Enishia Inc, a Kyoto University tech startup founded and led by Phoenixi’s cohort 2 fellow Shigeo Kohigashi, won the top prize at the 2020 Entrepreneurs’ Challenge held on 5 March in Tokyo. This event was co-organized by Japan’s Ministry of Internal Affairs and Communications (MIC) and National Institute of Information and Communications Technology (NICT) to help create highly promising ICT startups across the nation. Enishia was also named the recipient of the International Telecommunication Union (ITU) Award as well as the prizes sponsored by Amazon Web Services Inc, NTT Data Corp, and Microsoft Japan Co Ltd.
In collaboration with Kyoto University Hospital, Enishia has been developing Satomi®︎, an AI software that summarizes a massive amount of patients’ health information stored in medical charts by employing natural language processing (NLP) technologies. With Satomi®︎, Enishia seeks to: 1) improve physicians’ working environment at hospitals; 2) help expand the frontiers of medical research by utilizing big data; and 3) contribute to medical practice as a whole by better inform patients.
The award ceremony took place on 9 July 2020 at Toberu, a Kyoto-based residential incubator for social entrepreneurs run by Phoenixi Co Ltd, with concerned parties from the MIC, Osaka Innovation Hub, and Kyoto University in attendance. Some reporters from major media outlets in Japan were also present.
Enishia CEO Shigeo Kohigasi was part of the Phoenixi Incubation Program‘s cohort 2, which ran from November 2019 through February 2020 at Toberu, where he honed his business plan and grew his venture.
Related links and media coverage
- 3 July 2020: Press Release (in Japanese | PDF)
Photos of the day
Yuji Sasaki, director-general of the MIC Kinki Bureau of Telecommunications, on a facility tour at Phoenixi’s residential incubator “Toberu,” where Kohigashi spent four months.
Yoshinori Hara, professor and former dean of Kyoto University’s Graduate School of Management, giving opening remarks as Kohigashi’s academic advisor at the graduate school.
Kohigashi (left) receiving the top prize diploma from director-general Sasaki.
Phoenixi CEO Yukiko Hashitera delivering closing remarks. She and Kohigashi both earned their MBAs from the graduate school.
Those present at the award ceremony from the MIC, Osaka Innovation Hub, Kyoto University, Enishia, and Phoenixi.
Enishia CTO Kishimoto Yudai (far left) and Kohigashi demonstrating Satomi®︎ following the ceremony.
Plaques and trophies awarded to Enishia.
