AutoPhagyGO
AutoPhagyGO is a privately held Osaka University spin-out that develops autophagy-activating health supplements (Awa Bancha line) and contract autophagy measurement services for food, pharmaceutical, and cosmetics enterprises, leveraging co-founder Tamotsu Yoshimori's foundational autophagy research to target healthspan extension and age-related disease prevention.
- Company typePrivate
- Founded2019
- HeadquartersSuita, Japan
- Headcount1–10
- GTM typeB2B and B2C
- OfferingServices
What AutoPhagyGO does
AutoPhagyGO Inc. (株式会社AutoPhagyGO) is a privately held Japanese biotechnology company founded in June 2019 as a university-originated startup from Osaka University, headquartered in the Osaka University Industry-Academia Co-creation Building A in Suita City, Osaka. The company is built on the autophagy research of co-founder and technical advisor Professor Tamotsu Yoshimori, a globally ranked researcher who co-discovered the LC3 autophagosome marker and identified the Rubicon protein as an autophagy brake. AutoPhagyGO develops and commercializes autophagy-activating products and services aimed at healthspan extension and age-related disease prevention, serving two primary segments: health-conscious consumers via proprietary supplements sold on Amazon Japan, and food/pharmaceutical/cosmetics enterprises via co-development agreements, contract autophagy activity measurement services, and licensing of ingredients such as urolithin A.
The company's commercial portfolio includes two proprietary consumer SKUs — Awa Bancha Autophagy 100 tablets (launched April 2025) and Awa Bancha Autophagy Tea (launched July 2025) — both based on a traditional Tokushima fermented tea extract. It also generates revenue through co-developed products including Autophagy Habit PLATINUM with UHA Mikakuto and Urolithin Capsule with Kyowa, plus exclusive distribution of autophagy activity evaluation services through Human Metabolome Technologies (HMT). Its enterprise partnerships span domestic investors and customers (UHA Mikakuto, Kobayashi Pharmaceutical, Kyowa, ENEOS, Euglena, Shionogi, Medical Corporation Sogakai) and international research collaborators (Oxford Healthspan, Korean ORGASIS).
AutoPhagyGO has cumulatively raised approximately ¥392M across four funding rounds between 2020 and 2023 (registered capital ¥28.93M), maintains a 1–10 employee footprint, and operates as an open-innovation platform with founding participation in the Japan Autophagy Consortium. In 2025 it advanced to the semifinals of the $101M XPRIZE Healthspan competition as 'Team 10 years Rewind with AUTOPHAGY' alongside Curationz and Dentsu, and has won multiple innovation awards including the 2023 Healthcare Venture Award Academic Society Prize.
AutoPhagyGO firmographics
Firmographics- Name
- AutoPhagyGO
- Legal name
- 株式会社AutoPhagyGO
- Website
- https://autophagygo.com
- Company type
- Private
- Founded year
- 2019
- Operating status
- Operating
- Headcount range
- 1–10 employees
- Short description
- AutoPhagyGO is a privately held Osaka University spin-out that develops autophagy-activating health supplements (Awa Bancha line) and contract autophagy measurement services for food, pharmaceutical, and cosmetics enterprises, leveraging co-founder Tamotsu Yoshimori's foundational autophagy research to target healthspan extension and age-related disease prevention.
- Ownership category
- akta.pro rank
Where AutoPhagyGO is headquartered
LocationHeadquarters
- HQ city
- Suita
- HQ country
- Japan
- HQ region
- Asia
Offices1 record
Markets served
AutoPhagyGO business model
Business model- GTM type
- B2B and B2C
- Offering type
- Services
- Cost components
- Personnel, Technology or R&D, Marketing or Sales, Supply Chain, Operations
Revenue model
- Consumer Health Supplement Sales: Direct-to-consumer sales of proprietary autophagy-activating supplements — Awa Bancha Autophagy 100 tablets and Awa Bancha Autophagy Tea — via Amazon Japan, own e-commerce website, and potentially through UHA Mikakuto's health/beauty online store.
- Autophagy Measurement Contract Services: Fee-for-service autophagy activity measurement contracts with enterprise clients (food, pharmaceutical, cosmetics companies) seeking to screen natural ingredients for autophagy activation. Described as exclusively available through Human Metabolome Technologies (HMT) partnership.
