Leave a Nest Takes the Stage at a Program of the Europe-Based Marie Curie Alumni Association, Connecting with Researchers from Around the World
On Wednesday, November 4, 2026, Leave a Nest Co., Ltd. took the stage at MCAA Asia Connect “Konnichiwa Tokyo 2026,” held in Shibuya, Tokyo. Leave a Nest was represented by Nami Akinaga, Director of the Strategy Development Division, and Tsuyoshi Inoue of the Research & Development Division. Their session focused on research support and international collaboration driven by researchers’ own questions and passion.
Event Overview
Dates: Wednesday, November 4 – Thursday, November 5, 2026
Main venue: Tech Tokyo Shibuya, Shibuya, Tokyo
Leave a Nest session: November 4 – “Innovation Ecosystem, Startups & Deep-Tech”
Held on November 4 and 5, the conference was jointly organized by the Japan, China, and India chapters of the Marie Curie Alumni Association (MCAA) in collaboration with MSCA GLOPOL. The event marked the 30th anniversary of the Marie Skłodowska-Curie Actions (MSCA), a European program supporting researchers and their careers, and brought together researchers and related organizations from across the Asia-Pacific region and Europe.
The Marie Skłodowska-Curie Actions (MSCA) was launched in 1996 to support the international research activities and career development of researchers, including doctoral students and postdoctoral researchers. In addition to supporting research activities within Europe, the program also facilitates the mobility of researchers from Europe to regions outside Europe.
The Marie Curie Alumni Association (MCAA) is a network of researchers who have received this support. It connects approximately 25,000 members across around 40 chapters worldwide, supporting continued career development and networking even after their funding periods have ended. MCAA also provides Microgrants, small-scale grants that support activities such as participation in research presentations and training programs.
Participation Made Possible Through Connections with Eugenio Otal of Shinshu University
Leave a Nest’s participation in this event grew out of its ongoing relationship with Eugenio Otal, Associate Professor at Shinshu University and a member of the MCAA Board.
Following his participation in the Hyper Interdisciplinary Conference in Osaka 2022, Otal was selected in 2023 as a finalist in the Food Tech Grand Prix, representing Team Zensorics. At the Grand Prix, the team proposed addressing water-quality challenges through the use of a low-cost fluoride sensor.
The relationship built around bringing research outcomes into society eventually developed into an opportunity for Leave a Nest to introduce its activities at MCAA, where researchers from various countries come together.
Initiatives Supporting Researchers in Taking on New Challenges
Akinaga introduced Science Bridge Communication, an approach that connects the knowledge and challenges of researchers with those of society. She also presented the QPMI Cycle, in which questions and passion serve as the starting point for sharing a mission with others and creating new value together. Through examples in educational activities, the Hyper Interdisciplinary Conference, and the TECH PLANTER, she explained Leave a Nest’s approach to support researchers.
Inoue introduced the Leave a Nest Grant, a program for early-career researchers. He explained how the program supports researchers in taking the first step toward testing their own questions and hypotheses, while also creating opportunities to develop new research themes and collaborative research projects together with companies.
Toward Collaboration by Bringing Together the Strengths of Different Countries
During the Q&A session, participants exchanged views on potential expansion into Europe and the conditions needed to initiate collaboration in different countries.
Leave a Nest places importance on understanding the strengths of research and technology in each country, as well as the challenges each country faces in developing human resources. Based on this understanding, Leave a Nest seeks to develop new initiatives together with passionate researchers.
On Thursday, November 5, MCAA members visited the Leave a Nest headquarters for further interaction and exchange. MCAA introduced its initiatives for supporting researchers, and discussions also explored the potential to deepen connections with Southeast Asia, a region where Leave a Nest has developed particular strengths.
Leave a Nest sees several potential points of connection between MCAA’s long-term support for researchers and its own initiatives, including career support for PhD talent, the Leave a Nest Grant, and the Hyper Interdisciplinary Conference.
Going forward, Leave a Nest will continue contributing to the international career development of researchers and to Global Bridge initiatives that connect people and activities across countries and regions.
