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Come out to Open Hours this Friday the 19th from 14:00–15:00 to meet Josh Green, the instructor for the upcoming Innovator's Toolbox program. This will be a great opportunity to get to meet Josh and discuss your research area. Enjoy snacks and drinks while you learn how this program will help you better understand how to get your work out into the world and make an impact!
OIST Innovation opens its doors to the OIST community every Friday from 2 p.m. to 3 p.m.
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In collaboration with leading venture capital firms, OIST Innovation offers startups and entrepreneurial researchers or students the opportunity to connect directly with venture capitalists for one-on-one mentoring and discussion.
Each round begins with an open seminar-style introduction, where participants can learn about the VC firm's investment focus and characteristics. This is followed by private, closed-door mentoring sessions between startups/researchers/students and the VC representatives.
The featured VC for this round is UTokyo IPC.
Since UTokyo IPC focuses on supporting pre-founders and researchers, this time we are prioritizing researchers who have not yet established a company for the mentoring sessions.
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The Round 14 call for application of the OIST Innovation Proof of Concept (POC) Program ends on 1 October. Apply to receive funding, training, and a supportive community to help you turn your groundbreaking research idea into a technology, product or service.
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OIST Innovation will host a seminar on “Smart Work with Generative AI” as follows.
Date: Tuesday, November 11, 2025, 13:30–15:30
Venue: Okinawa Institute of Science and Technology (OIST) Conference Center, Meeting Room
Admission: Free (pre-registration required)
Simultaneous interpretation will be provided
No online streaming
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In collaboration with leading venture capital firms, OIST Innovation offers startups and entrepreneurial researchers or students the opportunity to connect directly with venture capitalists for one-on-one mentoring and discussion.
Each round begins with an open seminar-style introduction, where participants can learn about the VC firm's investment focus and characteristics. This is followed by private, closed-door mentoring sessions between startups/researchers/students and the VC representatives.
The featured VC for this round is ON&BOARD.
Registration is required.
If the number of applicants exceeds the available slots, OIST Innovation will select participants based on the information provided in the registration form and the strategic fit with the VC.
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Join OIST Innovation’s commercialization training program designed to help students, researchers, and administrators explore how research can move from lab to market. Through monthly, hands-on sessions from July to February, participants will learn the fundamentals of commercialization, customer discovery, business strategy, and pitching while developing their own innovation ideas.
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Come meet a special delegation of innovators from Nigeria (West Africa) along with JICA Specialists, Nigerian government representatives, and three trailblazing women entrepreneurs driving digital transformation in HealthTech, FemTech, and Women’s Health at OIST Innovation.
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All the teams selected for the 2025 OIST Innovation Accelerator are coming together!
Meet the promising startups tackling pressing social challenges as they present their projects and visions for the future.
Don't miss this opportunity to witness their bold journey firsthand—join us at the venue and be part of the excitement!
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DISCOVER THE LEAN STARTUP METHODOLOGY
Learn to identify commercial opportunities that come from your academic research. Apply the Lean Startup methodology to real OIST technologies, guided by instructors from the NSF I-Corps™ network. Teams (3–4 people) will conduct interviews, validate their ideas, and explore real-world commercialization.
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Your science isn't finished until you communicate it! We're offering a special pitch training opportunity with communications expert Scott Morgan, who has helped past Accelerator, Technology Pioneer Fellowship (TPF) and Proof of Concept (POC) teams strengthen their storytelling for non-scientific audiences. The training includes one onlien group session followed by 3-4 personalized one-on-one sessions tailored to your needs. It's a unique chance to receive expert feedback and make your pitch more impactful in just a few sessions.