How do you find the problem worth solving for the rest of your life?
Most people have vague ideas of what they'd like to fix in the world. Marlene and Taisuke actually did something about it.
Acsiryo is building a future where getting a blood test is as easy as stopping by a vending machine; a semi-automated, finger-prick, results in 15 minutes, at your local mall or community center. No appointments. No taking time off work. Just healthcare that fits into your life, forever.
But before the product, there was a PhD in surgical robotics. Software engineering in medical devices. Years of asking: why is something this important still this hard to access?
In this fireside chat, we'll get into the real story; how two founders with deep technical roots decided that decentralized clinical testing was the problem worth dedicating their lives to, what it actually took to go from research to a real product in the hands of real people, and what 171 strangers at a Kumamoto shopping mall taught them about building something people actually want.
This one is for anyone who has ever wondered what it takes to turn a conviction into a company.
🎯 What we'll get into:
The moment they knew this was the problem worth solving
What field testing really looks like, and what it forces you to confront
How to build something people actually want, when the science keeps moving
The founder path: why leave a stable career to do something this hard?
🗓️ Date&Time: Tuesday, March 31, 18:30~21:00
📍 Place: Google for Startups Campus Tokyo 5F
🗣️ Language：English
⏰ Event Schedule
18:00: Doors open
18:30: Fireside conversation
19:30: Q&A
20:00: Networking & light refreshments
21:00: Event ends
📢 Speakers
Marlene Pinzi, Ph.D. | Co-Founder & CTO, Acsiryo
Marlene is the Co-Founder and CTO of Acsiryo, a health-tech company building a decentralized clinical testing and digital healthcare platform. The platform integrates point-of-care testing with software that enables clinical review, follow-up, and continuity of care beyond traditional clinical settings, designed to be deployed in accessible public and satellite locations, bringing healthcare closer to where people live and work. Marlene holds a PhD in biomedical engineering from Imperial College London, specializing in surgical robotics, and brings hands-on experience in clinical research and medical device development. Before co-founding Acsiryo, she worked with multiple startups across the UK and Europe.
Taisuke Ikawa | Co-Founder & CEO, Acsiryo
Taisuke is the Co-Founder and CEO of Acsiryo. He brings deep expertise in design engineering and regulatory science, having built his career at Canon and CMIC before going on to serve with Médecins Sans Frontières. These experiences, spanning corporate engineering and frontline humanitarian healthcare, shaped his vision for making continuous medical monitoring accessible to all. Taisuke holds an MSc in Innovation Design Engineering from Imperial College London and the Royal College of Art, and founded Acsiryo, backed by Antler Japan, to bring ongoing chronic disease monitoring to communities everywhere.
Risa | Moderator
Risa does product at Eucalyptus, an Australian healthtech startup recently acquired by Hims & Hers. She is obsessed with finding new ways to make healthcare and information more accessible, helping people live healthier, longer lives. Driven by a passion for health, people, and technology, she also founded and leads Japan's only bilingual healthcare community, bringing together founders, investors, and researchers every two weeks in Shibuya.
Iris | Co-Moderator
Iris works at the intersection of science, technology, and impact, helping move ideas out of the lab and into the hands of the people who need them. She has done this across universities, research institutes, and startup environments, and now at the Stellar Science Foundation, where she works to cultivate greater creativity and real-world impact across Japan's research ecosystem. Along the way, she's found that unexpected delights have a habit of showing up when you're curious enough to ask slightly awkward questions.
About Google for Startups Campus
Google for Startups Campus (map) is one of six global hubs designed to support startups. The Google for Startups Japan team established a campus in Shibuya in 2019, beginning its mission to support startups across Japan.Selected startups receive technical training and mentoring, along with business support from Google. They also benefit from a diverse community of entrepreneurs and startups. Campus Tokyo, located in the central Shibuya district, serves as a hub for innovation throughout Japan.