2025 Speakers

Dr. Alessandro Mazzetti, PhD is Head of Innovation and Entrepreneurship at the Innovation Office of the University of Basel, where he also serves as Deputy Managing Director. He works on strengthening the university’s capacity to support and accelerate startup creation, bridging academic research with entrepreneurship and industry collaboration. His activities focus on deep tech and life sciences ventures, with particular attention to building innovation ecosystems that connect academia, investors, and corporate partners. Through these initiatives, the Innovation Office has contributed to the creation and growth of more than one hundred startups, reinforcing Basel’s position as a leading European hub for scientific innovation and technology transfer.

Amanda Chancellor is Senior Manager of Global Sustainability at Resmed, leading the company’s global strategy, emissions reduction initiatives, and regulatory readiness. Her work focuses on linking sustainability with measurable business outcomes. She previously established Resmed’s product sustainability function, with expertise in circular design, life cycle assessment, and sustainable product development. Amanda represents Resmed in European and international MedTech sustainability working groups and holds a First-Class Honours degree in Biomedical and Chemical Engineering from the University of Sydney, with further studies in sustainability at Cambridge and Harvard.

As an engineer by training, Antonio has always sought to combine technological innovation with medical advancements. Exposed to post-operative healing issues by a surgeon, he discovered that the most effective technologies are not always the most accessible. He decided to found Medicud to make negative pressure therapies more affordable, improving the lives of millions of patients.

Arezki Yaïche is since 2014 a financial journalist specialised in M&A and EU competition law. As a Senior France Correspondent and Paris Bureau Chief for the global M&A newswire Mergermarket (owned by ION Group), he writes on all types of transactions from competition issues, early stage fundraises, and private deals to takeovers of listed companies and IPOs.

Arezki was previously Senior Correspondent Antitrust for regulatory newswire MLex in Brussels between 2019 and 2021. Before that he worked four years as M&A reporter and Paris Bureau Chief for Mergermarket. Arezki also has a six-year experience as Communication consultant specialised in Finance and EU regulation. He worked for financial and public institutions including Dexia Asset Management in Brussels, Credit Agricole Assurances in France, the French embassy in Stockholm, the European Parliament, and the French Ministry for Agriculture

Caroline is an expert in the design and delivery of digital healthcare products and services both in the UK and on an international stage. She is a specialist in using algorithmic intelligence to augment and assist consultations. She has sat on the Digital Health Cabinet at the invitation of the UK government and was awarded Honorary Professor of Algorithmic Medicine in recognition of her contribution to the field. She also remains a practicing NHS GP.

Charlotta Topelius is the CEO of CurifyLabs, a pioneering healthtech company transforming the way pharmacies compound medicines through automation and 3D printing technologies. Since 2021, she has led CurifyLabs’ growth from an academic spin-out into an international scale-up, enabling pharmacies to produce sustainable, on-demand, and patient-specific treatments.

With a background spanning entrepreneurship, leadership, and international business development, Charlotta brings more than 15 years of experience across the pharmaceutical, technology, and services sectors. Prior to founding CurifyLabs, she held leadership roles at companies including Detail Online, HMSHost, and as co-founder and CEO of BrandBuddy Group, where she built and successfully exited a fast-growing recruitment and staffing company. She also serves as a Board Member at Witted Megacorp PLC, a publicly listed software development company.

Charlotta holds an M.Sc. (Econ.) in Management and Organisation from the Hanken School of Economics in Helsinki, with additional international studies in Reykjavik. Recognized for her ability to bridge pharma, technology, and business, she is passionate about bringing personalized medicine closer to patients and building organizations that can scale globally.

Christian is a deep believer that the future will belong to those enterprises who meet the closest what their customers and patients need and expect. He contributes to this ambition as a senior digital enterprise strategy & transformation lead, a pharma customer experience (CX) trailblazer, and a passionate patient advocate. After his PhD in molecular biology, he started his own business supporting Life Science and Pharma industries with early digital & multichannel media and content. After about 10 years, he moved inside industry and held various positions in medical affairs and commercial, many associated with the digital transformation of customer engagement. Since 2019, Christian built and headed the Medical CX department at Roche Pharma, which also homed the portfolio of global digital touchpoints. Lastly, he mediated the enterprise-level evolution towards providing industry-leading digital customer experiences based on listening to patients and customers.

