Treatment for spinal cord injuries and 6 other Japanese startups raised funding last week

Last week saw a new US$175 million fund debut in Japan and this week’s funding roundup shows the nation’s startup momentum is not slowing down.

Potential biomedical breakthroughs in spinal cord injury treatment and supplement production headline this week’s list. With the exception of a micro-funding service, the rest are all business-to-business services. They cover construction, localization, accounting, and real-estate.

Check out the details below.

Kringle Pharma

Photo credit: Phalinn Ooi.

Hailing from Osaka, Kringle Pharma took in US$5.4 million to finish its proof-of-concept study of a new treatment for spinal cord injuries. The Development Bank of Japan and the Keio Innovation Initiative fund led the round.

Its research focuses on hepatocyte growth factor (HGF). For biology Ph.Ds, “this protein is secreted by mesenchymal cells and acts as a multi-functional cytokine on cells of mainly epithelial origin.” For the rest of us, it is a protein involved in tissue regeneration.

Kringle Pharma’s clinical projects currently focus on producing HGF to assist patients with severe spinal cord injuries, ALS, acute kidney injuries, and vocal cord scars.

HealthServer

Credit: e-Magine Art.

HealthServer had a good week, announcing two major investments. With the claim of analyzing your body’s health and then providing tailor-made supplements, the under-development device seems to be nearing completion.

The operating startup, Dricos, is four years old but has caught the eye of Shiseido, the largest cosmetic firm in Japan. Shiseido, which just established the aptly named Shiseido Venture Partners, did not disclose the amount invested. DyDo, one of the nation’s largest operators of vending machines, also invested US$520,000 in a separate deal.

Though it is still unclear how the device works precisely, the backing such major players suggests the technology might fulfill its promise.

Photoruction

Xiaomi’s Yi 4K action cam.

Wovn

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