The 10th Kumamoto Tech Plan Grand Prix Grand Prize was awarded to "GALTS Pharma Co.

(Head office: Shinjuku-ku, Tokyo; President and CCO: Jo Inoue; hereinafter referred to as "RIVANES") announced today that it has signed an agreement with Kumamoto Prefecture, Higo Bank, Kumamoto University, and the Kumamoto Prefectural Federation of Industry andKumamoto Prefecture Next Generation Venture Creation Support ConsortiumThe goal of this project is to create next-generation ventures in Kumamoto Prefecture by forming the "Kumamoto Venture Capital Association (Kumamoto Venture Capital Association).
The Consortium held the 10th Kumamoto Tech Plan Grand Prix, a contest to support the creation of next-generation ventures, on Saturday, July 19, 2025, as part of the "Kumamoto Tech Planter" business startup support program.

This year, 20 teams of researchers and engineers with a passion for solving problems entered the competition, and nine teams were selected through a document screening process to give oral presentations.
(For a list of finalists and judges, seethis way (direction close to the speaker or towards the speaker)(Please refer to the following section.)
After rigorous judging by the panel of judges, three corporate awards were presented by regional development partners, a real-tech fund award from UntroD Capital Japan K.K., which operates the real-tech fund, two excellence awards from the consortium, and a grand prize.

The Grand Prize was awarded to GALTS Pharma Inc.(Presentation theme: From Drug Discovery for Hereditary Intractable Diseases to Realization of a Dialysis-free Society, Representative: Hirofumi Kai)were selected. The teams received a total of 500,000 yen, 300,000 yen in cash prizes, 200,000 yen in project promotion expenses, and trophies.

The "Kumamoto Tech Planter" business start-up support program will, from August onward, accelerate the team's collaboration with partner companies, as well as provide study sessions to learn about management and business, exchange meetings with local businesses in Kumamoto, support for proof of concept and market research, exchange meetings with students who will become future colleagues, and opportunities for fundraising We will also create opportunities for students to meet with their future colleagues and raise funds. Through these programs, we will discover and nurture entrepreneurs and founders who will take the first step to change the world from Kumamoto.

Going forward, RIVANES will continue to contribute to the creative reconstruction of Kumamoto, together with the consortium, partner companies, and everyone else involved in this initiative.

Grand Prize
◯Team name: GALTS Pharma Inc. Hirofumi Kai Theme: From Drug Discovery for Hereditary Intractable Diseases to Realization of a Dialysis-Free Society
Corporate Awards
Real Tech Fund Award ◯Team name: GALTS Pharma Inc. Hirofumi Kai Theme: From Drug Discovery for Hereditary Intractable Diseases to Realization of a Dialysis-Free Society
NEXYZ. prize ◯Team name: BDES (Bird Detection & Evacuation System) Fat presenter: Takahiro Miyamoto (Sojo University) Theme: Social Implementation of AI-based Aviation Safety and Disaster Prevention Support Systems
[BIPROGY Award Team name: Nanorobots Bio Kenichi Arita (Kumamoto University) Development of nano-robot carriers to accelerate development of biopharmaceuticals
Mizuho Bank Prize ◯Team name: P&A Inc. Toshiya Nakahata Fat theme: Project for restoration of seaweed beds using photosynthetic bacteria and gels
Excellence Award Team name: Nanorobots Bio Kenichi Arita (Kumamoto University) Development of nano-robot carriers to accelerate development of biopharmaceuticals
Excellence Award Fat team name: NAMsVision Fat presenter: Hoshika Takebayashi (Sojo University) Development, production and sales of MPS-Chip (biomimetic system)

Also on the day of the eventkeynote speechThe company has conducted a

Keynote Speech
Bringing Staple Nucleic Acids to the World to Innovate Treatments for Rare Diseases
Yosuke Katsuta, Co-Founder and Director, CSO, StapleBio Inc.
(4th Kumamoto Tech Plan Grand Prix Finalist, J-Startup KYUSHU selected company)

<Contact Information
Regional Development Division, Liverness Corporation (Attn: Nishimura, Fukuda)
TEL: 03-5227-4198 / E-Mail: [email protected]