People make the difference

Anu is a business-oriented biomedical scientist who holds a MSc in Neuroscience (Utrecht University) and a MSc in Industrial Engineering (Lappeenranta University). She has several years of experience in business consultancy working with large Finnish and European companies. Her biomedical career (UMC Utrecht & Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai) focused on nanotechnology-assisted medical imaging in cerebro- and cardiovascular disease.

Her core responsibilities at SPARK Finland are in commercial aspects of the projects and coordination of SPARK activities in Helsinki capital region. Anu is also a co-founder of SPARK alumni startup Lignum Medical Oy.

Janina has an academic background as a researcher and teacher at University of Turku (Department of Biology, Physiology and Genetics). As a researcher she focused on ecophysiology and biological ageing. She received her PhD in biosciences in September 2018.

Her main responsibility at SPARK Finland is coordination of SPARK activities and supporting project teams in Turku region. In addition to her role at SPARK, she is involved in several key programs and projects in the Turku region’s health and life science ecosystem as a Innovation Coordinator at The Wellbeing Services County of Southwest Finland and Research Coordinator at the University of Turku (Faculty of Medicine).

Helena is a biomedical professional and holds a MSc in Biomaterials from Tampere University of Technology. She has several years of practical hands-on experience working in HealthTech start-ups mainly focusing on quality, product development and sales of medical devices and other health care products. In addition to SPARK, she works as an Innovation Specialist in Tampere University Innovation Services where she supports university researchers on their path of turning promising research results into successful commercial products.

Helena manages jointly with Juho the SPARK activities in Tampere Region.

Irina has a degree in MSc in Economic Sciences (management and organization). She also works as a senior innovation advisor at University of Eastern Finland Entrepreneurship and Innovation Services.

She has experience in project management and developing innovations towards their commercial potential. Inventions and technology transfer are some key elements of her work. In addition as a part of her work she is evaluating business ideas in Draft Programme which aims at supporting also researchers to test their ideas with the help of small funding. Coordination of SPARK activities both in Joensuu and Kuopio regions are part of the responsibilities.

Heli works as a Business Cooperation Coordinator at University of Eastern Finland Entrepreneurship and Innovation Services. In this topic she has experience in project management and developing support activities for researches and students both university and university hospital. Strengthening cooperation between industry and the university is also one key element of her work. Heli has a MSc in economics and business administration from University of Eastern Finland.

Her core responsibilities at SPARK Finland are support activities and organizing events in Kuopio and Joensuu regions.

Päivi has a long career as an assistant at the University of Helsinki. She has been former assistant for two deans of the Faculty of Medicine, and currently she works closely with professor Risto Renkonen, who is also a board member at University of Helsinki. Päivi has expertise in administrative functions, organizing events, and collaboration between scientific and clinical institutions.

Her core responsibilities at SPARK Finland are support activities, organizing meetings and events, and reporting to our support network.

Pasi is an internationally acknowledged business and finance professional – specialized in sensor systems, health IT and bioinformatics. He has more than 20 years of experience as a serial entrepreneur, business builder, consult, early stage financier, advisor,… and also working with his PhD projects.

He is a Founder and Director of our program and his core responsibilities at SPARK Finland are general management of it, contribution with the SPARK Global network, and supporting SPARKees in health IT/bioinformatics and commercial aspects. Pasi is appointed also as a Director of SPARK Europe and member of SPARK Global Steering Committee and Chairman of global working group on “Finance”.

Juho’s main job is the Head of Innovation Services at Tampere University. Juho is a seasoned biomedical technology professional with more than ten years of experience in managing commercialization of academic discoveries and projects at Tampere University, University of Tampere and Tampere University of Technology. Alongside with SPARK duties he works as a senior specialist in Tampere University Innovation Services with responsibilities in commercialization projects.

He supports SPARK Finland as the co-coordinator of Tampere region activities with Helena.

Eriikka’s main work is a Chief Innovation Specialist at Turku University Hospital and Executive Director at Health Campus Turku. She has a strong clinical background, having been a nurse for 10 years at Helsinki University Hospital. After that, she went to University of Turku and received her MSc in nursing sciences and PhD in January 2021. She is highly integrated to several key programs and projects in Turku region health and life science ecosystem.

Eriikka supports SPARK Finland in our educational activities.

Sebastian is a business development professional specialized in pharma and diagnostic industry. He holds MSc in Drug Discovery and Development (University of Turku) and MSc in Business Administration & Bioentrepreneurship (Copenhagen Business School). He has years of experience in early stage product and business development, and commercialization activities in academia and early stage companies.

Sebastian’s main business is at Polku Therapeutics Oy as Co-Founder and Director of Operations. He supports SPARK program in commercial aspects of pharma and diagnostic projects and in our educational program.

Antti is a molecular biologist by training and has strong scientific background in vascular biology. He has also wide experience in project management and developing academic discoveries towards the commercial potential. He has worked in several roles in the Kuopio region development ecosystem. Alongside with SPARK manager role he has worked as an innovation advisor at Neurocenter Finland.

His core responsibilities at SPARK Finland were in validation studies and commercial aspects of the projects, and coordination of SPARK activities in Kuopio and Joensuu regions. Currently he has two professional roles; he works at Savonia University of Applied Sciences as RDI Advisor and alongside with that he is a founder of a SPARK alumni startup Sonai Health.

Juuso is a cardiologist by training and brings a wide spectrum of competencies on drug development from pre-clinical through phases I-IV, clinical research, regulatory issues, companion diagnostics and eHealth. Whilst continuing his clinical engagement in cardiology, his former assignments include Director Physician role at AstraZeneca R&D (Gothenburg, Sweden) and research physician at The George Institute for Global Health, Sydney, Australia.

Currently he is a CEO and co-founder of a health tech startup Precordior Ltd.

Juuso’s support responsibilities at SPARK Finland are in the fields of medical expertise, regulatory aspects and clinical trials. He is also supporting Turku based activities in Finnish program.