- Co-Development and Licensing (B2B): Joint product development arrangements with food, pharmaceutical, and cosmetics companies — including co-development agreements with UHA Mikakuto (Autophagy Habit PLATINUM, Urolithin Capsule), Kyowa (Urolithin Capsule via fracora), Shionogi Pharma, and others — generating revenue through co-developed product royalties and licensing.
Pricing tiers
| Model | Billing | Price |
|---|---|---|
| Unit Pricing | Pay-as-you-go | Awa Bancha Autophagy 100 — 30-tablet supplement pack |
| Unit Pricing | Pay-as-you-go | Awa Bancha Autophagy Tea — 10 tea bag pack, 100% natural caffeine-free tea |
Go-to-market motion4 records
Distribution channels4 records
Marketing channels8 records
AutoPhagyGO product offering
Product offeringCore offering
AutoPhagyGO develops, brands, and sells autophagy-activating health supplements derived from Awa Bancha (a traditional fermented tea from Tokushima Prefecture), including Awa Bancha Autophagy 100 tablets and Awa Bancha Autophagy Tea. The company also provides contract autophagy activity measurement services to food, pharmaceutical, and cosmetics companies through an exclusive partnership with Human Metabolome Technologies, and engages in joint product co-development with industry partners.
Product overview
AutoPhagyGO is a university-born venture company focused on autophagy research, led by Professor Tamotsu Yoshimori (Osaka University). The company operates as a health technology firm offering proprietary dietary supplements and conducting autophagy activity measurement services. The product portfolio consists of two proprietary products—Awa Bancha Autophagy 100™ (tablet supplement) and Awa Bancha Autophagy Tea™ (tea bag)—both featuring Awa Bancha, a traditional fermented tea from Tokushima Prefecture. Additional co-developed products include Autophagy Habit PLATINUM and Urolithin Capsule with partner companies. The company also provides autophagy activity evaluation services to partner enterprises for ingredient screening and research purposes.
Differentiator
Problem solved
Functional benefit
Brands
- 阿波晩茶オートファジー100™: Awa Bancha concentrated extract supplement for health longevity, certified by Japan Autophagy Consortium.
- 阿波晩茶オートファジーティー™
Products and services
- Awa Bancha Autophagy 100 (阿波晩茶オートファジー100) Proprietary tablet supplement containing concentrated Awa Bancha (traditional Japanese fermented tea from Tokushima Prefecture) extract, certified by the Japan Autophagy Consortium for autophagy-activating performance. Targeted at health-conscious consumers seeking healthspan and longevity support.
- Awa Bancha Autophagy Tea (阿波晩茶オートファジーティー) Proprietary caffeine-free tea bag product made from 100% natural Awa Bancha tea leaves, designed for daily consumption to support autophagy as part of consumer health habits.
- Autophagy Habit PLATINUM (オートファジー習慣PLATINUM) Co-developed supplement with UHA Mikakuto containing urolithin A and resveratrol, both food ingredients recognized for autophagy activity. Sold through UHA Mikakuto's health/beauty e-commerce channel.
- Urolithin Capsule (ウロリチンカプセル) Co-developed capsule product with Kyowa Co., Ltd. containing urolithin A (a gut bacteria metabolite of ellagic acid from pomegranates and berries), sold under the fracora beauty brand via fracora's official e-commerce site.
- Autophagy Activity Measurement Contract Service Contract research service quantifying autophagy activity at cell, tissue, and organism levels for enterprise clients (food, pharmaceutical, cosmetics companies) screening natural compounds for autophagy-activating properties. Distributed exclusively through Human Metabolome Technologies (HMT).
Quantifiable outcome
- Rubicon knockout extends lifespan by 1.2x in model organisms (nematodes, fruit flies)
- +2 more outcomes
Companies that use AutoPhagyGO
Customer profileNamed customers5 records
Segments4 records
Ideal customer profiles2 records
AutoPhagyGO technology and API
TechnologyTechnology focussed Yes
API detail
- Has API
- No
- API docs
- API detail
Core technology
AI maturity
App detail
Feature4 records
AutoPhagyGO partnerships and signals
Strategic signalPartnerships
16 partnerships are on record, tiered core, major, secondary and minor.
- Curationz Co., Ltd. (キュレーションズ株式会社)coreAutoPhagyGO and Curationz Co., Ltd. formed a partnership for the XPRIZE Healthspan competition as part of 'Team 10 years Rewind with AUTOPHAGY.' Curationz contributes digital technology and health domain expertise. The team advanced to the semifinals of the $101M longevity competition focused on reversing biological age by 10–20 years.
