Start from Kobe. Innovate in Kobe.

KOBE Biomedical
Innovation Cluster
Business Launch Guide

KOBE Biomedical Innovation Cluster
The City of Kobe launched the Kobe Biomedical Innovation Cluster (KBIC) as a recovery project to rebuild
the economy of Kobe, which was severely damaged by the Great Hanshin-Awaji Earthquake that occurred
on January 17,1995. Since 1998, the City of Kobe has been endeavoring to develop an R&D hub foradvanced bio-medical technology on Port Island, an artificial island, and through collaboration withindustries, universities and medical institutions. To date, it has grown to become Japan's largest
biomedical cluster with a concentration of cutting-edge research institutes, highly specialized hospitals,
bio-medical and healthcare -related companies and universities.

Companies and Organizations
Employees

Breakdown of companies/organizations

13000

369

12000

336

Number of employees

11000

Number of companies/organizations

10000

376

● Research institutes, hospitals, and companies concentrated in a compact area; collaboration among them creates innovation● A concentration of CROs, CMOs, and animal breeding and experimentation facilities responding to a variety of research and development

needs● The Translational Research Informatics Center (TRI) supports clinical research; the medical cluster with eight highly specialized hospitaloffers an excellent environment for clinical research

5000

3000
2000

10,00011,70012,4002001

7,500200

4,300● Kobe City staff, together with dedicated coordinators, provide support for commercialization,business expansion and matchmaking

02,200● Extensive support services for startups including a variety of incubation facilities and acceleration programs

Pharmaceutical /Biotechnology
20.3%

1007318R&D support
14.3%

1501254000

Medical devices
24.1%

2001,600

Total support system

203

6000

1000

Other
7.3%

250

7000

A concentration of 370 companies and organizations

Medical institutions
3.5%

Logistics
2.2%

300

8000

Cluster that creates Innovation

IT & software
4.6%

3502719000

As of end of Feb.2024

400

2004

2007

2010

2013

2016

2019

2021

Universities &Academic groups
50 3.2%
Nursing care &rehabilitation
03.5%

Healthcare
10.3%

Regenerative
medicine
6.8%● Strategic consultation on pharmaceutical affairs by PMDA is available

Foreign affiliated companies
ClinicalApplication

Basic Research

United States
Nihon Medi-Physics, Johnson & Johnson, Progenicyte Japan, Simco Japan, IQVIA Services Japan, Integra Japan, NEI Japan, VectorBuilder Japan

Germany

France TreeFrog Therapeutics Japan, Texcell Japan

Nippon Boehringer Ingelheim, Bayer Yakuhin, Dürr Dental Japan, provitro AG

China BGI Japan, International Cooperation for Medical Innovation, Hondo Innovation Center, Bioer LifeScience Japan, O and R
Hospitals

Researchinstitutes

I N N O VAT I O N

Italy Copan Japan

Spain Igenomix Japan

Switzerland

Skanjapan, Electrosuisse Japan, Sucampo Pharma

United Kingdom Spectris, IMI Critical Engineering Japan

Singapore Access-2-Healthcare JapanFoundation for Biomedical
Research and Innovationat Kobe(FBRI)

Korea

Dexcowin Japan, Celltrion

Kobe City General Hospital

Institute of Biomedical Researchand Innovation (IBRI)Translational Research Center for
Medical Innovation (TRI)

Belgium IBP Technologies

Kobe Eye Center HospitalIndustrialization

Foundation for Biomedical Research and Innovation at Kobe (FBRI)

Kobe Proton Center

RIKEN
RIKEN Center for
Biosystems Dynamics Research (BDR)
RIKEN Center for
Computational Science (R-CCS)
Kobe University
University of Hyogo
Konan University

1Companies

Nishi Memorial
Port Island Rehabilitation Hospital

Kobe Gakuin University

Medical devices

Hyogo Medical University

Nursing care and welfare

Kobe Women’s University /Kobe Women’s Junior College

Health promotion

Organizations

International Clinical Cancer
Research Center

Institute of Biomedical
Research andInnovation(IBRI)Translational ResearchCenter for MedicalInnovation(TRI)

Center for Cluster
Development andCoordination (CCD)

Kobe Minimally Invasive Cancer Center

R&D of novel medical technologies with afocus on immunology aging and regenerative
medicine

Support for the clinical development in Japanand overseas.

