Selected Work Experience
Innocelex, Founder & Advisor - Coaching and consulting companies and projects
Advising founders, leadership teams and boards on growth strategy, commercialization, business models, financing and market entry, particularly in health, wellbeing and life sciences. Supporting early-stage and growth companies in turning technology, research and business opportunities into focused strategic choices and executable growth plans.
Nordic Mentor Network for Entrepreneurship, Business Mentor - Strategic guidance, network connections & support
Mentoring promising life science projects and startups, providing strategic guidance, network connections and support in their development towards international growth. (NOME is a mentoring program for promising life science projects and startups, driven by the vision of transforming Nordic life science startups into internationally renowned commercial successes. Operated by Accelerace (DK) and funded by Novo Nordisk Foundation.)
Business Turku Oy, CEO - Business support for Health, ICT & Green Tech
Led a regional business development organization with 55 employees and an ecosystem of more than 20,000 companies and four universities. Led the transformation of Turku Science Park into a renewed Business Turku organization, with a stronger focus on university-industry collaboration, innovation, international growth and regional competitiveness. Responsible for strategy, operations, financial performance, partnerships and stakeholder relations.
Turku Science Park Oy, COO and Senior Advisor - Accelerator, incubator and coaching services
Led business development and innovation services at Turku Science Park Oy. Developed the organizational structure to support more than 600 established companies, including 40+ companies in accelerator programs, and organized more than 500 entrepreneurial events. Led a health-focused business accelerator supporting more than 30 companies in business development and raising more than €4M in pre-seed and seed investments.
Abacus Diagnostica Oy, CEO - Laboratory diagnostics of infectious diseases
Built the company from a two-person startup into an internationally operating molecular diagnostics company. Developed product strategy, international sales and distribution partnerships in more than 15 countries. Secured more than €4M in VC and public funding and grew annual revenue from zero to approximately €1M.
Biocelex Ltd, VP Business Development - Commercialization and VC services
Responsible for business development, commercialization and strategic partnerships in diagnostics and life sciences. Scouted and delivered more than 40 Finnish investment targets for the Karolinska Development VC Fund. Provided health and wellbeing business and innovation consulting and contributed to several company creation and commercialization projects.
Wallac Oy (Pharmacia, EG&G, PerkinElmer) - Several positions from R&D to Marketing and M&A
Worked across R&D, marketing, partnering and M&A, including management of customer-tailored Drug Discovery systems. Secured a USD 1M DARPA grant for a novel platform for rapid dual-use clinical diagnostics in collaboration with several US agencies, including CDC, FBI, USAMRIID and NMRC. Focus areas included optical detection, fluorescence microscopy, instrument software and liquid handling.