We’re Here to Build Practical, Clinically-Grounded Solutions That Drive Real Impact in Medical Imaging and Diagnostics, Ensuring That Diseases Like Colorectal Cancer are No Longer a Cause of Death: Daisuke Tsuge, Director & COO of Boston Medical Sciences

Boston Medical Sciences, or BMS, is a cross-border healthtech company specializing in advanced medical imaging and diagnostics. With operational bases in both Japan and the United States, the company is driven by a mission to create clinically grounded, practically useful tools for healthcare professionals. BMS focuses on enhancing diagnostic accuracy and workflow efficiency, particularly through innovations in 3D imaging and data-driven technologies. Founded by experts in medicine, data science, and biomedical engineering, BMS bridges academic research and clinical application. 

Boston Medical Sciences collaborates closely with hospitals, research institutions, and regulatory bodies to ensure its technologies meet real-world demands and integrate seamlessly into clinical practice. By prioritizing scientific rigor, operational discipline, and long-term partnerships, BMS is shaping a more functional future for diagnostic care.   

In a recent interview with SME BUSINESS REVIEW, Daisuke Tsuge, Director and COO of Boston Medical Sciences, discussed the company’s focus on practical, clinically grounded innovations in medical imaging. He highlighted their collaboration with clinicians and research institutions to ensure their products meet real-world needs, particularly in 3D imaging and data-driven diagnostics.

Interview Excerpts

You have had a diverse background, from business development at Recruit Co. to leading roles in MedTech startups and venture capital. What drew you to Boston Medical Sciences?

After working in sectors ranging from corporate innovation to healthcare AI, I noticed a recurring issue: many promising technologies never reached meaningful clinical adoption. The industry often emphasizes theoretical potential over practical deployment. Boston Medical Sciences stood apart. It wasn’t chasing hype or investor attention. The company had a clear mission grounded in serious academic and clinical research. What appealed to me most was its discipline—its commitment to solving real diagnostic challenges with a focus on practical outcomes. That sense of clarity and purpose, combined with a strong foundation in scientific rigor, convinced me that this was a team worth joining.

Boston Medical Sciences is often described as a company that builds practically useful tools for medical practitioners, especially in imaging and diagnostics. Can you describe your role in that journey?

My responsibility is to ensure the company’s ideas translate into products that doctors and radiologists can trust and use consistently. That means working across strategy, operations, and partnerships to bring academic innovation into clinical settings without losing focus. From refining product roadmaps to coordinating with research institutions and regulatory bodies, I help keep the company grounded in what healthcare professionals actually need. A lot of startups stop at the prototype stage or fail to integrate into hospital workflows. My role is to make sure we don’t fall into that trap—that we build with adoption and longevity in mind.

The medical AI field is crowded with hype. How do you differentiate Boston Medical Sciences from others in the same domain?

We focus on clinical value, not marketing appeal. Too many healthtech companies talk about artificial intelligence as if it’s a magic bullet. We don’t. Instead, we ground every product in rigorous, peer-reviewed research and validate it in real clinical environments. Our development process is collaborative: radiologists and technicians are involved from the earliest design stages. That ensures what we build actually supports clinical decision-making. The goal is not novelty—it’s reliability. In healthcare, tools have to work consistently in high-pressure environments, and that’s the standard we hold ourselves to.

What’s the most difficult part of scaling a healthtech company across borders, particularly in the U.S. and Japan?

Each country has its own regulatory frameworks, hospital systems, and patient expectations. Japan’s system is centralized and more uniform, while the U.S. is fragmented and market-driven. These differences require separate go-to-market strategies, different sales approaches, and nuanced product localization. But the harder part is operational. You need culturally fluent teams who understand how to communicate across systems, and you need to build trust in both environments. In our experience, clinical trust takes time to build but is essential for sustained adoption. Scaling is not just about market entry—it’s about long-term integration into clinical ecosystems.

You previously worked in a venture capital role. Has that influenced how you think about the growth strategy for Boston Medical Sciences?

It has shaped my thinking quite a bit. Working in VC taught me to evaluate companies beyond their product—focusing on execution, market timing, and structural resilience. At Boston Medical Sciences, we’re deliberate about how we grow. We don’t chase aggressive scaling at the expense of product readiness or customer fit. We build systems that are designed to last, because healthcare partnerships are long-term by nature. My investment experience helps us assess where to allocate resources and how to avoid the usual traps of premature expansion.

How do you define success in your current role?

If our products are quietly improving the daily work of healthcare professionals, that’s success. If a radiologist uses one of our tools and says it made their workflow smoother or helped them catch something important—that matters more than any award or press release. Another sign of success is when hospitals come back to us for additional deployments or refer us to their peers. That shows we’re meeting real needs. In healthcare, trust is everything—and when it’s earned through performance, it tends to stick.

What are you currently working on that excites you most?

We’re making substantial progress in image-guided diagnostics, particularly in 3D imaging technologies. These aren’t meant to replace clinicians, but to help them make faster, more informed decisions with greater clarity. We’re also deepening our collaborative research initiatives, exploring new areas where data can support early detection and better treatment planning. Some of these projects may take years to fully materialize, but that’s part of what makes them exciting—we’re building toward something durable, not just headline-worthy.

Any advice for operators looking to enter healthtech from outside the industry?

Be ready to listen more than you speak. The healthcare field doesn’t reward speed for its own sake. It rewards safety, evidence, and consistency. Many outsiders come in thinking they can “disrupt” healthcare, only to find that trust takes years to build and seconds to lose. Spend time understanding the needs of doctors, nurses, and patients before proposing a solution. If you do that sincerely, you’ll not only earn credibility—you’ll build something that genuinely helps.

Leadership | Boston Medical Sciences

Dr. Masaki Okamoto, Founder & CEO: Dr. Okamoto earned his medical degree and doctorate from the Graduate School of Medicine at The University of Tokyo, following his initial training at the School of Medicine, Shinshu University. He later graduated with distinction from the Master of Science program at University College London (UCL). His early career included roles as a visiting researcher at UCL, a recipient of the JSPS Research Fellowship for Young Scientists (DC2 and PD), and a specially appointed researcher at The University of Tokyo. Before founding the company, Dr. Okamoto built a strong academic and research foundation. He currently serves as an instructor in Radiology at Harvard Medical School, a staff researcher in 3D Imaging at Massachusetts General Hospital, and a visiting professor of Data Science and Statistics at SBI Graduate School.

Daisuke Tsuge, Director & COO: Mr. Tsuge is a graduate of Doshisha University. He began his career at Recruit Co., Ltd., where he led new business development initiatives and served as a Senior Producer. He later spent six years as Chief Operating Officer at a medical AI startup, gaining deep operational and leadership experience. Before taking on his current role, he worked at a venture capital firm, overseeing its investment division. He offers deep expertise in business strategy, fundraising, corporate partnerships, and sales leadership.

At Boston Medical Sciences, we’re deliberate about how we grow. We don’t chase aggressive scaling at the expense of product readiness or customer fit. We build systems that are designed to last, because healthcare partnerships are long-term by nature.