The Global Healthcare Challenge (GHeC), held under the theme “Accelerating Healthcare Innovation beyond Borders,” aims to expand the global healthcare platform by inviting healthcare startups from Japan and around the world to participate in the competition. In addition to the contest, the event will feature a symposium and networking opportunities, bringing together key figures and thought leaders from the healthcare industry both locally and globally.
Speaker Information：https://ghec2025.jp/pdf/GlobalHealthcareChallenge_brochure.pdf

【Reflection】
　　　During the "Health and Well-being" theme week at the Expo 2025 Osaka, Kansai, the Japan External Trade Organization (JETRO) and Japan’s Ministry of Economy, Trade and Industry (METI) jointly hosted an international symposium on healthcare and a pitch competition for healthcare startups from around the world, titled the "Global Healthcare Challenge" (GHeC), at the Grand Prince Hotel Osaka Bay on June 25 (Wednesday) and 26 (Thursday), 2025. The event was designed to help Japanese startups expand their business operations overseas.

　　　Approximately 40 influential global figures, including Joelle Barral, Senior Director of Research & Engineering at Google DeepMind, and Carla Goulart Peron, Chief Medical Officer at Philips, participated in the symposium and engaged in panel discussions on topics such as the development of the medical ecosystem and innovations in health technology.

　　　In the pitch competition, 20 startups from Japan and abroad (representing nine countries, including four Japanese companies), selected from over 350 global candidates, vied for top awards. Following the evaluation of the participating startups by six global leaders in the healthcare sector, Japan's AI Medical Service Inc. won the gold prize, with trophies awarded to the top three startups.

　　AI Medical Service Inc., commented: "I am sure it is valuable for Japan to have the opportunity to make presentations in English and compete internationally. From the beginning, we have set our sights on the world, so it is a great honor to see our company being recognized among the outstanding finalists from around the world. We were able to gain confidence and a network from this event to pursue challenges ahead on the global stage."

【Post EXPO Initiatives】
　Following this event, we have been conducting follow-up activities with the startups that participated in the pitch event, continuing support both domestically and internationally for companies with promising business negotiations and foreign companies seeking to establish a base in Japan.

　　　Additionally, we plan to leverage the network cultivated through this event to support Japanese companies in their expansion into Europe and North America, such as by organizing business missions and site visits. For example, a visit to Switzerland’s bio cluster is scheduled for early November, and we are using the event’s network to create valuable business opportunities for Japanese bio startups—such as matchmaking with major European pharmaceutical companies.

　　　Furthermore, prompted by this event, the Ministry of Economy, Trade and Industry (METI) and JETRO will intensify efforts to accelerate innovation in Japan’s healthcare industry. This includes enhanced support for startup presentations, expert assistance, and identifying potential partners such as venture capitalists, investors, and collaborators for joint research.

　　　Finally, the insights and experiences gained from this event will be utilized at the Global StartUp Expo 2025, which will be held on September 17 and 18 within the Expo venue. We will strive to support the discovery of Japanese companies participating in exhibitions and pitches, as well as the provision of valuable business negotiation opportunities.