Our Story

Empowering researchers and entrepreneurs

HOYA Consulting is driven by a singular mission: to assist researchers and entrepreneurs, or any other stakeholder, in bringing cell therapy aspirations from the laboratory to broad patient access.

That's our sole focus.

Drawing on our extensive knowledge gained through pioneering research on pluripotent stem cells, hPSC-based cell therapy manufacturing, and supporting inventors in venture creation, HOYA confidently stands by your side to bring research from "the bench" to the bedside and beyond to successful commercialization.

The name HOYA is derived from La Jolla, a vibrant neighbourhood in San Diego. During our founders' introduction, they discovered that each of them had lived in San Diego at different times without crossing paths. Combining this serendipitous connection with our Swedish heritage, where "höja" means to elevate, HOYA became the clear choice for our name. We are committed to elevating our clients to the next level.

Elevating together

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TEAM

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  • Co-founder

    Professor Anna Falk runs a research team at the Lund Stem Cell Center. Anna is the Director of the ES/iPS cell core facility at Lund Stem Cell Center, coordinator of Indicell and Board Member (Global Alliance for IPSC Therapies (GAiT).

    Anna’s research centres on understanding the mechanisms that control human brain development and the regenerative potential of induced pluripotent stem cells in clinical applications. Anna’s lab has derived one of the few GMP iPS cell lines that is now stored in a master bank.

    Anna received a degree in Molecular Biology at Umeå University, a PhD, from Karolinska Institutet and worked as a postdoctoral scientist at Cambridge University. On returning to Sweden, Anna established an iPS core facility at Karolinska Institutet and took a sabbatical at the Salk Institute, La Jolla, California. Anna moved to Lund University in 2021.

  • Co-founder

    Doctor Heather Main has worked with pluripotent stem cells since 2003 when she received her degree in Molecular Biology from The University of Adelaide. During her PhD at Karolinska Institutet Heather had the opportunity to be a visiting scientist at A*Star/Singapore, CMRI/Sydney and NIH/Maryland. Heather completed a post-doctoral position at the University of Sydney, while at the same time working as the Manager of the NSW Stem Cell Network.

    Heather moved into commercial application of hPSC with the company Genea Biocells and subsequently moved from Sydney, Australia to San Diego, California. Upon returning to Sweden Heather performed intertwining functions translating a hPSC-RPE protocol to hands-on GMP manufacture and worked as a communicator developing Sweden’s National and International cell and gene therapy pharmaceutical network ‘ATMP Sweden’.

  • Co-founder & Managing Partner

    Ajdin Jakupovic received a Master of Science in Pharmacology from the University of Gothenburg, performing his Master’s thesis project at The University of California San Diego (UCSD). He holds a second Master of Science in Bioentrepreneurship from Karolinska Institutet, with great emphasis on finance for startups, marketing and sales.

    Previously, Ajdin served as an investment analyst at Industrifonden, where he played a role in identifying and evaluating investment opportunities in the life science sector. He has also served as a Board Member of Apotekarsocieteten, contributing valuable insights to the pharmaceutical community, and to this worked in sales and marketing within medical devices both B2B and D2C.

Meet the rest of the Team

We’re a collective of cofounders and independent partners with deep, hands-on experience across science, strategy, and commercialization. From cell therapy to market access, our team brings cross-functional expertise to help you turn complex challenges into real-world impact.

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  • Independent Partner
    Matthew Cobb is a seasoned expert in biotherapeutics and immunology with over a decade of experience in the cell and gene therapy (CGT) space. He has held commercial and leadership roles at Cell Medica, Miltenyi Biotec, and Catalent, focusing on clinical sales, account management, and CDMO partnerships. Matthew has deep insight into the UK advanced therapies ecosystem, including close collaboration with the ATTC network. He now supports clients with strategic advisory and business development within CGT.

    Location: Cambridge, UK

    Expertise:
    • Business development in CGT
    • CDMO partnerships & commercial strategy
    • Clinical sales & Account management
    • UK ATTC network engagement
    • Biotherapeutics & Immunology

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  • Independent Partner
    Davide Danovi is a specialist in stem cell technologies and advanced cell-based platforms. With extensive experience in characterisation methods such as high-content imaging and the use of artificial micro-environments, he supports biotech clients with translational strategies and cross-functional technology development. Davide is known for his ability to drive scientific innovation into practical application across therapeutic and platform development.

    Location: Cambridge, UK

    Expertise:
    • Stem cell technologies
    • High-content imaging & cell characterization
    • Artificial micro-environments & in vitro platforms
    • Translational strategy
    • Cross-sector biotech collaboration

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  • Independent Partner
    Ethel Szpilman Luvall is a life science strategist with over 10 years of experience across biotechnology, pharmaceuticals, financial analysis, and intellectual property. She has worked across R&D and commercialization, including advising Nordic biotech companies on IP, financial positioning, and market access. Ethel’s strength lies in combining scientific insight with financial and strategic acumen to accelerate innovation in advanced therapies and complex modalities. 

    Location: Stockholm, Sweden

    Expertise:
    • Commercialization & business development
    • Intellectual property strategy
    • Financial & market analysis
    • ATMP strategy & positioning
    • Nordic biotech ecosystem

Join the team

We work with independent experts who want to make a difference in advanced therapies. If you bring deep experience in science, strategy, or commercialization—and prefer flexibility, ownership, and impact over hierarchy—we’d love to connect.

Ready to shape the future of life sciences with us?

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Join Us