BIOTECH Cluster SME Mission

  • Exhibit at the “BioJapan” Expo in Pacifico Yokohama
  • Gain knowledge about the market structure, sector analysis, business policy
  • Identify relevant key contacts (decision makers, R&D centres, business partners)
  • Establish relationships with potential partners (trade and technology) in the Global Biotechnology Industry
  • Benefit from face-to-face meetings leading to possible business opportunities

ABOUT THE MISSION

The Biotech Cluster/SME mission will be organised on the fringe of “BioJapan” Expo in Yokohama.  During the fair (3 days) you will attend B2B meetings and meet with Japanese visitors. In order to maximize your partnering opportuni­ties, you will be able to exhibit in the EU-Japan Centre booth.

Professional interpreters will be on hand during the trade fair to help you communicate with potential Japanese business partners.

Based on materials you provide, the EU-Japan Centre will arrange Japanese-language posters to promote your product at the EU Delegation booth at the trade fair.

Additionally, a partnering event will be organised one day before the fair. In the previous mission an event was organised in Osaka. 

For information about the previous partnering event in Osaka please click here

A Welcome Get-together for mission participants will also be organized on the evening before the mission starts. This is an occasion to meet other participants in a casual and friendly atmosphere for those who have already arrived at that time.

A month before the mission, an online pre-departure briefing will help you prepare for the mission to ensure you get the most out of it.

OBJECTIVES

Through this 4-day mission you will have the opportunity to:

  • display your technology at one of Japan’s leading trade shows
  • meet potential business partners
  • create new business opportunities
  • develop partnerships and business cooperation on global markets
  • attend match-making events
  • increase your innovation capacity and become more competitive on a global scale (as an  SME)
  • prepare the ground for practical cluster cooperation across borders and make a more strategic use of transnational cluster cooperation on markets outside Europe in areas of strategic interest (as a cluster)

PARTICIPANT PROFILE

The programme targets participants from SMEs (large companies may apply but will not be given priority) and clusters from the EU or COSME partnering countries, active in sectors covered by the trade fair, i.e:

  • Drug and Drug Discovery (Small-Molecule Drug, Biologics, Vaccine etc.)
  • Drug Discovery Support and Contract Services (Drug Synthesis Services, Analysis Contract Services and Chemical Compound Libraries and Screening etc.)
  • Pharmaceutical and Medical Devices
  • Functional Food, additives, enzymes
  • Medical Treatment, Diagnosis and Medical Devices and Equipment
  • Research Devices, Bioinformatics and Bio imaging etc.
  • For the full list of exhibitor categories: click here.

ELIGIBILITY

The candidate must:

- be a citizen of an EU Member State or of a COSME partnering country;

- work for a company that is > 50% EU (or COSME partnering country) owned;

- work for an organisation that is an EU (or COSME partnering country) juridical person;

- be supported by his/her employer

- be able to participate in the entire programme

- have a good command of English

- be a manager with proven experience in industry

SELECTION

The main criteria for selection are:

  1. the professional & educational background of the candidate;
  2. the strategy of the participant's company regarding Japan;
  3. the innovative aspects of the product/technology/service offered by the company.

In order to ensure a high degree of personal attention, the number of participants in this mission is limited.

PARTICIPATION FEE – GRANT - GUARANTEE - CANCELLATION

The EU-Japan Centre covers all costs directly related to the mission (i.e. Osaka partnering event registration, trade fair registration, booth rental & printing service to give participants more visibility, access to the partnering system; interpretation at the fair).

The participants' companies must cover travel costs to/from Japan, accommodation and any other costs not covered directly by the EU-Japan Centre (living expenses).

SMEs * and CLUSTERS **:

Participation is free. On top, SMEs and clusters benefit from a €600 grant but absences during the mission may lead to deductions amounting to 150 EUR/day.

SMEs and clusters must pay a 100% refundable deposit of €1,000 to guarantee the place on the mission.

Failure to transfer the deposit by the deadline set by the Centre may result in the offer of the place being withdrawn.

The deposit will be refunded within 8 weeks after the mission only if the participant submits any and all reports the Centre asks him/her to make.

If, for whatever reason, a participant cannot take up his / her confirmed place, the deposit may NOT be refunded.

OTHER ENTITIES (entities that cannot be considered as SMEs * or clusters **):

Other entities must pay a contribution of €1,000 towards the costs incurred by the EU-Japan Centre in relation to the company's participation.

Failure to do so by the deadline set by the Centre may result in the offer of the place being withdrawn. 

If, for whatever reason, a participant cannot take up his / her confirmed place, the contribution may NOT be refunded.