Business Co-creation Company Relic Releases "Healthcare New Business Practice Guide" for Companies Challenging the Healthcare Market, Projected to Exceed 1.3 Trillion Yen by 2035

Relic Inc., a business co-creation company (Headquarters: Shibuya-ku, Tokyo; Representative Director CEO: Takahiro Kitajima; Representative Director CTO: Ryo Oba), released the white paper "Healthcare New Business Practice Guide" for companies challenging the healthcare market on May 12, 2026 (Tuesday). This report targets management and new business leaders of companies aiming to develop new businesses in the healthcare sector from non-medical fields.

As the domestic digital health market is predicted to expand to 1,351.1 billion yen (※1) by 2035, this guide systematizes practical knowledge to overcome structural challenges faced by new business leaders in all industries, including IT, finance, manufacturing, and consumer goods, when considering entry into the healthcare sector from non-medical fields, thereby increasing their success rate. This report is available for free download from the URL below.

Download here

Background of Publication: "New Business Opportunities" Brought by Structural Changes

According to a survey by Fuji Keizai, the domestic digital health market is expected to reach 1,351.1 billion yen (an increase of +89.6% compared to 2024) by 2035. Structural changes such as the advancement of a super-aging society and the Medical DX Reiwa Vision 2030 are creating new business opportunities that transcend traditional frameworks. In response, considering entry into the healthcare sector is now a strategic imperative for many companies.

However, in recent times, there has been a series of withdrawals by challengers who invested large capital, such as the closure of healthcare divisions by global IT giants and the termination of services by major domestic platformers. Complex regulatory trends, such as the multi-layered player structure unique to healthcare where "customer ≠ payer," the two-stage approval system for SaMD (Software as a Medical Device), and the legal obligation for medical device cybersecurity, stand as significant barriers before new business leaders. This report was created and published to help many companies overcome these barriers and seize "new business opportunities."

5 Patterns for Success in "New Business Development" that New Business Leaders Should Master

Based on Relic's practical knowledge gained from supporting new business development for over 5,000 companies, primarily large corporations, this report explains five strategic patterns for steadily achieving results in the highly uncertain healthcare sector.

Backend-focused type: A model that leverages technical capabilities to act as a behind-the-scenes supporter for manufacturing contracts and platforms.

D2C type: A model that utilizes existing customer touchpoints to expand from self-pay medical care and preventive care areas.

Phased evidence building type: A step-up strategy that starts from unapproved areas and gradually expands the scope of approval.

Existing asset repurposing type: A breakthrough strategy that repurposes a company's core technologies and sales channels to add unique value.

Collaborative innovation type: A co-creation model through cross-industry alliances and industry-academia collaboration.

"Regulatory Practice Guide" and "Self-Diagnosis Checklist" Included as Appendices to Support Practical Work

This report includes the following tools to enable personnel who are in a state of "don't know what they don't know" during the new business launch phase to immediately apply them to practical work.

Regulatory practice guide for Pharmaceutical and Medical Device Act, SaMD, and cybersecurity.

"Self-diagnosis checklist" to measure the success probability of entering healthcare.

We encourage new business development personnel and R&D personnel from non-medical fields such as IT, finance, manufacturing, and consumer goods manufacturers to utilize this as a bible for exploring forms of "co-creation" that leverage their company's strengths.

(※1) Source: Fuji Keizai "2025 Digital Health / IT Medical & Drug Discovery Overview"

Download here

About Relic, a Business Co-creation Company

Relic, as a "business co-creation company" that supports new business development and innovation creation for Japanese companies, comprehensively develops "Incubation Tech Business" which provides a unique SaaS platform specialized in new business development globally, "Business Produce/New Business Development Support Business" which provides comprehensive and end-to-end support for new business and innovation creation, and "Open Innovation Business" which co-creates innovation through investments in startups and joint ventures with large corporations.

Relic boasts the No. 1 domestic share (※) in new business development support and co-creation, and with a track record of supporting new business development for over 5,000 companies, primarily leading Japanese corporations, it is a leading company that has achieved unique value and significance, as well as industry-top scale and growth. As the core of the Relic Group, which comprises 27 companies and over 350 employees with sales exceeding 10 billion yen, it provides new business development support and co-creation across Japan from 18 prefectural bases.

※2024, "Boutique Consulting Market Survey for New Business Development", Relic Inc. and Digital Infact Inc.