Shunichi Takahashi joined Mitsui Pharmaceuticals in 1993 as a scientist, and after two corporate mergers, became a senior scientist at Bayer in 2007. From 2001 to 2007, he was seconded to the company’s research institute in USA, where he was engaged in cardiovascular and immunology research. He was also involved in regenerative medicine and iPS cell research at Bayer's Kobe Research Center. Later, he served as Manager of Cardiovascular in Drug Development and Head of Medical Affairs Primary Care Department at Bayer Yakuhin. In 2014, he led the establishment of the company's first Open Innovation Center in Japan and was appointed Head of the Center. He also established CoLaborator Kobe in Japan, the company's third startup incubator in the world. As a member of the Bayer Open Innovation Global Leadership Team, he led a wide range of open innovation in Japan. In 2022, he joined Life Science Innovation Network Japan (LINK-J) as President and COO. He is also a Scientific Advisor and Fellow of the Office of Innovation Industry-Academia Collaboration at Kyoto University and an independent external Director of METCELA.