Providing one-stop services to meet a wide
range of support needs including businessmatchmaking,professional consultation and networkbuilding.

Pharmaceutical and Biomedical
Regenerative medicine, CGT

Aiming to form Asia's leading cluster, the foundation plays a key role in promoting collaboration among industries,
universities and medical institutions for biomedical and life science innovation.

Hyogo Prefectural Children’s Hospital

Anshin Hospital

2Comprehensive support from the idea stage to commercialization
One-stop support

Hands-on support by dedicated coordinators

Pharmaceutical
Medical devices
Health promotion
Startups
Overseas business expansion
Industry-academia collaboration

A dedicated coordinator serves as a guide to provide
comprehensive support for the market research, R&D,
pharmaceutical affairs, and developing sales channels

Unfamiliar withthe rules because
no connections in the
medical community

Platform toPromote Medical Device
Commercialization● Consultation for device development● Business seminars etc.

Research Hospital

Kobe University International ClinicalCancer Research Center (ICCRC)
A venue for joint research between medical professionals andcompanies/researchers to develop new medical devices.

58 products
commercialized

Nursing-care technology
development andimplementation support

Insufficientknowledge aboutpharma regulations

Poor marketing
capability in clinicalenvironment

Superb Business Environment in KBIC

Kobe Health Lab

KBIC One-stop support

improvement of products for healthpromotion● Matchmaking between companiesand researchers● Pool of city residents supporting R&D

Dedicated coordinators offer consultations regarding
the practical application and commercialization of your R&D seeds.

Consulting party
companies /organizations▲▲

Pharma & regeneration
medicine-relatedcompanies▲ ▲Companies in other fields
Clinicians & researchers

HaMarketresearchSeeds & needs
matchmaking

nds- onc

onsu lt at

io n

The aim is to create a healthcare ecosystem in Kobe by gathering
healthcare seeds and needs from across the country with a focus
on the "Health Function" and "Data HUB" projects, and supporting commercialization through collaboration among industry,university, government and financial sectors.

s ta(As of end of Feb.2024)

Computer simulation facilitating large-scale, high-accuracy
analysis and advancement of biomedical technology.

rts!

Collaboration Support desk withmedical institutions

Concept
designConsultations regarding clinical trials, clinical research and joint R&D.

Experts,
including patent lawyers

Development&Testing

resident supporters

Industrial Use ofthe Supercomputer(Fugaku, FOCUS)

Kobe
Research Complex Program

Medicaldevice-relatedcompanies2,920● Advices on development andSupport for the development of new products by companies
working in the field of nursing care. Consultation service tofacilitate the introduction of nursing care robots,ICT equipment
and other technological innovations at nursing care facilities
in Kobe.

Clinicians & researchers

Business Support for Startups
Extensive support in the early stage

SeedEarly

LaterExpansion

PMDA Strategic Consultation OfficeComprehensive consultation on issues and topics in regulatory science
710281
0291
02PMDA staff● Hands-on supportby coordinators

Drugapproval
applicationSalesManufacturing

3LabPeople● Network building

Collaboration withcompanies and organizations in KBIC

● Incubation Lab (CLIK)

Shared equipment including Real-time PCR,
all-in-one fluorescence microscope, chemiluminescence and fluorescent imaging equipment andautomatic cell counters available.

● Co.Lab Kobe(KIBC)

Money● Kobe Life Science Gap Fund
● Funding support

Connection with VCs andfinancial institutions

Incubation labs operated by Bayer

KANSAI Life Science Accelerator Program(KLSAP)

4

Networking and Business support
Subsidies and Grants
Office and Lab Rent Subsidy

Expanding Business Network

3-year rent subsidy up to 50%(Maximum ¥1,500 /m2, ¥2 million/ year)

We support business matchmaking through field-specific study sessions and networking events
where researchers and companies share information on their activities* Not applicable for large companies

Cluster Networking Events /OPEN INNOVATION café
Provides opportunities for business card/information exchanges
among companies/research institutes including those from otherindustries

ExampleMonthly Rent

a lab;( rentingtax excluded )¥138,600

Subsidy¥47,250

Total¥1,701,000

Actual rent

48 member companies (as of Feb.2024)¥91,350in 3 years!