Partner at Serpentine Ventures, investing globally in early stage medtech and digital health. Previously ran the AO Foundation’s commercial arm, investing in and driving disruptive medtech innovation worldwide. 25+ years leading people and projects across Europe, the Middle East, Africa, Asia and the Americas, based out of London, Warsaw, Copenhagen, Hong Kong and today Zurich. Supports the healthcare startup ecosystem as a mentor at EIT Health, advisor on raising capital and going to market, board member and public speaker. Father, husband, eternally optimistic marathon runner and cook.

Daniel is as “deeptech” as they get. He started his career in chemical and pharmaceutical R&D in large corporation such as Bayer and Stora Enso, before taking on various innovation, strategy and business assignments focused on advanced technologies in Germany, China, Israel and other regions. His work resulted in 7 products brought to the market, 1 business unit & 1 regional office created, and 1 new business model implemented.

Since 2015, he followed his passion for entrepreneurship & investments as VC investment manager (Capricorn Venture Partners), as venture partner for a start-up incubator/accelerator, as angel investor as well as start-up advisor. He joined EIT Digital in 2019 where he covers the DACH region and has helped successfully close multiple fundraisings in areas such as MedTech/HealthTech, PropTech, Big Data, ClimateTech, AgroTech, etc.

Engineer, specialist in artificial vision and robotics, machine construction and industrial projects.
David holds a bachelor’s degree in Automation and Industrial Computing Engineering from the University of Girona. He also formed as a Manager at EADA Business School.

In 1999 he founded Sisvision S.L, an engineering company dedicated to build and commercialize systems and machinery for artificial vision inspection, automation and robotics, mainly to industrial manufacturers, automotive, plastic industries and food and beverage sector. After 12 years he left the company and work for Ames CMA SA. during the following 4 years as chief engineer and interplant chief for NDT quality systems.
In 2014 he founded mjn-neuro, David is dedicated to technology development, product development, clinical trials with real patients, relations with patients associations, medical collaborations, regulatory and intellectual protection for the device. Project management, public funding and private investment, for epilepsy and new projects as Alzheimer is also under his tasks.

Diana brings over 15 years of experience in the dental and medtech industry, with a strong focus on digital solutions, product innovation, and partnership development. At Nobel Biocare, she leads global strategic collaborations with dental societies, academic institutions, DSOs, and industry partners, aligning external partnerships with advanced digital and clinical workflows.
Her career spans senior leadership roles in product management, imaging, and international business development across Europe, where she successfully launched innovative technologies and built networks with key opinion leaders. Diana is passionate about shaping the future of digital dentistry and medtech through impactful collaborations between corporates and start-ups.

Duko Drijfhout is responsible for new venturing and investment management at Erasmus University Medical Center, one of the largest medical centers in Europe. Having been active in the entrepreneurial space for the past three decades, Erasmus MC has seen entrepreneurial successes such as Quantib (now part of RadNet Inc.), Harbour Biomed (listed a HKEX) and ViroNovative, as well as partnering multiple blockbuster drugs with industry. Erasmus MC is developing a novel business campus focused on MedTech companies.

In over 15 years in the Life Sciences & Health industry, Duko held different roles at UNIIQ, one of the most active early stage investment funds in Europe and was COO of Theranostics Erasmus MC. He is a board member and business advisor to multiple (MedTech) companies and operates as CEO of NeOncoFRAx. Duko holds a degree in Finance & Investments from the Rotterdam School of Management and is a ScaleUpNational certified board member.

Elizabeth has worked at the intersection of international investment and commercialization within healthcare for the last 15 years, spanning 28 countries and all classes of complexity, building a reputation for strategic risk management for both investors and companies.
She is on the Board of Directors of a business angel network, SWAN Impact, where she focuses on impact-driven healthcare startup investments. Leveraging experience as a senior executive at startups through large public companies while living in Europe and South America, she is a Managing Partner at Venture Atlas Labs, a commercialization firm that supports global companies in US market success alongside investors, government agencies, and innovation centres.
She has worked in global innovation at the leading university in Texas, and she serves as a US federal grant reviewer for medical devices, an advisor to numerous accelerators, and is a frequent keynote speaker.

