Pitching Stars – Global Startup Night event report

iCONM in collaboration with BioLabs hosted Pitching Stars – Global Startup Night at TECH HUB YOKOHAMA during BioJapan 2026. The event convened over 100 global participants, including biotech founders, investors, pharmaceutical executives, and life science leaders. Ten startups from seven countries across Europe and the United States took the stage to present their technologies and explore strategic opportunities in Japan.

We launched Pitching Stars with a clear objective: to connect promising international startups directly with key stakeholders who can accelerate their growth in Japan. Beyond the formal pitches, the program prioritized room for meaningful dialogue, targeted introductions, and organic connections that drive future collaborations.

Meet the 10 Stars

Our ten participating startups represented diverse medtech fields; spanning oncology, immunotherapy, targeted drug delivery, hearing disorders, and vaccine development. Each company delivered a high-impact, five-minute pitch, followed by a two-minute Q&A session with our expert panel.

Atopia Therapeutics (Switzerland)

Developing oral therapies that aim to restore immune tolerance in allergic and inflammatory diseases, including asthma and atopic dermatitis.

Axelyf (United States)

Developing lipid nanoparticle (LNP) technology for in vivo CAR-T therapies, with an initial focus on solid tumors.

Secarna Pharmaceuticals (Germany)

Advancing antisense oligonucleotide therapeutics through its OligoCreator platform, including programs targeting cancer and the tumor microenvironment.

Cilcare (France)

Developing treatments for hearing disorders, particularly cochlear synaptopathy, an often-overlooked cause of hearing difficulties.

LoopLab Bio (Austria)

Developing an Fc-engager platform to induce antigen-specific immune tolerance, with an initial focus on allergic diseases.

NaDeNo Nanoscience (Norway)

Using biodegradable nanoparticles to improve drug delivery, including a program focused on ovarian cancer.

Oniria Therapeutics (Spain)

Developing small-molecule therapies targeting cancer dormancy and epigenetic regulation to address treatment resistance.

Ymmunobio (Switzerland)

Developing targeted cancer therapies, including antibody-drug conjugates (ADCs) directed against NPTXR.

GlioCART (Switzerland)

Developing a dual-action CAR-T cell therapy for glioblastoma, designed to target cancer cells while also addressing the tumor microenvironment.

Versatope (United States)

Developing vaccines based on engineered extracellular vesicles, including a broad-spectrum influenza vaccine. Also Invited:

Gate2Brain (Spain)

Developing a peptide-based drug delivery platform designed to help therapeutics cross biological barriers, including the blood-brain barrier. Gate2Brain was originally scheduled to pitch but was unable to attend due to a flight cancellation. We were sorry to miss them and hope to welcome the team to a future Pitching Stars event.

Meet the Hawks

Our three judges, affectionately dubbed “The Hawks”, brought deep expertise spanning venture capital, corporate strategy, and the global pharmaceutical industry.

• Jonathan Yeh | Managing Partner, Saisei Ventures
• Chloé Leprêtre | Global Head, R&D External Innovation, Servier
• Kensuke Akaogi | Venture Capitalist, Fast Track Initiative

The panel evaluated each presentation against four core criteria: Big Idea & Impact, Science & Evidence, Business Potential, and Japan Fit. Their inquiries brought diverse, high-level perspectives to the discussion, ranging from scientific differentiation and clinical development pathways to commercial strategy and market expansion in Japan. We extend our sincere gratitude to Jonathan, Chloé, and Kensuke for their time, rigorous questions, and invaluable feedback to all ten participating startups.

Congratulations to Our Pitching Stars Award Winners!

Announcing the Pitching Stars Award Winners Two outstanding startups earned the Pitching Stars Award, recognized for achieving the highest cumulative scores from our evaluation panel:

1. LoopLab Bio (Austria)
2. Cilcare (France)

Both companies were awarded a one-year complimentary lab residency at iCONM, enabling them to advance their R&D and establish strategic business operations in Japan. We extend our warmest congratulations to LoopLab Bio and Cilcare, and our sincere thanks to all ten participating startups for sharing their groundbreaking work and vision with our community.

Conversations Beyond the Stage

Following the pitches, the evening transitioned into a networking session featuring exhibition booths, curated refreshments, and interactive activities designed to facilitate meaningful introductions. Our booth exhibitors showcased their technologies and initiatives, offering participants direct engagement with leading companies and organizations across the global life sciences ecosystem.

Post-event feedback showed immediate, tangible outcomes for participants. Several startups reported securing high-potential connections with VCs, pharmaceutical executives, and strategic collaborators. Pitching Stars served as a springboard toward making follow-up discussions on the BioJapan exhibition floor significantly more productive.

Beyond investor relations, the event enabled founders to engage with established industry contacts, explore cross-technology applications, and build strong peer networks within the global cohort.

Looking Ahead

For iCONM and BioLabs, the true value of Pitching Stars lies in post-event momentum. While a compelling pitch sparks initial interest, long-term impact requires continuous engagement, introductions, and structured support to translate that momentum into formal partnerships and commercial ventures.

We remain dedicated to following up with our 2026 cohort companies, advancing their expansion strategies in Japan through investor syndicates, pharmaceutical partnering, access to our R&D infrastructure, and specialized accelerator programming.

Moving forward, we are committed to integrating participant feedback into future program design, expanding dedicated 1-on-1 partnering channels, and fostering direct founder-investor dialogue, ensuring our platform evolves in tandem with the scaling needs of global life science innovators.

Guest Authors

Miho Kiyokawa, Operations Associate

Hiroshi Atsumi, Director, iCONM in collaboration with BioLabs, Kawasaki Institute of Industrial Promotion‍

The original article can be read here.