Regenerative Medicine Study Group
Promotes the commercialization of regenerative medicine byproviding the latest information in this field networking
opportunities among members

OPEN INNOVATION café

22 member companies (as of Feb.2024)

Support for Foreign and Foreign-affiliated Companies with global activities
3-year (5-year if renting 1,500m2+) rent subsidy up to 25% (Maximum ¥1,500/m2, ¥10million/ year)
Kobe City ・・Subsidy of up to ¥1.2 million /employee (Maximum ¥100 million) *Requirement of 5+ regular employees

・3-year rent subsidy up to 25%HyogoPrefecture (Maximum ¥750/m2, ¥1million/year, ¥10million if renting 1,500m2 + with 10 + new fulltime employees)

Drug Discovery Forum
Promotes understanding about drug discovery-related
technologies with hope of the development of new drugs in Kobe

・Subsidy of up to 50% of market research expenses, etc. (Maximum ¥1 million)
・Subsidy of up to 50% of corporate registration expenses, etc. (Maximum ¥200,000)
・Employment subsidy of up to ¥600,000/person (Maximum ¥300 million)*Employment requirements apply.

Medical Environment Innovation Program

・50% reduction in corporate enterprise tax (for 5 years)

Promotes the development of novel medical devices in Kobe bymatching corporate seeds with clinical needs
Regenerative Medicine Study Group

Shared laboratory / shared office rent subsidy

・Subsidies of up to 50% for desk/bench rent for 2 years (Maximum ¥1 million /year)*Applicable to Startup Creative Lab and Co.Lab Kobe

Joint Participation in Domestic and International Exhibitions
Opportunities to develop and expand sales channels

Subsidy up to 5 yearsin combination withregular rent subsidy

Startup Subsidy

・Applicable for Startups to establish a new office in the city outside KBIC
・3-year subsidy up to ¥10 million for office rent, office maintenance expenses, telecommunication fees, and HR costs

Regenerative Medicine andPharmaceutical Biotechnology● PharmaLab Expo

Building Acquisition Subsidy (as of April. 2024)● Bio Japan

Choice of・Up to 4% of building acquisition costs (Maximum 20% of tax levied in the pertinent year)
・Employment subsidy (¥300,000/ person) (Maximum 20% of tax levied in the pertinent year)● Bio International

Medical Devices* Hiring 5 + (1+for SMEs) fulltime employees required● MedtecJapan● MEDICAL FAIR ASIA/THAILAND

MEDICAL FAIR THAILAND

R&D Grants
Applicable for research contributing to the growth of the KOBE Biomedical Innovation Cluster

56KBIC Overview

Rental Offices and Laboratories

ポートアイランド病院

神戸女子短期大学

兵庫医療大学

To Sannomiya↑

12

Kobe Minimally Invasive
Cancer Center

NOEVIR

WORLD
Memorial Hall

Shimin Hiroba Sta.

FUJICCO

KobeConvention
CenterNishi Memorial Port island
Rehabilitation HospitalWORLD

7ASICSTOA

WDBKobe International
Conference CenterWORLDS ＝Small Office

Creative Lab forStartup Creative Lab

2 Medical Innovation (KCMI)(CLIK)

2F (Shared Lab)

L M

Hyogo Prefectural
Kobe Children’s Hospital

JFFIC
The Suzuki Menthol

Sawamura P&O

Yasojima Proceed
BDR
Star Plastic

OK KobeLEX Bio Robotix

15IBRI

Iryo Center Sta.

KSM
Towa
PharmaceuticalBMA
TRI

Kobe Medical Device

Kobe Proton
CenterSUZUGA Xrossing
KEN Seishin Trading
Kobe University Incubation Center
9
TAKIGEN
Air Water
Anshin Hospital

ComnetNumberThree
16
Konan
University

JGC HOLDINGS CORPORATIONWAKITA

Universities

Rental Office/lab buildings

Medical companies

Research institutes

Other companies
and facilities

Hospitals

Minatojima Sta.