Erick, originally from Mexico City, is passionate about cultural diversity and how it plays a role in startups and innovation. He is currently the co-founder and COO of Puray, a MedTech company preventing catheter infections in hospitals. He gained vast experience in the world of Corporate Venturing by working for more than 4 years enabling Corporate <> Startups partnerships at the company GlassDollar. Additionally, he also worked at one of the biggest entrepreneurship centers in Europe (UnternehmerTUM). His technical background (M.Sc. in Bionanotechnology) and his management background (M.Sc. in Management) allow him to take a unique perspective on the business development and company strategy at Puray. At Puray, he is in charge of setting up the Quality Management System, manage Intellectual Property, and manage strategic partnerships.

Prof. dr. Harry van Goor, is a renowned expert in gastrointestinal surgery, surgical education and healthcare innovation, with a career spanning several decades. After earning his MD and PhD from the University of Groningen and specialising in abdominal surgery, he has made significant contributions to clinical practice and research, with over 500 scientific papers published. As a Professor of Surgical Education at Radboud University Medical Center, Harry has been instrumental in advancing surgical education and integrating emerging digital technologies like wearable monitoring, teleconsulting, AI, VR and AR to transform clinical practice and prepare healthcare for a sustainable future. He ran projects on Healing Environment, Intuitive Personalised Way finding, Ambient Intelligence, Virtual Connected Care, Virtual Ward with Command Centre and XR In- and Out Hospital Hubs (VR2GO concept). In these projects, he also assists start- and scale-ups in health technology to bridge the gap between business and healthcare practice. His work, which has earned him prestigious awards including a royal decoration (Knight in the Order of the Netherlands Lion), continues to influence global healthcare practices. Harry is also deeply committed to mentoring the next generation of healthcare professionals, further extending his impact on the medical community.

Dr. Julian Lotz is Co-Founder and CEO of BIOVOX GmbH, a German company at the forefront of developing sustainable medical-grade plastics from renewable resources. With a PhD in mechanical and process engineering from Technische Universität Darmstadt and extensive experience in product development, he works on enabling circular, regulation-ready solutions for healthcare and laboratory applications. Julian has collaborated on sustainable materials projects with both large corporations and SMEs, including hidden champions in the industry, helping diverse partners realize innovative, high-quality and safe materials that align with evolving regulatory and sustainability goals.

Kauser is the Global Head of Partnerships and Market Expansion at Flow Neuroscience, a pioneering health tech company transforming the treatment of depression through innovative brain stimulation technology. Kauser is a scientist by background and has over 15 years of experience across biotechnology, digital health, and healthcare innovation, Kauser brings a strategic and global perspective to building impactful partnerships and scaling breakthrough technologies. Responsible for overseeing business development for the UK and managing roll out to partners in the Middle East, Asia and Europe. She has designed and managed clinical validation studies in the field of stem cells and worked with multiple research facilities.

Kauser is deeply passionate about health innovation and is a committed advocate for increasing access to effective care.

Kyun Thibaut is the Founder and CEO of COVARTIM, an engineering company that helps manufacturers develop and certify their Medical Devices. Located in Belgium (Brussels, Liège) and France (La Rochelle), COVARTIM supports its clients from all around the world at every step of the development of their solutions (R&D, prototyping, manufacturing, V&V, QA, RA, APEX QMS ®).

Kyun has more than 15 years of experience in the MedTech industry. In addition to leading COVARTIM, he regularly teaches at the university and other training programs.

Liam Burns is CEO of Qaelon Medical, bringing over 25 years of leadership in med-tech innovation with deep clinical expertise in minimally invasive, robotic and endoscopic surgery. He has led product development, cross-functional teams and commercialization initiatives for companies such as Ethicon and CONMED Corporation, and has engineered multiple licensing and acquisition wins with early stage med-tech companies. His next aim: to transform gastrointestinal surgery via real-time data driven platforms that redefine the standard of care in leak detection. Liam is an avid ultra-trail runner, drawing parallels between endurance racing and the climb of bringing a transformative surgical platform to market.

