The health tech start-up Cynteract, based in Aachen, is using gamified rehabilitation, international networks and targeted consultancy to prepare for market entry in Japan and make the rehabilitation process easier for patients – and has found a strong academic partner in the process. The collaboration came about through the Enterprise Europe Network, whose partners include the NRW.Europa team at ZENIT GmbH.

The multi-award-winning company is a prime example of a new generation of health tech firms that combine medical efficacy with user-friendliness. It has developed an innovative rehabilitation glove that enables patients to perform therapeutic exercises via video games. Gamification boosts motivation and adherence to treatment – an approach that is generating considerable interest, particularly in the technology-friendly Japanese healthcare market.

Cynteract identified Japan as a strategic target market at an early stage. Hospitals and rehabilitation centres there are regarded as pioneers in the adoption of robotic and digital solutions. The decisive impetus for entering the market came from an exclusive training course on Japanese business culture, organised by the EU‑Japan Centre / Enterprise Europe Network Japan, in which Cynteract took part in October and November 2025. The two-stage programme – initially online, followed by an on-site component in Japan – offered seminars, workshops, expert sessions, a company visit and individually arranged B2B meetings with potential partners, including those from the gaming sector.

During the training session, an initial exchange took place with Prof. Yuta Hirose from Aoyama Business School (ABS), the graduate business school of the long-established Aoyama Gakuin University in Tokyo. This conversation led to a concrete collaboration: in March 2026, Cynteract visited ABS on site. There, the university is currently preparing a “Global Entrepreneurship Action Learning Programme”, which combines management knowledge with practical strategic work. Nine MBA students are working with Cynteract to develop a market entry strategy for Japan. The results are intended to serve as a localised B2B sales strategy and build on the company’s success as a finalist in Yamaha Corporation’s “Transpose Innovation Challenge”. For the Aachen-based firm, the collaboration represents an important step from networking to structured market development; for ABS, it serves as a valuable bridge between teaching, research and industry.

NRW.Europa Support: Structured internationalisation rather than leaving things to chance

The NRW.Europa team at ZENIT played a key role in this process, supporting Cynteract with its internationalisation efforts and analysing the company’s specific needs with regard to Japan at an early stage. ZENIT identified the EU-Japan Centre’s training programme as a strategically appropriate measure, recommended participation and supported the start-up throughout the application process.

Furthermore, the team supported the young company throughout the entire customer journey: from selecting suitable offers and preparation right through to follow-up support. As an active member of the Enterprise Europe Network’s sector groups for health, the creative industries and digital, ZENIT integrated sector-specific insights and targeted network access into its consultancy. This enabled Cynteract not only to gain in-depth insights into Japanese business culture, but also to establish concrete contacts and systematically incorporate the insights gained into its own market entry strategy and internal processes.

“The combination of innovative technology, international university cooperation and professional support demonstrates how the Enterprise Europe Network can accelerate internationalisation – and how a training programme can turn into a long-term market opportunity. The support provided by the NRW.Europa team at ZENIT has been a great help in raising awareness of our rehabilitation glove in the Japanese market, which is new to us.”
Cynteract founders Gernot Sümmermann (left) and Manuel Wessely (collage: top left image) 

Contact to the EEN client:
Homepage Cynteract 

Contact to the NRW.Europa experts: 
ZENIT GmbH / Enterprise Europe Network
für Nordrhein-Westfalen NRW.Europa
Ekaterina Karpushenkova
Phone: ++49 208 30004-35
E-Mail: Ekaterina.Karpushenkova@zenit.eu

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