Kobe University is leading the creation of a unique 'Japan-Style Ecosystem' to enhance Japan’s competitiveness in the medical device industry and accelerate its global reach. At the heart of this initiative is the Co-Creation Global-Local Hub.
The Co-creation Global-Local Hub is an integrated platform where universities, clinical sites, industry, government, and implementation experts work together as one. By leveraging a global network spanning Japan, the U.S., Europe, and Asia/Oceania, it accelerates the real-world adoption of innovative medical devices. This initiative not only delivers medical device innovations to society but also treats the entire development process as an educational resource, providing a dynamic environment for cultivating the next generation of talent.
Through this hub, Kobe University aims to seamlessly connect clinical needs with research and development, building a sustainable framework for strategic, globally oriented medical device innovation. By anticipating regulatory and market trends in Japan and abroad, the hub provides end-to-end support—from design and prototyping to evaluation, regulatory approval, commercialization, and international expansion. This system empowers startups, companies, and researchers to take on new challenges and ensures that medical device innovations originating in Japan reach the global stage.
Advancing Human Resource Development and Medical Device Innovation through the integration of clinical practice, education, and collaboration with external partners
Kobe University operates both the University Hospital and the International Clinical Cancer Research Center (ICCRC) as clinical sites. Within this framework, healthcare professionals work closely with faculty from the Graduate School of Medicine, the Department and Faculty of Medical Device Engineering, and the university-wide Center for Advanced Medical Engineering Research and Development. Together, they promote medical device development and foster the next generation of professional. In addition, the Center for Medical Device Engineering Innovation and Translation at the University Hospital oversees the Medical Device Social Implementation Support Unit, which serves as the core of a co-creation 'glocal hub' that fosters a uniquely Japanese-style ecosystem. This unit provides hands-on support for social implementation, with a dedicated team of experts in marketing, intellectual property, regulatory affairs, insurance, and commercialization.
In addition, Kobe University has established development practice environments such as the Medtech Innovation Center (MIC), a co-creation space where industry, government, academia, and medical professionals collaborate on prototyping and evaluation, and the Medical Device Innovation Platform (MeDIP), which enables large-animal studies. Support for domestic and international startups is also a key focus. Kobe University works with Kobe University Innovation Inc. (KUI), Kobe University Capital (KUC), and the Foundation for Biomedical Research and Innovation at Kobe (FBRI), as well as incubators, venture capital firms, and accelerators across the United States, Europe, Asia, and Oceania, to assist developers aiming for global expansion. Partnerships are further fostered with medical institutions such as FBRI, Kobe City Medical Center General Hospital, and Hyogo Prefectural Kobe Children’s Hospital, along with clusters of companies, positioning the university as a central hub of industry–government–academia–medical collaboration within the Kobe Biomedical Innovation Cluster. Finally, by participating in Yawaragi, a Medical Device Development Support Network composed of AMED project sites, Kobe University collaborates and shares information with other institutions to strengthen the national foundation for medical device development and accelerate the creation of innovative medical devices.
At the Medtech Innovation Center, we provide a platform where industry, government, academia, and healthcare professionals collaborate to put early-stage medical device development into practice. Our mission is twofold: to promote fast-track medical device development and to foster the next generation of talent through hands-on programs that use real-world projects as teaching material. The Center features state-of-the-art engineering and medical device laboratories, a shared workshop, and rental labs available for corporate tenants. It also includes collaborative spaces designed to encourage interaction among diverse stakeholders. By combining these resources with deep expertise, the Center strives to serve as a hub of integrated knowledge, drive the ongoing creation of innovative medical devices, and nurture creative talent, thereby helping to revitalize the medical device industry.
