks (1)
Yuichi Tei (Professor, Graduate School of Engineering and Graduate School of Medicine, The University of Tokyo/Vice President of COI, a health and social hub for self-protection) - 13:05 - 13:10
- Opening Remarks (2)
Miyuki Ohgushi (Head of Neuroscience Division, Janssen Pharmaceutical K.K.) - 13:10 - 13:30
- Lecture (1)
Yoshinori Ohsumi (Emeritus Professor, Graduate School of Science and Technology, Tokyo Institute of Technology) - 13:30 - 13:50
- Lecture (2)
Chiaki Mukai (Vice-president, Tokyo University of Science) - 13:50 - 14:10
- Lecture (3)
Masahiro Samejima (ANRI Partner) - 14:10 - 14:20
- Break
- 14:20 - 15:20
- Pitch contest final selection
3 minutes for each group presentation + 4 minutes for Q & A (Total 7 minutes × 7 groups) - 15:20 - 15:50
- Review (During the review: "JLABS tour report presentation" by 4 winners (2 groups) of last year’s excellent awards. )
- 15:50 - 16:25
- Announcement of Review Results/General Comments
- 16:25 - 16:30
- Closing Remarks
Hideaki Takayanagi (Vice-president, Tokyo University of Science)
Please watch the final contest movie here
This time, the event was held online by Zoom!
Started from lectures by professors
At the venue
The final selection was held online. MCed by Ms. Asei Machi, a freelance anchorwoman, the event began with opening remarks by Mr. Yuichi Tei, Vice President of Center of Innovation at the University of Tokyo, Professor of Graduate School of Engineering and Medical Sciences, and Ms. Miyuki Ohgushi, Head of Neuroscience Division, Janssen Pharmaceutical K.K..
Next, prior to the presentation of ideas by the participants, lectures were given by Mr. Yoshinori Ohsumi, Ms. Chiaki Mukai, and Mr. Masahiro Samejima. Each of the speakers gave encouragement from their respective standpoints such as basic research that led to the Nobel Prize in Physiology/Medicine and the mental attitude to continue it, the involvement of space technology in medicine and earth protection, and the current status of university start-ups.
Ms. Asei Machi
Mr. Yuichi Tei
Ms. Miyuki Ogushi
Mr. Yoshinori Osumi
Ms. Chiaki Mukai
Mr. Masahiro Samejiima
Nine teams that passed the rigorous preliminary selection
Presented ideas full of originality!
After a break, an idea pitch contest to realize "a future where disease is a thing of the past" by students finally began. The 4 judges were Ms. Mukai Chiaki, Mr. Tei Yuichi, and Mr. Samejima Masahiro, who have lectured earlier and Mr. Mitsuru Miyata, the representative director of Miyata Research Institute, Inc.
Creative ideas that would enable the world to change its future from a scientific perspective were presented, such as the realization of a future without aging or dementia, and early detection systems for diseases using mobile devices, VR, AI, etc.
The students’ presentations based on their original ideas were all made with passion, and the judges gave them a lot of harsh but warm opinions and questions.
This year's contest was filled with excitement, so much so that nobody felt that it was being held online.
Yudai Kaneda,
Dept. of Medicine, Hokkaido University
Noritaka Ohmori,
Graduate School of Science, The University of Tokyo
Kosuke Miyakuni, Graduate School of Medicine, The University of Tokyo
Ai Kihata, Graduate School of Engineering; The University of Tokyo
Saya Otake, Graduate School of Engineering; The University of Tokyo
Masaomi Miura/Takuro Yo, University of Tokyo School of Medicine
Yusuke Kondou/Satoshi Endo, Faculty of Engineering, The University of Tokyo
Melody Silver Kam/Bismark Kweku Asiedu Asante, Faculty of Economics, Soka University
Kazuma Nose,
Faculty of Science, Tokyo University of Science
Mio Shibata,
Faculty of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Tokyo University of Science
Fumihiro Kan/Maki Okada/Kento Tanaka/Yuki Ohmori, Graduate School of Science and Technology, Tokyo University of Science
Q & A session with judges and participants
Incubation laboratory
Tours Reports
4 winners (2 groups) of the excellence award last year reported their experience of the tour to the Johnson & Johnson Incubation Lab "JLABS" in the US to which they were invited in February 2020.
