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2026 GOOD DESIGN AWARD-Winning Pharmaceutical Research Support Software “Research Navi” Opens Applications for Cloud-Based PoC Program

2 hours ago
5 min read

[TOKYO, November 2, 2026]


Recruiting up to Five Pharmaceutical, Biotech, and Research Organizations to Evaluate the Platform Using Their Own Scientific Literature and Internal Documents


Ingenta Inc. (Headquarters: Minato-ku, Tokyo; hereinafter “Ingenta”) today announced that it has begun accepting applications for proof-of-concept (PoC) implementation of the cloud-based (SaaS) version of “Research Navi,” its pharmaceutical research support software that received the 2026 GOOD DESIGN AWARD.

The program is open to up to five pharmaceutical companies, biotechnology ventures, and university or research institution R&D departments. Participants will be able to evaluate the platform's effectiveness in their actual research workflows using their own scientific literature and internal documents, with the program running through the end of February 2027. The application deadline is Friday, December 11, 2026.

Research Navi is an AI platform for pharmaceutical research designed to connect knowledge dispersed across scientific publications and internal documents through Graph AI. It enables researchers to verify the information underlying AI-generated answers for themselves. For details of the award, please see the announcement below.





Overview of the PoC Program

The Research Navi PoC program is designed to help organizations assess how the platform can support research activities using actual research topics and their own scientific literature and internal documents.

The results will help identify practical ways to use Research Navi and challenges to address before full-scale deployment.


Implementation Process

  1. Preparation: Design the Evaluation and Configure the Environment Ingenta will work with each organization's representatives to agree on research topics and evaluation criteria. Together, the parties will select the scientific publications and internal documents to be imported, establish an environment segregated for each organization, and configure user accounts and access permissions. Ingenta will also explain its data handling and security mechanisms to the participant's information systems team.

  2. Usage: Apply Research Navi to Real Research Topics  Following hands-on training, researchers will use Research Navi in their day-to-day research work. Participants will be able to upload documents, perform analysis and searches, and verify supporting evidence themselves. Ingenta will hold regular meetings throughout the program to provide guidance on how best to use the platform.

  3. Effectiveness Evaluation: Summarize Findings and Define Next Steps  The platform's effectiveness will be evaluated against the agreed criteria, and the findings will be compiled into a report. Ingenta will identify potential use cases and challenges related to full-scale implementation and propose next steps.

Evaluation Criteria (Examples)

  • Time required for literature searches and information organization

  • Ease of verifying the evidence and sources behind AI-generated answers

  • Reuse of internal documents and findings from previous investigations

  • Suitability for the organization's research topics and workflows


Program Details

  • Eligible participants：R&D departments of pharmaceutical companies, biotechnology ventures, universities, and research institutions

  • Number of participants：Up to five organizations

  • Application deadline：·  Friday, December 11, 2026 (applications will close once five participants have been selected)

  • Program period：·  Through the end of February 2027 (approximately two to three months from commencement, including preparation and effectiveness evaluation; start dates will be determined in consultation with participants)

  • Product：Research Navi, cloud-based version (please contact Ingenta separately regarding the on-premises version)

  • How to apply：·  Contact Ingenta through the inquiry form on the Research Navi official website (https://navi.ingenta.ai/) or using the contact details below. Please include your organization, research field, and a brief description of the topic you would like to evaluate. Participation conditions will be provided individually according to the scope of the evaluation.


Note: Visitors can try Research Navi hands-on at GOOD DESIGN Marunouchi during the second exhibition period of “My Favorite G Mark 2026” (October 31–November 13, 2026). Please see the award announcement for details.



What Participants Can Explore During the PoC

Verify AI-Generated Answers and Their Supporting Evidence on a Single Screen

The Research Navi answer interface consists of three tabs: “Response,” “Explore,” and “Reference Materials.” Researchers can read AI-generated answers under “Response,” trace connections among related scientific publications and medical subject headings (MeSH) through a graph under “Explore,” and check the original sources under “Reference Materials.” Selecting a publication in the graph displays its type, title, source, and content.


Build on Research Findings by Topic For each research topic (“My Research”), users can organize conversations, bookmarks, and referenced materials in one place. This allows participants to review their investigations and findings by topic throughout the PoC period.


Illustrative Use Cases

  • Exploring hypotheses for new research topics：Ask questions about drug targets or disease mechanisms, then trace connections among related publications and medical terminology in the graph to identify candidate hypotheses worth investigating.

  • Comparing previous internal investigations with current findings：Import internal research reports and experimental records and query them together with published literature to re-examine the conditions and decision-making behind experiments that did not produce the expected results, in light of the latest findings.

  • Conducting literature reviews with verifiable evidence：·Review the sources associated with each answer, return to the original materials to confirm the content, and organize the research findings accordingly.

Note: The above are illustrative use cases. The scope of each PoC will be defined according to the participant's research topics.


Data Handling During the PoC

For the cloud-based version used in the PoC, document data is stored in a cloud environment in Japan (Tokyo region) and managed separately for each organization. Generative AI is accessed through APIs under terms whereby input data is not used for model training. The platform also incorporates access permission controls, encrypted communications, and operation logging, among other mechanisms for handling research data securely. Confidentiality agreements and the handling of data after the PoC will be agreed upon before the program begins.

For organizations that wish to operate Research Navi without transmitting research data outside their own environments, Ingenta can separately discuss the on-premises version, which runs on customers' internal servers.


Future Plans

Through the PoC program, Ingenta will work with researchers at participating organizations to identify both the situations in which Research Navi delivers value and the challenges that remain. Feedback collected during the program will be reflected in future product development. The official subscription-based cloud service is scheduled for release in 2027.



About Ingenta Inc.

Ingenta Inc. is an AI technology company specializing in achieving the accuracy required for real-world deployment of advanced AI technologies and providing end-to-end implementation support. In addition to deep learning, Ingenta has applied Graph AI to analyze and utilize complex knowledge structures in multiple R&D and business process improvement projects.

Ingenta develops solutions that balance accuracy and practical implementation in highly specialized fields, including healthcare, pharmaceuticals, and manufacturing. Drawing on expertise from Japan and overseas, the company provides flexible AI implementation support tailored to each organization's specific challenges.

In 2026, Ingenta was selected as a finalist for the GENIAC-PRIZE, a generative AI social implementation initiative led by Japan's Ministry of Economy, Trade and Industry (METI) and the New Energy and Industrial Technology Development Organization (NEDO).



Contact Information

Ingenta Inc.

Mitsuyoshi Okamoto, Business Development Manager

The information contained in this press release is accurate as of the date of publication and is subject to change without prior notice.

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