New Challenges for a Global Cluster and High Tech Start-Ups in Greater Tokyo: the Case of King Skyfront

• In Event: Human Health and Biomedicine in Asia: Community-Based Innovation and Entrepreneurship

Abstract

Japan holds the world’s second-largest economy in the pharmaceutical and biotechnology businesses and has the most significant presence in Asia. On the contrary, difficulties have impeded the development of ecosystems for innovation, particularly the small number of successful cases of biotech start-ups in this region. The present talk provides the effectiveness of consortium-based approach as a potential solution to address this paradox by giving a case of trial for the commercialization of nano-biotechnology from the Kawasaki Innovation Gateway at Skyfront (KING SKYFRONT), an emerging industry cluster in the Tokyo metropolitan area.

Research questions include whether or not: First, if the present consortium approach effectively provides organizational and industrial environment to help high-tech start-up firms equipped with management resources necessary in the early to middle phases. Second, if optimal design of transactions amongst key actors significantly affects the efficiency of capability building for high-tech start-up firms. Research methodology includes: observation on the strategies, organizational structure and process management for three precedent cases taking an identical consortium approach in the field of advanced medicine, Semi-structured surveillances to key participants of one of the present cases on the significance of communication and transaction management.

Author

• Shintaro Sengoku, Tokyo Institute of Technology