They presented how their thinking and activities have changed after experiencing the forefront of global biopharmaceutical ventures during the tour.
"My presentation at the Janssen Research Institute in San Diego was attended by many researchers, and I learned a lot from many opinions." mentioned Mr. Kawai Shinto (Tokyo University of Science)
"I had many life-changing encounters and experiences. It was a good experience to visit the Johnson & Johnson Head Office in New Jersey." said Mr. Chandra Lewis (Tsukuba University Graduate School)
"It was very impressive to see the researchers working with pride in a tensed atomosphere where they were competing and enhancing each other." Mr. Aritaka Honma (Tokyo University of Science)
"I did not participate in the tour, but participating in this pitch contest has changed many things. Meeting many people is one of the great achievements" Mr. Denis Lacmand (Tsukuba University Graduate School)
Announcement of the review results:
Evaluated enthusiasm and originality for " a future where disease is a thing of the past "!
Mr. Mitsuru Miyata
After 9 teams completed their presentations and a rigorous review was conducted, the excellent awards for 2 teams were determined. Judge, Mitsuru Miyata announced the winners.
"All nine presentations were great. Under the 3-minute rule, having the ability to convey your thoughts in an easy-to-understand manner and within the prescribed time will be useful for your future life. I personally love crazy ideas, but this time very viable ideas got a lot of recognitions ." (Mr. Mitsuru Miyata)
Mr. Mitsuru Miyata
Miyakuni Team, Graduate School of Medicine, The University of Tokyo and the judges
The first winner of the excellence award is:
Miyakuni Team, Graduate School of Medicine, The University of Tokyo
"honeYcome (honeycome)"
Kosuke Miyakuni, Graduate School of Medicine, The University of Tokyo
Ai Kihata, Graduate School of Engineering, The University of Tokyo
Saya Otake, Graduate School of Engineering, The University of Tokyo
"This team’s member are from medical and engineering departments, and through integration of different fields, we made a proposal aiming at ' a future where disease is a thing of the past '. I am especially attached to the honeycome structure and the name, and I am very happy to receive high evaluation."
Ms. Mio Shibata, Faculty of Pharmacy, Tokyo University of Science and the judges
The second winner is:
Mio Shibata, Faculty of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Tokyo University of Science
"A future free of skin problems through Microbiome design"
"Since I am still an undergraduate student, I do not belong to the laboratory, but I would like to appeal my winning of the award to professors (of the university) and continue this research."
Mr. Hideaki Takayanagi
As it was a close race, a special runner-up was also announced. "YoRiAI" by a team of Yusuke Kondo and Satoshi Endo of the Faculty of Engineering at the University of Tokyo was selected.
"Thank you for adding us in the second place. I would like to work hard to realize it. Next time, I will aim for the award of excellence."
The contest, in which young students competed with their fresh ideas and passionate dreams for realizing " a future where disease is a thing of the past " , a wish shared by all humanity, ended with the closing speech by Mr. Hideaki Takayanagi, Special Vice-president, of cosponsor Tokyo University of Science. It is hoped that the ideas presented this time will be realized and will become a bridge to a society where we can live healthier lives. What kind of innovative and fresh ideas and talents can we expect to be uncovered in the next competition?
Mr. Hideaki Takayanagi
Comments from judges
"All the ideas were really interesting, and I was impressed by the great ideas that came out from youths. Your passion and enthusiasm were shown, and all the ideas were good. You were tackling issues with interesting ideas from the perspective of how to solve social issues, so I strongly hope that you will continue to make efforts to realize “a future where disease is a thing of the past. “ Please move step by step toward your dreams" (Ms. Chiaki Mukai)
"I felt that this contest was very diverse and free and open-minded, and that it became vitalized. There is no need to worry about existing scales and no need to stop doing what you really want to do. Thank you for a wonderful time today." (Mr. Yuichi Tei)
"If you are to make important decisions, do it without worrying about others, then your life will be more and more interesting. Even current big global venture companies did not attract any investors at first. If you are planning to start venture companies in the future, do not worry even if you are rejected by investors. If you go your own way solving issues, users will definitely follow, so I want you to take on a challenge." (Mr. Masahiro Samejima)