Visit Report: KEIO TECHNO-MALL 2025 and OIST-Keio Showcase Talk Series 8

J-PEAKS is a program that strengthens research capabilities by fostering collaboration among leading regional universities and specialized research institutes, accelerating international engagement and real-world implementation. Keio University and OIST, as partner institutions, worked closely together and showcased their strengths in both industry–academia collaboration and academic exchange through two consecutive events: Keio TECHNOMALL at Tokyo International Forum on December 12 and the OIST–Keio Showcase Talk Series 8 at Keio’s Yagami Campus on December 13. These back-to-back events symbolized the depth of their partnership.

Day 1: Keio TECHNO-MALL 2025

The TECHNO-MALL showcased a wide range of research seeds, along with promotional exhibits from major innovation hub and facilities such as KGRI, CRIK, and YIR. Highlights included BIO2Q initiatives and presentations from medical-related startups, demonstrating Keio’s strong capacity for research commercialization and societal implementation.

OIST’s Participation as a J-PEAKS Partner:

OIST was invited to exhibit as a J-PEAKS partner, presenting patented research seeds, medtech developments, and quantum computing spin-offs. We engaged in numerous productive discussions and identified several promising industry–academia collaboration opportunities.

Day 2: OIST–Keio Showcase Talk Series 8 "Science Meets Society: Twist, Flow, and Instability"

The following day focused on fluidics, a field where both institutions have strong expertise.
In the opening remarks, Professor. Toshiharu Saiki, Executive Director and Head of the Innovation Promotion Headquarters at Keio University, expressed a strong commitment to collaboration, stating: In this field where both institutions excel, I hope today’s showcase will lead to concrete joint research.
Sessions covered structural and fluid-flow design, multiphase systems, and geophysical fluid dynamics, with active discussions throughout.

Poster Session at YIR

The poster session among young researchers was held in the newly established Yagami Innovation Laboratory (YIR), developed through the MEXT "Facility development project for open innovation and joint research through collaboration among regional core and distinctive research universities". The venue was filled with lively exchanges among researchers, demonstrating how the new facility is already serving as a hub for collaboration.

Reflections

Across both events, we observed Keio’s robust ecosystem connecting basic research, innovation hubs, and startup activity.
Combined with OIST’s presence at the TECHNO-MALL and the scientific discussions at the showcase, the visit highlighted multiple promising paths for future research and innovation collaboration within the J-PEAKS network