How can we redesign the future of healthcare? Sponsored by the Tokyo Metropolitan Government and supported by Biodesign Japan Association, Re:public created Medtech Innovators Development (MID) program to help local SMEs, ranging from startups to mature firms, to learn and practice human-centered design for the patients of today and tomorrow.

While it seems obvious that healthcare products and services are developed for the sake of patients, the sensitive and professional nature of healthcare sometimes can prevent such companies to have a proper observation and understanding on what stakeholders, particularly patients really need. Our goal was to help these companies to start from scratch, by conducting an intensive design research where they met patients and their family members, doctors, nurses, care and technical staffs in hospitals, clinics, and even at home.

The program was a five months program, where we offer series of workshops with 13 uniquely designed process, where each participant went through what is known as the ‘double-diamond process,’ a design process consisted of four stages: Discover, define, develop, and deliver.

In the end, MID program became a wide network of innovators from healthcare and beyond, where both the experienced and the newcomers exchanged their knowledge in making changes within their organization, sectors, and markets. Today there are multiple alumni whose business ideas received positive responses from the management of the company, and are currently working in order to deliver the products and services they have come up during the program.