Management Company

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iPark Institute Co., Ltd. was established in 2023 with Industrial & Infrastructure Fund Investment Corporation (IIF), Takeda Pharmaceutical Company Limited (Takeda) and Mitsubishi Corporation as major shareholders. It took over the management of Shonan Health Innovation Park (Fujisawa City, Kanagawa Prefecture) in 2023, which Takeda had been responsible for since 2018.
In addition to the operation and management of the facilities, the company is engaged in projects to build and revitalize the life science ecosystem, including the promotion of innovation creation, technology exchange, and research collaboration.

Message from CEO

Chief Executive Officer, iPark Institute Co., Ltd.
Toshio Fujimoto

The 20th century brought about remarkable advancements in medical technology, such as the discovery of antimicrobial agents, which saved the lives of millions injured in World War II, and imaging technologies like CT and MRI scans, which facilitated early detection and accurate diagnosis of diseases. Now, individual genes are being decoded, opening up a new frontier in genomic medicine. In the coming era, personalized data spanning genomics to clinical information will be harnessed to revolutionize prevention, diagnosis, treatment, and care on an individual level. These technological strides will undeniably reshape our health and future.

Pharmaceutical R&D has evolved to embrace open innovation, where a variety of technologies are integrated into products through collaboration and partnerships, rather than relying solely on in-house capabilities. In response to this shift, Takeda Pharmaceutical Company Ltd. inaugurated Japan's first pharmaceutical-led science park, Shonan Health Innovation Park (Shonan iPark), in April 2018. Shonan iPark aspires to create a globally accessible life science ecosystem that fosters innovative ideas and brings them to the world. Since its inception, numerous stakeholders—including universities, startups, companies, local governments, and hospitals—have joined the iPark ecosystem, expanding it to over 150 organizations and 2,300 residents.

In April 2023, iPark Institute Co., Ltd. was established to assume management of Shonan iPark from Takeda Pharmaceutical Company Limited. Our goal is to further cultivate a diverse and neutral ecosystem, unbounded by the limitations of a single pharmaceutical company. Building upon our initial vision and mission, we aim to enhance operations in facility management, community building, venture support, and local community engagement, fostering an environment where life science enthusiasts from diverse backgrounds can freely collaborate and drive innovation.

The COVID-19 pandemic has underscored the significance of healthcare, industry, and community. The groundbreaking mRNA vaccine, which reached people at an unparalleled speed through cooperation among startups, large corporations, governments, and municipalities, has saved millions of lives globally. Local healthcare providers and volunteers have played a vital role in supporting community health. We are confident that a closely connected ecosystem of healthcare, industry, and communities will shape the future of health.

We envision a future where diverse talents from across the globe, passionate about life sciences, converge and collaborate, sparking ideas and generating innovations. These breakthroughs will improve local health, revitalize cities through industrial growth, and extend their impact to people worldwide. This is the future we strive for.

April 2023
Toshio Fujimoto, Chief Executive Officer, iPark Institute Co., Ltd.

VISION & MISSION

VISION

Bring innovative ideas to society

MISSION

Build a life science ecosystem that is open to the world

VALUE

Through our business activities, we provide three values to our tenants and other stakeholders

  • EXPLORE

    • Explore science
    • Get inspired
  • COLLABORATE

    • Connect with necessary and unexpected partners
    • Mutually inspire each other with strengths and ideas
    • Business alliances and collaborations are created
  • DRIVE

    • Connect science to business
    • Develop demonstration experiments

LOGO

The six dots of different colors represent technologies and ideas. Small ideas and technologies that originate from a single individual or from a single organization or company will meet and resonate with each other, forming a small wave. This wave will eventually become a big wave of innovation and spread throughout the world.

TAGLINE

When the ideas and technologies of one individual or organization are shared with others, they resonate with each other and become a new sound. That sound becomes an even bigger wave of innovation that spreads throughout the world. This tagline expresses our wish to realize such a vibrant ecosystem.

Company Profile

Company name
iPark Institute Co., Ltd.
Capital
100 million yen
Major shareholders and their shareholding percentages
Industrial & Infrastructure Fund Investment Corporation (IIF) (41.0%), Takeda Pharmaceutical Company Limited (36.5%), Mitsubishi Corporation (19.5%), others (3%)
Name and title of representative
Chief Executive Officer: Toshio Fujimoto
Address
2-26-1 Muraoka-Higashi, Fujisawa City, Kanagawa Prefecture
The Date of Establishment
December 16, 2022
Scope of business
1. Tenant recruitment
2. Tenant management
3. Research facilities operation and management
4. Establishment of new businesses and planning of events aimed at developing innovation
5. Collaborative life science research and development projects support
6. Life science ecosystem development support
7. Technological and personal network development support
8. Ancillary businesses relating to the above

