Living Best and Advanced Telecommunications Research Institute International (ATR) have announced the launch of the Living Best Japan Gateway, a pioneering initiative aimed at assisting international companies in longevity, agetech, and health technology sectors to enter and expand within the Japanese market. This initiative is set to debut at the Kyoto Smart City Expo, which will be held on October 8-9, 2026, at Keihanna Plaza. During the expo, selected companies will be invited to showcase their innovations, engage with potential Japanese corporate partners via ATR’s business-matching network, and possibly join ATR’s KGAP+ business-development accelerator, with its next session commencing in December.
The initiative draws its strength from Living City Keihanna, an innovation hub focused on longevity, developed through a partnership between ATR and Living Best. This platform is designed to facilitate collaborations between international ventures and a network of Japanese researchers, businesses, investors, care providers, and local communities, providing long-term support beyond mere introductions or short-term projects. It aims to bridge the gap between overseas innovations and practical implementation in Japan, leveraging Keihanna’s comprehensive research capabilities, infrastructure, and expansive networks across various sectors.
Living Best will play a crucial role in assisting participating companies to assess the Japanese market’s demand, locate potential implementation and funding partners, validate their products with end-users, and generate evidence to support broader commercial expansion. Since 2021, Living Best has evaluated over 2,000 ventures from more than 40 countries, garnering over 17,000 assessments from Japanese consumers, along with insights from clinicians, care operators, investors, and policy experts.
Dominic Carter, CEO and co-founder of Living Best, emphasized that this partnership is designed to provide international companies with comprehensive support throughout their journey into the Japanese market, from initial market validation to implementation, funding, and eventual expansion. ATR’s Senior Executive Vice President and Representative Director Hiroyuki Suzuki highlighted Keihanna’s unique blend of research capabilities and its extensive networks across industry, academia, government, and local communities, which can facilitate the integration of overseas innovations within Japan.
The Gateway is currently accepting applications from international ventures in the longevity, agetech, and health technology fields that have either market-ready products or are in advanced development stages. Selection for participation will be determined by Living Best and ATR, with the application deadline for the October 2026 intake set for September 25, 2026. Interested parties can find more information on the Living Best website and schedule introductory calls to learn more about the initiative.
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