ONO PHARMA USA Launches 2025 Golden Ticket Competition for Promising Startups
In an effort to promote innovation within the biotechnology sector, ONO PHARMA USA has announced the launch of its 2025 Golden Ticket Competition. This initiative seeks to support early-stage life science startups by partnering with two renowned organizations—LabCentral in Cambridge, Massachusetts, and MBC BioLabs in San Francisco and San Carlos, California. The competition will award these selected startups with vital resources that include lab space and mentorship, which are essential for fostering their development.
The Golden Ticket program is designed to boost promising research and development (R&D) companies that specialize in oncology, immunology, neurology, and specialty medicine. Companies interested in participating must submit their non-confidential presentations to LabCentral by May 30, 2025, and to MBC BioLabs by June 6, 2025. Each of the winners will receive significant support: a $50,000 credit for lab space at LabCentral’s flagship facility, which can be utilized over a 13-month period, as well as one year of free lab space at MBC BioLabs, along with access to shared amenities and services.
This marks the fifth consecutive year ONO PHARMA USA has collaborated with LabCentral and MBC BioLabs, organizations that are instrumental in nurturing biotech startups. These partnerships have previously resulted in eight companies being awarded Golden Tickets, such as Leverna, a biotech firm from Cambridge that is focused on RNA regulatory processes, and DeepSeq.AI, which innovates in generative AI for antibody and protein creation.
After the submission deadline, a committee at Ono will review the proposals from each location. Finalists will be notified and invited to present their projects either in person or virtually towards the end of July, culminating in the announcement of the winners shortly thereafter.
Kunihiko Ito, President and CEO of ONO PHARMA USA, emphasized the company’s commitment to innovation: As longtime believers in open innovation and the power of partnerships, we are excited to partner with LabCentral and MBC BioLabs for this Golden Ticket competition. We encourage companies that excel in ONO’s key focus areas to apply, as our goal is to deliver top-notch medicines to those in need by leveraging the innovative technologies of startups alongside our expertise.
ONO PHARMA USA, established in 1998 as a subsidiary of Ono Pharmaceutical Co., Ltd., is dedicated to the clinical development of new drug candidates, while also facilitating discovery alliances and licensing to enhance its development pipeline. The overarching mission is to address unmet medical needs globally, focusing on oncology, immunology, and neurology through innovative therapies.
Both LabCentral and MBC BioLabs play a crucial role in this competition by providing the necessary infrastructure and mentorship that budding companies require. LabCentral, a non-profit organization, offers a comprehensive launchpad for life sciences startups, totaling 225,000 square feet of lab and office space. MBC BioLabs, conversely, has a model that accommodates startups by supplying flexible lab rental options, allowing access to necessary equipment and space from day one. Since its inception, MBC BioLabs has been pivotal in aiding the growth and launch of over 350 companies, facilitating research that has led to 13 approved diagnostics and an impressive $20 billion raised by participating startups.
The Golden Ticket Competition exemplifies ONO PHARMA’s investment in innovation and collaboration within the biotech community, aiming to bridge the gap between groundbreaking ideas and the necessary resources to bring them to fruition. This initiative not only gives a significant boost to aspiring companies but also exemplifies ONO’s dedication to patient care through the development of innovative solutions in healthcare.
For more information about the Golden Ticket Competition and eligibility criteria, interested individuals can visit the respective websites of LabCentral and MBC BioLabs. Here’s to shaping the future of healthcare, one startup at a time!
The Golden Ticket program is designed to boost promising research and development (R&D) companies that specialize in oncology, immunology, neurology, and specialty medicine. Companies interested in participating must submit their non-confidential presentations to LabCentral by May 30, 2025, and to MBC BioLabs by June 6, 2025. Each of the winners will receive significant support: a $50,000 credit for lab space at LabCentral’s flagship facility, which can be utilized over a 13-month period, as well as one year of free lab space at MBC BioLabs, along with access to shared amenities and services.
This marks the fifth consecutive year ONO PHARMA USA has collaborated with LabCentral and MBC BioLabs, organizations that are instrumental in nurturing biotech startups. These partnerships have previously resulted in eight companies being awarded Golden Tickets, such as Leverna, a biotech firm from Cambridge that is focused on RNA regulatory processes, and DeepSeq.AI, which innovates in generative AI for antibody and protein creation.
After the submission deadline, a committee at Ono will review the proposals from each location. Finalists will be notified and invited to present their projects either in person or virtually towards the end of July, culminating in the announcement of the winners shortly thereafter.
Kunihiko Ito, President and CEO of ONO PHARMA USA, emphasized the company’s commitment to innovation: As longtime believers in open innovation and the power of partnerships, we are excited to partner with LabCentral and MBC BioLabs for this Golden Ticket competition. We encourage companies that excel in ONO’s key focus areas to apply, as our goal is to deliver top-notch medicines to those in need by leveraging the innovative technologies of startups alongside our expertise.
ONO PHARMA USA, established in 1998 as a subsidiary of Ono Pharmaceutical Co., Ltd., is dedicated to the clinical development of new drug candidates, while also facilitating discovery alliances and licensing to enhance its development pipeline. The overarching mission is to address unmet medical needs globally, focusing on oncology, immunology, and neurology through innovative therapies.
Both LabCentral and MBC BioLabs play a crucial role in this competition by providing the necessary infrastructure and mentorship that budding companies require. LabCentral, a non-profit organization, offers a comprehensive launchpad for life sciences startups, totaling 225,000 square feet of lab and office space. MBC BioLabs, conversely, has a model that accommodates startups by supplying flexible lab rental options, allowing access to necessary equipment and space from day one. Since its inception, MBC BioLabs has been pivotal in aiding the growth and launch of over 350 companies, facilitating research that has led to 13 approved diagnostics and an impressive $20 billion raised by participating startups.
The Golden Ticket Competition exemplifies ONO PHARMA’s investment in innovation and collaboration within the biotech community, aiming to bridge the gap between groundbreaking ideas and the necessary resources to bring them to fruition. This initiative not only gives a significant boost to aspiring companies but also exemplifies ONO’s dedication to patient care through the development of innovative solutions in healthcare.
For more information about the Golden Ticket Competition and eligibility criteria, interested individuals can visit the respective websites of LabCentral and MBC BioLabs. Here’s to shaping the future of healthcare, one startup at a time!
Topics Health）
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