History

2018.04
Takeda Pharmaceutical Company Limited (Takeda) opens its own research institute, Shonan Research Center, to the outside world and held its grand opening as a science park, Shonan Health Innovation Park (Shonan iPark). In conjunction with this, a Shonan Health Innovation Park management organization is formed within Takeda's R&D organization, which is responsible for managing the science park and building the ecosystem.
2019.05
A memorandum of understanding on collaboration and cooperation ("five- party collaboration") is signed with Kanagawa Prefecture, Fujisawa City, Kamakura City, and Shonan Kamakura General Hospital to form a cutting- edge site for health innovation in the Muraoka and Fukasawa areas.
2020.09
Shonan iPark’s assets (land and facilities) are placed into trust and Industrial & Infrastructure Fund Investment Corporation (IIF) acquires trust beneficiary rights.
2022.04
Greater Tokyo BioCommunity (GTB), in which Shonan iPark participates as one of its bases, is recognized as a Global BioCommunity by the Cabinet Office.
2023.04
iPark Institute Co., Ltd. takes over the operation of Shonan iPark from Takeda.

Board Members

  • Toshio Fujimoto

    Chief Executive Officer

    Toshio Fujimoto, MD. MBA. is the Chief Executive Officer of iPark Institute Co., Ltd. Before iPark Institute Co., Ltd. took over the business from Takeda Pharmaceutical Company Limited (Takeda) in 2023, he was the General Manager of Shonan Health Innovation Park (Shonan iPark) since he joined Takeda in 2017. Prior to joining Takeda, he worked at Eli Lilly Japan to oversee the whole R&D function as Vice President, Medicines Development Unit. Earlier in his career, he was a thoracic surgeon and worked in multiple hospitals in Japan, Germany, and the US.

  • Hiroyasu Mitsui

    Board Director

    Hiroyasu Mitsui is the Board of Directors of iPark Institute Co., Ltd. After engaging in real estate development and investment management for about 20 years, he joined Mitsubishi Corp. - UBS Realty Inc. (currently KJR Management) in 2015. He has experience in managing a wide range of industrial real estate, including logistics facilities, factories, R&D facilities, and data centers owned by Industrial & Infrastructure Fund Investment Corporation, and has been in charge of the management of Shonan iPark since 2020.

  • Yasushi Kajii

    Board Director

    Head, R&D Japan Region, Takeda Pharmaceutical Company Limited Program Officer for T-CiRA Program. After engaging in molecular psychopharmacological research at the National Center for Psychiatry and Neurology (at that time), held positions such as research and medical affairs at local and global pharmas such as Mitsubishi Tanabe Pharma Corporation, AbbVie, and Novartis. Joined Takeda in April 2019 and assumed the current position in April 2023. Cross-appointed to Professor, Comprehensive Research Organization, Waseda University.

  • Takuji Nozaka

    Statutory Auditor

    Attorney at law admitted in Japan and New York. Takuji Nozaka is the Statutory Auditor of Directors of iPark Institute Co., Ltd since 2023. After working for a few law firms for 8 years in total, he worked for the Inspection Bureau of the Financial Services Agency for 2 years as a fixed-term official. After serving as the head of the legal & compliance department in other 2 asset management companies for 8 years in total, he joined Mitsubishi Corp. - UBS Realty Inc. (currently KJR Management) in 2019 as the head of the legal & compliance department.

Leadership Team

  • Takahiro Hagisako

    Head, Corporate Strategy and Planning

    Takahiro Hagisako leads Corporate Strategy & Planning at iPark Institute Co., Ltd. with his diverse management experience in the life science industry. Prior to joining Shonan iPark in 2020, he has worked for global healthcare companies, government agencies, consulting firms, pharmaceutical companies, and biotech start-ups.

  • Keisuke Watanabe

    Head, Public Affairs

    Keisuke Watanabe leads Public Affairs at iPark Institute Co. Ltd., leveraging years of sales and liaison experience at Takeda Pharmaceutical Company Limited Prior to joining Shonan iPark's operations in 2018, he worked at Takeda Pharmaceutical Company Limited in the sales department, marketing department GP team, anti-cancer group, product strategy department, and external relations department.

  • Koki Nakagawa

    Head, Commercial and Business Development

    Koki Nakagawa leads Commercial & Business Development and Communications, bringing extensive experience in sales, business development, and venture investment in the life science and healthcare sectors. Prior to joining Shonan iPark in 2021, he worked for a pharmaceutical company, an investment bank, a general trading company, a public-private fund, and a medical device manufacturer.

  • Naoko Sugita

    Head, Communications

    After more than 20 years of career in the aviation industry, material manufacturer, and a general lifestyle company, she was appointed to the communications department of iPark Institute Co., Ltd. in October 2023. With experience in sales, marketing communications, and public relations, she is currently focusing on branding for Shonan iPark and iPark Institute Co., Ltd.

  • Nobuhito Yukuhiro

    Head, Facility Management

    Nobuhito Yukuhiro leads Facility Management of Shonan iPark at iPark Institute Co. Ltd., drawing on his experience in research and facility operations management. Prior to joining Shonan iPark in 2018, he worked at Takeda Pharmaceutical Company Limited in the research department for CNS drug discovery and then in the research management department.