Okayama University: 9 Faculty Members Selected for PSI GAP Fund – Accelerating Social Implementation of Research Results and Startup Creation

April 30, 2026
National University Corporation Okayama University

https://www.okayama-u.ac.jp/

◆ Overview

Nine faculty members from National University Corporation Okayama University (Headquarters: Kita-ku, Okayama City; President: Yasutomo Nasu) have been selected for the PSI GAP Fund. This year, six projects were selected for "Step 1" and three for "Step 2" in fiscal year 2025. The university's research seeds in a wide range of fields, including agriculture, medicine, AI, and materials, have been highly evaluated, and efforts toward social implementation and commercialization are being promoted.

The PSI GAP Fund is a research and development support mechanism implemented by Peace & Science Innovation (PSI), aiming to connect promising research seeds from universities to social implementation and startup creation. Step 1 aims to elevate the results of basic research to a stage where their business potential can be evaluated, as the first step in creating new businesses. The research and development period is within one year, with a maximum amount of 5 million yen. Step 2 is positioned as a stage to evaluate and demonstrate business potential and overcome challenges that need to be resolved for entrepreneurship. The research and development period is up to three years, with a maximum amount of 60 million yen.

To disseminate information with a view to further commercialization and social implementation of the selected projects, the PSI GAP Fund DemoDay 2026 will be held on April 13 at Hotel Granvia Hiroshima. This will be an opportunity to widely communicate the prospects for social implementation of research results through presentations and exchanges by the selected teams. It is also a valuable opportunity for researchers interested in applying for the GAP Fund or commercialization to learn about promising research seeds and directions for commercialization, so please join us.

Okayama University will continue to steadily nurture excellent research results and contribute to solving social issues, creating new industries, and fostering startups, thereby co-creating the future of the region and the planet and fulfilling its role as a research university that contributes to global innovation.

The Startup and Venture Creation Headquarters of the Okayama University Research and Innovation Co-creation Organization provides consultation and application support for acquiring GAP Funds. Researchers interested in the social implementation of research results or startup creation are encouraged to consult with the Startup and Venture Creation Headquarters.

We look forward to your continued expectations for Okayama University's initiatives as an open regional core and distinctive research university.

This matter was released on April 29, 2026.

○ The selected individuals for Step 2 in fiscal year 2025 are as follows:
・Professor Takeshi Hotta (Academic Research Institute, Faculty of Medicine, Dentistry and Pharmaceutical Sciences)
　"Research and development for international expansion of 'Chondro-paste,' a topical cartilage regenerative medicine product usable in arthroscopy"
・Assistant Professor Naoko Nose (Academic Research Institute, Faculty of Medicine, Dentistry and Pharmaceutical Sciences)
　"Development of innovative high-precision PET tracers enabling precise diagnosis of neuroendocrine tumors, neurodegenerative diseases, and heart failure"
・Professor (Specially Appointed) Jo Hasei (Academic Research Institute, Faculty of Medicine, Dentistry and Pharmaceutical Sciences, Medical Informatics and Clinical Support Technology Development Course)
　"Development of a support platform for extending gatekeeper functions with generative AI and its social implementation"

○ The selected individuals for Step 1 in fiscal year 2025 are as follows:
・Professor Yoshiteru Nounen (Academic Research Institute, Faculty of Environmental and Life Sciences)
　"Construction of a biostimulant discovery support platform"
・Professor Yuki Kadota (Academic Research Institute, Faculty of Environmental and Life Sciences)
　"Research and development of early diagnostic methods for grape virus diseases"
・Assistant Professor Junji Yamakawa (Academic Research Institute, Faculty of Environmental and Life Sciences)
　"Social implementation of highly accurate and rapid sediment disaster risk prediction technology using SABO AI (Sediment Disaster AI)"
・Research Professor Yuhei Chatani (Academic Research Institute, Faculty of Environmental and Life Sciences)
　"Improving the production efficiency of functional proteins using tailor-made translation factors"
・Research Professor Takashi Teranishi (Academic Research Institute, Faculty of Environmental and Life Sciences)
　"Social implementation of innovative battery and capacitor materials achieving ultra-high-speed charging and discharging"
・Associate Professor Ken Takahashi (Academic Research Institute, Faculty of Medicine, Dentistry and Pharmaceutical Sciences)
　"Practical application of a QT prolongation evaluation system using human cardiac chips"

Nine selected faculty members

◆ References

・University-launched startup creation platform "Peace & Science Innovation Ecosystem (PSI)"

　https://psi-ecosystem.net/

・Okayama University Research and Innovation Co-creation Organization

　https://www.orsd.okayama-u.ac.jp/

・Okayama University Research and Innovation Co-creation Organization Startup and Venture Creation Headquarters

　https://venture.okayama-u.ac.jp/

・Okayama University "Okayama University Venture Support Terrace V-Story" Startup Consultation Service

　https://venture.okayama-u.ac.jp/consultation/

◆ Reference Information

・[Okayama University] PSI Entrepreneur