Lynn Coorevits is a Health Innovation Manager at imec, a world-leading R&D and innovation hub in nanoelectronics and digital technologies. Lynn has over 15 years of experience in the cross domain of (deep)tech, innovation and health. By involving key stakeholders she accelerates and optimizes innovations. In every step of the innovation process she translates  human requirements into technological ones. From patients to buyers to policy makers, every voice counts. With and for them she identifies needs, barriers, potential value and market entry strategies for these novel technologies.

She is passionate about disruptive health tech and  aspires to transform peoples lives by making them a reality.

Lynn holds MSc degrees in Psychology and Marketing Analysis from Ghent University, Belgium.

Marco Caproni joined TÜV SÜD in 2018 as Product Specialist for active medical devices and he is the Senior Product Specialist for Software and AI. He is subject matter expert for all software-related products, including artificial intelligence technologies. He is also Global Director for Software Product Assessment team, leading the software, cybersecurity and AI experts in TÜV SÜD for medical devices and IVDs. In these roles, he leads comprehensive technical assessments, develops regulatory strategies, and authors guidance documents in alignment with the MDR/IVDR and relevant state-of-the-art standards. He has 15+ years of professional experience in the design and development of medical devices, in the area of software, extracorporeal circulation devices (such as dialysis) and has worked as software- and active medical devices-focused certification Lead Auditor and Technical Documentation Assessor.

Paul Borm is expert in Toxicology and entrepreneur in Life Sciences and Medical Technology and. During his 25-year academic career in Toxicology (Utrecht, Maastricht, Düsseldorf) he conducted research into lung and cardiac diseases with a clear focus on occupational health exposure. In 2004 he co-founded a high-impact journal (PFT) for particle toxicology and he is the author of close to 200 publications. For 20 years now, Nanotechnologies feed his activities on regional and global level, and provide inspiration for both his research and business activities. In 2011 he founded Nano4Imaging GmbH in Dusseldorf (DE) which focuses on improvement of cardiovascular diagnosis and interventions using MRI, and Borm is responsible for clinical evaluation, post-marketing surveillance and patent strategy. Borm acts as (strategic) consultant for several global companies and associations in the field of chemicals, minerals and particles. In 2019 Borm has initiated, guided, organized, moderated and published a consensus opinion workshop on PSLT for all relevant stakeholders. Finally, he acts as a consultant in toxicology, expert assessments and due diligence on strategic and operational level. He still teaches Toxicology at post-graduate courses in NL and Germany, and medical imaging at Dusseldorf University.

Pauline de Breteuil is partner at UI Investissement and the Fund Manager of Majycc Santé, venture capital funds dedicated to early-stage healthcare innovation. With a dual background in digital entrepreneurship and private equity, she brings a hands-on, founder-centric approach to investment. Prior to joining UI, she co-founded and scaled digital ventures, giving her a deep understanding of entrepreneurial challenges and operational execution. At UI, she leverages this experience to actively support healthcare entrepreneurs in structuring their growth, scaling their operations, and navigating regulatory and market complexities.

Quentin Merceron is working as a Digital Venture Architect at Paul Hartmann in Germany. He is focusing on developing new business models, managing strategic partnerships, and evaluating market opportunities within the pharmaceutical and digital health sectors. He is a Doctor of Pharmacy with 7 years of experience in this field.

Sam Windsor is the CEO and Co-Founder of Ignota Labs. Ignota Labs is a UK-based, clinical stage drug turnaround company. They rescues promising but failing drugs, bringing new life to abandoned projects and new hope to patients. Sam is a mathematician by background with a decade of experience commercialising healthtech and transforming healthcare systems before taking on the CEO role.

Dr Sukrti Nagpal is a UK-based General Practitioner and Deputy Chief Medical Officer at Doccla, a pioneering health tech company delivering remote patient monitoring across the UK and Europe. She has extensive experience in clinical informatics, digital health innovation and implementation, with expertise in clinical risk management, product development, and regulatory compliance.

