MOESNER Felix Michael, Consul of Consulate of Switzerland in Osaka

Expo-Opened Doors—Swiss–Japan Startup Collaboration in Kansai Evolves

Kansai as a Real-World Testbed — Nakanoshima Qross × Wyss Zurich, MOUs Accelerate Collaboration

Q: What was the most important outcome during the Expo?

　Over the past two years since the Consulate of Switzerland in Osaka began its activities with a particular focus on startup support, we have placed our bets on Kansai as a “real-world testbed” and translated that commitment into tangible outcomes. The most significant achievement during the Expo period was that the collaboration matured into two MOUs with Nakanoshima Qross. This progress was underpinned by the heightened visibility generated by the Expo; as we often noted, it is closely linked to the Expo. On the Expo’s closing day, the agreement with Wyss Zurich was signed in Switzerland, marking a major milestone for both sides.

　Through these MOUs, we have been able to offer the very functions needed to accelerate startup growth in the medical field—functions that Prof. Yoshiki Sawa, Chair of the Future Medical Promotion Organization (the operating body of Nakanoshima Qross), had long sought. For Switzerland, the result is the acquisition of a powerful partner in Kansai’s medical and life-science ecosystem. The consulate coordinated these efforts and is pleased to have contributed to forging stronger ties between Switzerland and Kansai in the important field of regenerative medicine.
(Wyss Zurich: a joint accelerator of ETH Zurich and the University of Zurich that bridges university-born innovations in regenerative medicine, robotics, and medical devices/bionics to clinical application and commercialization.)

Leveraging the Expo for Robust Startup Support

Q: What background or preparations enabled these outcomes?

　This year, the Consulate’s startup support extended to 98 companies. At Osaka’s healthcare events (“Japan Health” and “Global Health Challenge”), a company introduced by the Consulate was selected as the Best Foreign Startup from among roughly 700 entries. At SusHi Tech Tokyo 2025, we had 10 startups participate, and our pavilion received the Most Innovative Pavilion Award—one of the key SusHi Tech awards. At the Swiss Pavilion during the Expo, we also hosted pitch sessions that enabled concentrated dialogue between Swiss startups, senior corporate executives, and investors. Given the limited venue capacity, we had to focus on quality.

　Even before the Expo, we prioritized network building with Kansai companies—conducting visits to Kyocera, Sysmex, Microsoft AI Co-Innovation Lab Kobe, Takeda, Nintendo, SCREEN, Murata Manufacturing, and Shionogi—to facilitate the integration of company site visits into programs for Swiss delegations. We launched the “Science & Technology Diplomatic Circle,” through which consuls general, consuls, and other diplomatic colleagues visit a Kansai site every month. During the Expo, we toured corporate pavilions such as Sumitomo, Panasonic, and NTT—by design, because we don’t want to create competition, but we want to connect with corporates. In parallel, we leveraged the Expo as a platform for innovation—hosting targeted pitch events and helping open the doors for concrete business follow-ups.

Trust Across Borders: The Key to Startup Co-creation

Q: Do you have plans in Kansai to promote international exchange and business going forward?

　Kansai’s defining strength is its ready access to manufacturing floors and R&D centers—the places where value is actually created. In Kansai, you can visit production lines, meet engineers as well as innovation and corporate venture capital (CVC) teams, and—importantly—have discussions on site, in front of real equipment and prototypes. For Swiss startups, that proximity and openness are especially valuable.

　We intend to increase practical, bilateral pitch opportunities with startups, recognizing that both Swiss and Japanese startups are busy and will only participate when the engagements are concrete and meaningful. Specifically, we plan sector-based cohorts: in January 2026, nanotech and quantum; in February, new energy. We will also work toward securing opportunities for Swiss startups to pitch on major Kansai stages such as the STS forum. At the same time, we aim to broaden our collaboration with Kansai Keizai Doyukai (Kansai Association of Corporate Executives), OCCI (Osaka Chamber of Commerce and Industry), JETRO (Japan External Trade Organization), NEDO (New Energy and Industrial Technology Development Organization), and AIST (National Institute of Advanced Industrial Science and Technology).

　The key is mutual trust: a framework in which trusted counterparts can casually consult one another—“we have an outstanding startup; could you connect us with that company?” Kansai’s manageable ecosystem makes such agile connections feasible. In this sense, Kansai is a hidden champion. The region hosted the Expo—a world-scale event—and, notably, produced two Nobel Prize laureates during that period, a clear signal of scientific excellence. Building on this foundation, we will continue to develop relationships that enable effective collaboration with institutions and companies across Kansai.

Contact Information

Ministry of Economy, Trade and Industry, Kansai Bureau
International Affairs Division
Address: 1-5-44 Otemae, Chuo-ku, Osaka, 540-8535
Phone：+81-6-6966-6031
E-Mail：bzl-kin-kokusaiinfo@meti.go.jp