Celltrion to Foster Startups with Japan’s Largest Biotech Cluster

[Financial News] Celltrion is joining forces with Japan’s largest biotech cluster, the Kobe Biomedical Innovation Cluster (KBIC), to foster biotech startups. The strategy is to combine Japan’s basic research capabilities with Celltrion’s experience in drug development and commercialization to support promising companies’ expansion into global markets.
Celltrion announced on the 8th at an information session held at the LINK-J headquarters in Tokyo that it would launch the “2026 KBIC-Celltrion Global Scale-Up Program.”
The program is the first public-private open innovation initiative jointly planned and operated by a Korean company and a Japanese biotech cluster. Its goal is to support startups’ growth from research and development (R&D) through commercialization and entry into global markets.
Applications will be accepted from this month through December, and two companies will be selected in March next year following document and presentation evaluations. Eligible fields include biotech technologies linked to Celltrion’s technology needs, such as antibodies, peptides, small-molecule compounds, and anti-aging.
Selected companies will participate in a customized development program in 2027. Drawing on its experience in pharmaceutical R&D, regulatory approval, manufacturing, and global commercialization, Celltrion will provide mentoring on technology and commercialization. It also plans to support investment and commercialization opportunities through networks involving the government and local authorities, industry-academia cooperation organizations, and venture capital firms (VCs). The companies will also consider identifying new pipelines through joint research.
KBIC will provide customized programs for each company through its operating organization, the Foundation for Biomedical Research and Innovation at Kobe (FBRI). It will connect companies with experts in R&D, patents and intellectual property, fundraising, and business strategy for consulting, while also arranging one-on-one meetings with domestic investment institutions and demo days.
Through this partnership, Celltrion plans to expand its engagement with Japan’s biotech ecosystem. Since 2023, it has participated in KBIC’s Kansai Life Science Accelerator Program (KLSAP), while continuing networking activities with LINK-J, the Japan External Trade Organization (JETRO), and others, including establishing an office in Kobe City and supporting Korean startups’ participation in Japanese programs.
A Celltrion official said, “This will become a cooperation model that supports the growth of promising biotech startups by combining the strengths of Korea and Japan.” The official added, “We will actively work to build an open innovation ecosystem so that companies with innovative technologies can make the leap into global markets.”
[email protected] Sang-hee Jung Reporter