- Dentsu Inc. (株式会社電通)coreDentsu Inc. joined 'Team 10 years Rewind with AUTOPHAGY' for the XPRIZE Healthspan competition, contributing to the team's outreach and industrialization efforts for autophagy-based longevity solutions.
- Medical Corporation Sogakai (銀座アイグラッドクリニック / 医療法人社団創雅会)majorAutoPhagyGO signed an MOU with Medical Corporation Sogakai (operator of Ginza IGrad Clinic) to jointly develop and promote new doctor's cosmetics leveraging autophagy technology, aiming to contribute to a healthy longevity society through autophagy technology social implementation.
- Japanese Autophagy Consortium (了一般社团法人 日本オートファジーコンソーシアム)majorAPGO is a participating member and co-organizer of the Japan Autophagy Consortium. CEO Miwako Ishido served as Representative Director (2020–2023) and continues as Director (2024–present). APGO co-hosts consortium symposiums and events.
- Curationz Co., Ltd. (MOU)coreMOU signed for 'Proactive AgeTech' — combining cell science with digital technology to develop solutions that effectively suppress and restore cellular aging. Partnership centered on XPRIZE HEALTHSPAN competition entry.
- ORGASIS Corp. (Korea)secondaryAutoPhagyGO signed an MOU with Korean venture company ORGASIS Corp. to strengthen and expand R&D capabilities. The partnership focuses on collaborative research in autophagy-related drug discovery, and new material R&D in food and cosmetics fields.
- Human Longevity Code, Inc. (ヒューマンライフコード株式会社)secondaryJoint research contract signed November 1, 2023 to evaluate the correlation between autophagy activity and the therapeutic effects of UC-MSCs (umbilical cord-derived mesenchymal stem cells) for age-related diseases, and to explore biomarkers for clinical applications.
- Human Metabolome Technologies, Inc. (ヒューマン・メタボローム・テクノロジーズ株式会社)majorBusiness partnership agreement for exclusive distribution of autophagy activity evaluation services. HMT provides cutting-edge metabolomics analysis services and functional ingredient development support. HMT serves as the exclusive service desk for APGO's autophagy measurement offerings, leveraging HMT's extensive sales network.
- Muroran Institute of Technology / JST COI-NEXTminorAPGO participates in the JST COI-NEXT 'Regional Co-Creation Type' project led by Muroran Institute of Technology. Focus on creating new food value through the 'Asir-Toyta' (healthy diet) co-creation hub.
- Customer Value Co-Creation Do (顧客価値共創堂)minorConsultant services agreement to support APGO's role as an open innovation platform, helping accelerate industry adoption of autophagy research findings and sustainable enterprise value growth.
- Japan Autophagy Consortium (第一回日本オートファジーコンソーシアム)majorAPGO participates as founding member and co-organizer of the Japan Autophagy Consortium, established to promote autophagy research applications in industry and academia.
- EUGLENA Co., Ltd. (株式会社ユーグレナ)secondaryJoint research to investigate the effects of Euglena-derived ingredients on autophagy. APGO provides autophagy measurement capabilities while Euglena provides its proprietary microalgae ingredient research.
- ENEOS Corporation (ENEOS株式会社)secondaryCommissioned research agreement for ENEOS-developed materials and their effects on autophagy modulation. APGO conducts autophagy activity measurement for ENEOS ingredient candidates.
- Oxford Healthspan Ltd.secondaryCollaboration to conduct autophagy activity tests in mammalian cells. Jointly aiming to leverage autophagy function for healthspan improvement through scientific validation of longevity ingredients.
- Kumamoto University Global Natural Products Research CenterminorJoint research with Associate Professor Go Shuto of Kumamoto University to verify the effects of autophagy activation on healthspan extension. Aims to develop autophagy-activating ingredient formulations for healthy longevity.
- Fine Co., Ltd. (株式会社ファイン)secondaryJoint research to identify ingredients that modulate autophagy activity. Target is to develop new products with preventive and improving effects on age-related symptoms.
Scale indicators9 records
Recent moves6 records
Expansion highlights6 records
AutoPhagyGO competitors and assessment
Company assessmentDirect peers
- Timeline Nutrition (Amazentis): Timeline Nutrition commercialises Mitopure (urolithin A) — the same autophagy-activating ingredient that AutoPhagyGO co-developed with Kyowa/fracora. It is the closest direct competitor on consumer autophagy supplements globally.