PortIsland
Kobe Airport Sta.

Translational Research Center
for Medical Innovation (TRI)

Kobe Animal
Kingdom YANAI Trans Genic
Primmune
KNC Laboratories New Drug
NipponTechnologySolution
Meiko
COSMOBEAUTY Research CenterIndustrial
CycloChem
KobeBio
Advantech
MEDDEC
Robotix
R-CCS

AtomisL

3↓To Kobe Airport

Kobe Healthcare Industry

4 Development Center(HI-DEC)

Kobe International

5 Business Center (KIBC)P R

KIMEC Center
6 KobeBuilding (KIMEC)

L

R

O L

International Medical

Biomedical Research
9 forActivities (BMA)

S

P R

O L

Business Support CenterInternational
7 KobeConference CenterAlliance
8 Device(IMDA)

O P

O S

11 Kita Futo Building

and12 CommerceIndustryPlaza
13 Medical(IMP)

O P

O P R

O L M

Byoin Mae
15 Shimin
Building

Support Center
16 Research(FOCUS)

O L

O R

P R

10 Port Island Building

RIKEN Center for Biosystems
Dynamics Research (BDR)

RIKEN Interdisciplinary Theoretical andMathematical Sciences Program (IIB)

NichiiP R

experiment facilities

Keisan Kagaku Center Sta.
Integrated Research
JASPEC
Center of Kobe University

Manufacturing Technology Associationof Biologics Development Facility

Naka Koen Sta.
Kobe Gakuin
University 10
Kita Futo Sta.
Hyogo MedicalUniversity
11Kobe Women’s University

Operation rooms

L M Animal

FOCUS

AMTEC

P R

Kobe Proton Center

4IMI Critical Engineering JapanRIKEN Center for
Computational Science (R-CCS)

Wet lab available for
CPC installation

Co.Lab Kobe(Incubation lab)

6OYAMAKIBC
Kan Research InstituteMiyanoNichidenMedical
Rika Glass 5
BDR
Instruments
14
IIB KHBC
Nihon
NARD Medi-Physics
Boehringer Ingelheim
BANDO
MORESCORFFUKUDA
Mokuda Otsuka
Ophtecs
SHINYEI Kaisha
Dental PharmaSENJU
Dürr Dental Japanceutical Minato
Pharmaceutical
MedicalScience
TMS
MedicalCreative Lab for Innovation
Corporation
Enomoto
Foods
Sanshodo Nagase Yakuhin 1 in Kobe (CLIK)
Harmony
2 Kobe Center for Medical Innovation
TOCALOWakenyaku
Kanae(KCMI)
Kouai Kagaku

RIKEN Center for Biosystems
Dynamics Research (BDR)(MEDDEC)

CentralHyogo Prefecturalgreen
Kobe Children’s Hospital
13 area
IMP DSP
Research Yoshino Gypsum

HI-DEC

Institute of Biomedical Researchand Innovation(IBRI )3 Development Center

Anshin Hospital

KIMEC

Kobe Center for

Animal experiment
facilities

Minami Koen
Park

Nishi-Kinen Port island Child
Rehabilitation Hospital Chemo
Shimizu Pharmacy House
Shimin Byoin
Mae building
Kobe City Medical Center
8General Hospital
IMDANissei
Kobe City Eye
Adjuvant Cosme Technology
ICCRC
Hospital

MeetingParking
P ＝available R ＝rooms
available

L ＝Lab M ＝

Minami Koen Sta.

Kobe City Eye Hospital

7Sharedequipment

Facility Use： O ＝Office

1 Innovation in Kobe
International ClinicalCancer Research Center (ICCRC)WORLD

Kobe Portopia Hotel
Portopia Hall

Kobe Minimally Invasive
Cancer Center

Kobe
AirportNaka Futo Sta.