At Doccla, she leads initiatives that combine clinical excellence with technological innovation to improve patient outcomes and system efficiency. Alongside her leadership role, Dr Nagpal practises in dermatology and urgent care and serves as a Medical Director for the Resuscitation Council UK. Passionate about safe and scalable digital transformation, she focuses on advancing patient-centred, technology-enabled care models.

Susie A. Ruff is the founder of RUFF & CO. Advisory and brings extensive experience in health innovation and health technology, both in Denmark and internationally. She has served in various key roles, including Director of the Healthcare Innovation Centre for the public hospitals in the Copenhagen Region, Head of Research and Innovation focusing on life sciences, and Regional Export Sales and Marketing Manager. She provides strategic and go-to-market support to industry and healthcare organizations across the Nordic region and the EU. Her work emphasizes user-driven and human-centric innovation. Additionally, she is an external lecturer at Copenhagen Business School for the M.Sc. in Health Innovation program and a member of the InnoExplorer Panel at the Innovation Fund Denmark.

20+ years in global MedTech commercialization. Built Qualcomm’s digital health business in Europe, closed major deals with Siemens Healthineers, GE, and Roche, and led commercialization strategies for startups from early sales to successful exits. Has helped founders raise capital by securing the commercial traction investors value most. In addition to this, Thomas has a strong international background being a native Dane who lived 16 years in key markets such as USA, Brazil, Germany and today Zürich, Switzerland.

Thomas Karopka is Senior Project Manager at BioCon Valley® GmbH and digital health expert. He currently serves as senior project manager in the INTERREG Baltic Sea Region project “Clinical AI-based Diagnostics” (CAIDX). Thomas has actively worked in the international health IT community since 2002 where he held different working group chair positions, including the International Society for Telemedicine and eHealth (ISfTeH), International Medical Informatics Association (IMIA) and the European Federation for Medical Informatics (EFMI). Thomas is currently a member of the board of the Network of German Health Regions (NDGR e.V.), ScanBalt MTÜ as well as the German Association Dig-in-Health e.V.

Visionary executive with 20 years’ experience from the MedTech sector in value creation through innovation and entrepreneurship.

Current position is as Director of Coloplast Group Development & Strategy department, working with identifying, evaluating, and investing/acquiring new external innovations, to support our growth ambitions. A key element is establishing and working with a trust based network of customers, MedTech partners, investors and not least the startup ecosystem. Thomas does also have experience from the “other side of the table”, both from licensing an invention of his own, working in a Tech Transfer Office at a Danish University and acting as strategic advisors and to startup companies. 

He holds a Master of Science in BioMedical Engineering and a Diploma in Business Administration and a Board education.  

Tim is a professional engineer with over 20 years of medical device development experience. In his role at PA Consulting Tim works with medical device companies, from startups to global giants, to bring innovative new products to market. Tim holds master’s degrees in mechanical engineering and environmental technology, and has a keen interest in sustainable product design.

Dr. Werner Lanthaler is the founder and CEO of Wlanholding, an investment company focused on driving innovations and sustainable growth in cutting-edge technologies. With over 20 years of management experience in the biotech and pharmaceutical sectors, Dr. Lanthaler supports visionary entrepreneurs in transforming innovative business ideas into scalable, successful organizations. As CEO of Evotec SE, he led the company through significant global growth. Prior to that, as CFO of Intercell AG, he was instrumental in establishing Austria’s first Biotech IPO and several product approvals. Dr. Lanthaler brings an extensive network, top class expertise in due diligence and a hands-on approach to building all aspects of a business.

He is the chairman in leading high-tech companies, including Fair Journey Biologics (Portugal), HAL Allergy (Netherlands), aTenstion.life (Austria), OncoDesignServices (France), and Proxygen (Austria).

His career is further supported by a strong academic background, including a PhD in Business Administration and an MPA from Havard Universit.

Recent key investments of Wlanholding include Proxygen GmbH, Cerabyte GmbH, Solgate GmbH, Planet Pure GmbH, Cyment GmbH, Pirche GmbH and Pexxes GmbH.