- Elysium Health: US-based direct-to-consumer longevity supplements brand built on academic research (e.g., Basis with NR/NMN). Same playbook as AutoPhagyGO: science-led IP, premium branded SKUs, longevity audiences.
- ChromaDex: Ingredient supplier (Niagen/NMN) and longevity platform with consumer and B2B channels. Comparable to AutoPhagyGO in leveraging proprietary cellular-health IP for both ingredient licensing and consumer products.
- Human Metabolome Technologies: Japanese metabolomics services and exclusive distribution partner for AutoPhagyGO's autophagy measurement service. Operates an overlapping B2B life-science services business and accesses many of the same Japanese pharma/food clients.
Emerging players
- Unity Biotechnology: Clinical-stage longevity biotech developing senolytics to clear senescent cells (similar mechanism logic to APGO's autophagy activation). Same fundamental 'aging as a treatable biological state' thesis, different modality.
- Loyal for Dogs: Vet-focused longevity biotech pursuing FDA pathway for lifespan extension drugs. Highly comparable to APGO in proving that cellular-age biology can produce regulatory-grade healthspan interventions, but on the veterinary side.
Broad incumbents
- Calico Life Sciences: Alphabet-backed longevity R&D organisation focused on aging biology and age-related disease therapeutics. Operates at vastly larger scale but pursues the same overarching goal of translating cellular maintenance mechanisms into healthspan gains.
Others
- UHA Mikakuto: Japanese confectionery and health-foods company that is a multi-round investor, co-developer of Autophagy Habit PLATINUM, and a strategic channel partner for AutoPhagyGO products in Japan.
- Kobayashi Pharmaceutical: Major Japanese OTC/health-goods manufacturer, second-round investor in AutoPhagyGO and co-development partner. Comparable as a Japan-headquartered health-products commercialiser that has invested behind the autophagy thesis.
Regional players
- Euglena Co., Ltd. Japanese bio-ingredient company (microalgae/paramylon) with an active autophagy joint-research agreement with AutoPhagyGO. Comparable as a Japan-based biotech commercialising functional food ingredients with university-derived IP.
Market position
Strengths5 records
Weaknesses5 records
Competitive moat4 records
Key risks7 records
Key highlights7 records
Customer concentration
AutoPhagyGO social profiles
Digital presenceAutoPhagyGO compliance and trust
Trust signalCompliance4 records
AutoPhagyGO financial estimates
Financial estimateRevenue estimate
Valuation estimate
AutoPhagyGO leadership team
Management profileNumber of profiles
Profiles5 records
AutoPhagyGO funding detail
Funding detailFunding overview
Funding rounds2 records
Investors3 records
Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
AutoPhagyGO M&A and investment
M&A and investmentM&A
Investments
M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Frequently asked questions about AutoPhagyGO
What does AutoPhagyGO do?
AutoPhagyGO develops, brands, and sells autophagy-activating health supplements derived from Awa Bancha (a traditional fermented tea from Tokushima Prefecture), including Awa Bancha Autophagy 100 tablets and Awa Bancha Autophagy Tea. The company also provides contract autophagy activity measurement services to food, pharmaceutical, and cosmetics companies through an exclusive partnership with Human Metabolome Technologies, and engages in joint product co-development with industry partners.
Is AutoPhagyGO a public or private company?
AutoPhagyGO is a private company. It is classified as venture growth investor backed and is currently operating.
When was AutoPhagyGO founded?
AutoPhagyGO was founded in 2019. It employs 1 to 10 people.
Where is AutoPhagyGO based?
AutoPhagyGO is headquartered in Suita, Japan, in the Asia region.
How does AutoPhagyGO make money?
Three revenue lines are on record. Consumer Health Supplement Sales are the primary driver. The others are autophagy Measurement Contract Services and co-Development and Licensing (B2B).
Who are AutoPhagyGO's main competitors?
Direct peers on record are Timeline Nutrition (Amazentis), Elysium Health, ChromaDex and Human Metabolome Technologies. Emerging players are Unity Biotechnology and Loyal for Dogs. Calico Life Sciences is listed as a broad incumbent. Others are UHA Mikakuto and Kobayashi Pharmaceutical. Euglena Co., Ltd. is listed as a regional player.
Does AutoPhagyGO have an API?
No public API is recorded for AutoPhagyGO.