Center for Research and Incubation, Keio University at Shinanomachi Campus (CRIK Shinanomachi) Officially Opens

On Wednesday, May 29, the opening ceremony for the Center for Research and Incubation, Keio University at Shinanomachi Campus (CRIK Shinanomachi) was held on the 9th floor of Building 2 on Shinanomachi Campus (Keio University Hospital and School of Medicine).

In 2023, Keio University was selected to be part of the Program for Forming Japan’s Peak Research Universities (J-PEAKS), and this facility, under the “J-PEAKS Industry-Academia-Government Collaboration Development Project for Joint Research Facilities,” was developed as a place to enhance the comprehensive strengths of Keio University—which emphasizes the spirit of “jitsugaku” (science), a key philosophy of Keio founder Yukichi Fukuzawa—foster further innovation, and create social value. While Keio University has been focusing on the creation and promotion of startups in recent years, such as the establishment of the Startup Division within the Office of Innovation and Entrepreneurship in the 2021 academic year, this is the first time that Keio is embarking on the challenge of independently operating an incubation facility.

CRIK Shinanomachi, which occupies the entire 9th floor of Building 2, is a joint R&D center for a wide range of fields with a focus on medical and healthcare. It boasts an unprecedented and unique community where various medical professionals from the Keio University School of Medicine and University Hospital, together with personnel and representatives from startups and corporations, can freely and openly engage in discussions or collaborations. The facility will primarily be operated by the School of Medicine and the Startup Division of the Office of Innovation and Entrepreneurship, creating opportunities for aspiring entrepreneurs of all ages to meet experienced entrepreneurs, venture capitalists, and legal or financial professionals.

Keio’s Support for Startups and the Role of CRIK Shinanomachi

The opening ceremony was held at the Community Space, a place where CRIK Shinanomachi members can freely interact with each other. Many people were present at the event, including Keio University officials, corporations from various industries, government ministries and agencies such as the Ministry of Education, Culture, Sports, Science and Technology (MEXT), as well as the news media.

Three Keio University officials stood to address the visitors at the opening ceremony. Kohei Itoh, Keio University President was the first to take to the stage. Addressing the audience, he remarked, “Keio University professes to be a research university that forges the common sense of the future. We would like to promote research and development with a focus on real-world implementation so that 20 years from now, we can look back and say that CRIK Shinanomachi has successfully created common sense in this field of entrepreneurship.”

Kohei Itoh, President of Keio University

Vice-President Kotaro Yamagishi, who is in charge of startup projects, took the podium next. He expressed his gratitude to the Ministry of Education, Culture, Sports, Science and Technology (MEXT), as well as to all those involved from both within and outside Keio. He also expressed his aspirations and hopes for the future, stating, “I am confident that CRIK Shinanomachi will produce results that will meet everyone’s expectations in the future.”

Kotaro Yamagishi, Vice-President for Entrepreneurial Education and Support

Last but not least, in his address, Professor Takanori Kanai, dean of the School of Medicine, reflected on his long career. “After graduating from the School of Medicine, I began my career as a physician in this very place, the 9th floor of Building 2, he recalled with deep emotion. He also emphatically declared that “as a private university, we aim to lead a health commons and inclusive society here in Japan,” through CRIK Shinanomachi and other leading programs such as the World Premier International Research Center Initiative (WPI) and the Human Biology-Microbiome-Quantum Research Center (Bio2Q).

Takanori Kanai, Dean of the School of Medicine

Following that, Project Professor Nobuaki Shindo, director of the Startup Division of the Office of Innovation and Entrepreneurship, gave an overview of Keio’s initiatives to support startup development and explained the concept behind CRIK Shinanomachi. He suggested that Keio University’s mission to create “leaders of society,” as set out by founder Yukichi Fukuzawa, has led to the current support for startups envisioning real-world implementation. He explained that CRIK Shinanomachi is an important incubation facility that embodies this support.

Nobuaki Shindo, Director of the Startup Division of the Office of Innovation and Entrepreneurship

Next, Professor Masaya Nakamura, vice dean of the School of Medicine and the person in charge for innovation, explained the content and significance of CRIK Shinanomachi’s specific activities in the context of the current situation and issues faced in medicine, nursing, and healthcare, as well as Keio’s goal of creating a health commons and inclusive society under the Program on Open Innovation Platforms for Industry-academia Co-creation (COI-NEXT). Vice Dean Nakamura emphasized CRIK Shinanomachi’s future-oriented environment where people from all walks of life, including major corporations, aspiring student entrepreneurs, and venture capitalists, gather to engage in open discussions, leading to innovation.

Masaya Nakamura, Vice Dean of the School of Medicine and the Person in Charge for Innovation

For more details on Keio’s support initiatives for startups, please refer to the Mita-hyoron (May 2024 issue) special feature article on startup support measures. Please give it a read.

Expectations for CRIK Shinanomachi

The opening ceremony was graced by a member of the House of Councilors, Toshiharu Furukawa, as well as state minister of Education, Culture, Sports, Science and Technology, Soichiro Imaeda, both of whom delivered their respective congratulatory address.

Councilor Furukawa, who is also an alumnus and former professor of the School of Medicine, said, “I have great expectations for Keio University, which has inherited the spirit of Fukuzawa, to lead research and development aimed at real-world implementation through industry-academia collaboration.” State Minister Imaeda expressed his enthusiastic support for Keio’s startup promotion efforts, stating, “As a driver of the Japanese economy, CRIK Shinanomachi’s activities have garnered significant attention. I shall be providing support in terms of policy work, so let’s do our best together!”

Toshiharu Furukawa, Member of the House of Councilors

Soichiro Imaeda, State Minister of Education, Culture, Sports, Science and Technology

State Minister Imaeda was also featured in the Mita-hyoron (May 2024 issue) special feature article where he participated in a symposium.

Preview of the Facilities

After the opening ceremony, attendees were divided into groups and given a preview tour of CRIK Shinanomachi’s various facilities by faculty members from the Startup Division of the Office of Innovation and Entrepreneurship.

Community Space

Desk Room

Open Space

Conference Room

Attendees admired the beautiful scenery outside from the windows, where they gazed at the lush greenery of Jingu Gaien and Shinjuku Gyoen National Garden. On a clear day, one may even enjoy a magnificent view of Mount Fuji. They also toured various facilities, including rental offices (29 office spaces), the spacious members’ lounge, a desk workspace with 26 private desks, 3 types of conference rooms of varying seating capacities, and the Data Access Room, one of CRIK Shinanomachi’s unique features. All of these facilities are available for use 24/7, with the exception of the lounge. (Front desk service is available 9:00—17:00 on weekdays/ lounge is open 9:00—21:00 on weekdays, weekends, and public holidays)

CRIK Shinanomachi offers three main types of membership plans: Office Rental Member, Private Desk Member, and Lounge Member. Lounge memberships are available from as low as around 30,000 yen per month, catering to aspiring entrepreneurs looking to start their own businesses. For office rental and private desk memberships, corporate registration is also available as a fee-based option. We have already received membership applications from companies and startups in a wide range of business categories, not limited to the medical and healthcare fields.

Innovative research and development, and the creation of startups at CRIK Shinanomachi will not be possible without the enthusiasm of many corporations and startups. Therefore, we look forward to welcoming new entrepreneurs who are looking for their next challenge.

For more information, please visit the CRIK Shinanomachi website (Japanese).

For inquiries about taking up residence at CRIK Shinanomachi, please fill out this form (Japanese).