Kobe Chamber ofCommerce and Industry

Kobe City Medical Center
General Hospital

Please contact us for more information

P R

The Kobe Chamber of

L M Animal
experiment
facilities

P RInternational

O SP

Kobe Hybrid

RentalOffices& LabsBusinessCenter14(KHBC)

Manufacturing Technology Associationof Biologics Development Facility

Industrial facility site

Manufacturing factory site

Cultural / research facility site

Main businessResearch institute /Head office / Service office

Factory

Research institute or factories /universities with research instituteArea of category

Commercial area

Industrial area or semi-industrial
area (proper site for factories)

Semi-industrial area

Building to land ratio

80%

60%60%

Floor area ratio

400%

200%

200%

Minimum area for sales / lease

1,000m2

900m2

2,000m2(1000m2 for some areas)*The chart colors correspond to the rolored areas above.

P R

SharedR
equipment
Operation rooms

L O

SharedOfficeP R

Computational Science

Rental Offices&Labs

Land forbusiness site8

福知

吉川JCT
神戸三田IC山線

イパス
大山崎JCT
京滋バ
久御山JCT

高槻JCT

Excellent
location to connect nationwide
and globally路
神戸JCT
道
大阪府

速高神

京
阪
本線
東
海
道
新幹線

神戸北IC

新名神高速道路線

本

Kobe offers both the convenience of a city and the richness of nature. In this unique environment
you can enjoy both work and life to the fullest

道 to downtown Sannomiya
名70 minutes
to Tokyo-Haneda Airport from KBIC, and 茨木IC
only 12 minutes
西宮北IC
海

中国池田IC

東第▲ Mt. Rokko

H a nkMt. Maya▲Shin-Kobe

Sannomiyayyu Railwa

Shin-OsakaAmagasaki
Hanshin Railway
Harbor highway

OsakaUmeda
Kyobashi

n-K
S hi

obe

Stai yasennomkanhin bwayy San Sta.
S門真JCTSu ai t y a il w J R
eC uRay
KobHank ya il w
nRih
東大阪JCT
sHan.

道自動車
京奈和

Kobe City路

道

阪2京

Living in Kobe

奈良奥山

12 min. ドライブウェイ

to Sannomiya
奈良
by Port Liner

Port Liner

Osaka Bayshore Highway
under construction

天理IC

Kobe Airport
Iryo Center Sta.

35 min.
30 min.
from Kobe Airport
to Kansai Int’l Airport (KIX)
by High speed boat

Keisan Kagaku Center Sta.
法隆寺ICto Osakaby local train

藤井寺IC

香芝IC

KOBE
Port Island

Kobe Airport

5 min.
to Kobe Airport
by Port Liner線

近鉄大阪

Shinkansen (bullet train)
奈良県
170min.
→ Tokyo→ Nagoya→ Hakata→ Hiroshima

Shin-Kobe

Kansai Int’l Airport

70min.
140min.
70min.

Kobe Airport to 12 Cities→→→
Kobe
Airport
→
和歌山IC
和歌山→→

和歌山県
65min.
Haneda (Tokyo)
New Chitose
110min.
Sendai
80min.
Naha
120min.
Nagasaki
70min.
Matsumoto
60min.

Sapporo(New Chitose)
Aomori
HanamakiSendaiMatsumoto

Tokyo(Haneda)
NagasakiOkinawa(Naha)
Miyako(Shimojishima)

9Kochi
Kagoshima

CIbaraki

Kobe Airport
・International charter flights begin

operations in 2025
・Regular international flights
begin operations around 2030

Emergency
Medical Center

Kobe City General Hospital

1stRanked

nationwide for
9 consecutive years

by Ministry of Health,Labour and Welfare 2022

KOBE TOURISM BUREAU

Residents satisfied with Number of
The City
Universities/
childrearing
you wish to live in Kobes
Jr. Colleges
environment
Ranked2ndnationwide.

Brand Research
nstitute and Regional
Brand Survey 2020

94.6%
2021 Kobe survey

Ranked3rdamong major cities nationwide
Ministry of Education, Culture,Sports, Science and Technology,
School Basic Survey for 202010

Contact：

Kobe Biomedical Innovation Cluster Department
6-5-1, Kano-cho, Chuo-ku, Kobe 650-8570 JAPANTEL : +81-78-322-6341
MAIL:kbic-contact@office.city.kobe.lg.jp
The latest information is available on our website!
KBIC’sofficial website

Scan here to subscribe to ourE-newsletter(Japanese only)

Issued March 2024