Mr. Gil-Ad brings more than 25 years of experience in management of large R&D projects. Prior to founding NovellusDx, Haim Gil-Ad was the CEO of Optigo Systems Ltd., a vertically integrated high-tech company developing technology-oriented products and a leader in electro-optical R&D that was acquired by the Elta Co. of Israel Aerospace Industries. Prior to joining Optigo, Mr. Gil-Ad pursued an extensive career with the Israeli Ministry of Defense (IMOD) as head of major international R&D and full-scale development programs. Mr. Gil-Ad earned a B.Sc. in Engineering from Tel-Aviv University and an MBA from Ben-Gurion University. He has twice been awarded the Israel National Quality Award.

From 2013, Jelena has been positioned as Acting Director of the Institute of Molecular Genetics and Genetic Engineering, at the University of Belgrade and from 2016 Head of the Laboratory for Molecular Microbiology, IMGGE.

Her research focus is on fundamental research in the field of molecular microbiology and also on the application of biotech in food and pharmaceutical industry. She has particular expertise in research related to lactic acid bacteria (LAB) and their probiotic potential and mechanisms of antibiotic resistance in different microorganisms. Jelena has published more than 50 papers in leading international journals in the field.

From 2013 she has been involved as a Lecturer in the Faculty of Pharmacy in a doctoral study program Microbiology and Immunology.

In 2016 she established the Technology Transfer Office in IMGGE and she is actively involved in all activities related to technology transfer. In addition, through intensive collaboration with industry she is focused on implementation of open innovation concepts both within the Institute and in the country. She is a coordinator and participant in numerous scientific and innovative national and international projects including those with the industry.

Domen Bole is a founder and managing director of Co-creation, providing key expertise in the start-ups, entrepreneurship and innovation ecosystem development, and he acts as advisor to top management of Business Incubator of University of Ljubljana and supports the development of teams and start-ups coming mainly from academia.

As seasoned startup coach and mentor with 10+ years of experience, Domen helps early stage startups develop and validate their business models and raise funds using running lean methodology. He has supported over 400 startups within startup competitions, acceleration programs, startup incubators, technology parks in South eastern Europe.

All together Domen has more than 20 years of international professional experience as research assistant, founder of start-ups, interim manager in SMEs and corporate entrepreneur with investment fund experience. He has extensive global network with masters focused in Entrepreneurship and certifications in Intellectual Property Valuation and Technology Transfer. He is also a co-author of SEE Startup Report 2018 and several other publications in field of startup ecosystem development.

Areas of Expertise:

• Early stage Business model development
• Running lean methodology
• Found raising & pitching
• Seed investments

Nicolas Charton is the co-founder and managing director of E-CUBE Strategy Consultants SA in Lausanne, which specialises in the energy and mobility sectors. An engineer with expertise in industrial organisation, he advises the top management of major Swiss and European energy companies, and public bodies.

I see myself as a people activator with more than ten years of experience in multinational companies. I started gathering professional experience as a sales representative and continued upgrading my sales experience and knowledge, through consumer engagement, marketing, leading sales teams as well as being in charge of accounts responsible for 3rd party engagement. I graduated from the Faculty of Philosophy on English language and Literature department, via several years in Telenor I came to Philip Morris International 9 years ago, where I currently hold the position of National Supervisor Indirect retail relationship.

Seasoned professional in clinical research industry with over 20 years of experience, with expertise in rare disease, paediatrics and medical device.

Managing Director and owner of AXIOM International Contract Research Organisation (CRO) operating in the region of ex-Yugoslavia and surrounding countries for over 12 years.

Vice-President of KLINIS Association of Advancement of Clinical Research of Serbia since its foundation in February 2012.

Member of EFGCP and MedTech Europe Medical Technology Stakeholder Alliance since its foundation.  Member of the EFGCP Initiative on Patient Information Sheet (PIS) Improvement Working Group .

Author and director of INFORMED CONSENT short educational film explaining 20 elements of Informed Consent process (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qUBmcn0acwI)

Co-Author of Clinical Trials Hero Exhibition at Educational Museum Belgrade (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=64sdb9xiYTU)

In parallel translator and court interpreter for the courts of law in Serbia and Bulgaria. Also, international lecturer, author of several textbooks and dictionaries.

David has a background in biochemistry, immunology and molecular biology with a PhD from Imperial College, London and three years of post-doctoral experience. David has worked in the pharmaceutical industry for almost 20 years. He worked in big pharma at AstraZeneca for more than 17 years in a wide variety of R&D roles both in the UK and the US. Whilst at AstraZeneca he was heavily involved in developing the use of informatics and systems biology to support the development of new medicines. David joined Blueberry Therapeutics as Chief Scientific Officer at the start of 2014. In this role, he is responsible for leading the research activities of the business which are focused on developing new treatments for serious infectious diseases. The first of these treatments has now entering clinical testing.

Lisa Cowey has worked in the field of innovation with high tech companies, including spinoffs and startups for over 26 years. She started her career with Oxford Instruments, one of the earliest and most successful start-ups to emerge from the Oxford University Physics Laboratory. She has direct experience of licensing technology, equity fund raising and successful trade sale with ventures in the UK, USA and Germany.

After returning to UK she joined Finance South East Ltd, a specialist regional funding organisation managing debt, equity and specialist funds including R&D, PoC and Seed Funding for ambitious technology / knowledge-based companies in the region. She managed the Alchemist Business Angel Network and the ERDF funded Merlin Mentoring scheme.

For the last 12 years Lisa has worked in the Western Balkans to support innovative SMEs, including startups, and the transfer of technology from universities and research institutes to companies. She is a mentor on the Investment Readiness component for EU4TECH WB and is the Key Expert for IP and a mentor the EIB EDIF project on intangible assets and intellectual property for the region. Further afield she is a mentor for the MIT startup program in Poland.

Lisa has a PhD in Physics from the University of Oxford, an MBA from Oxford Brookes University Business School where she specialised in entrepreneurship and university technology transfer, and
a Diploma in IP Law and Practice from Bournemouth University Business School IP Unit.

Gregor Cuzak, MSc, MBA, has been one of the key organisers of the Slovenian eHealth ecosystem since 2014. He has partnered with all relevant Slovenian health stakeholders, as well as numerous
internationally, such as Health 2.0 and European Connected Health Alliance. Gregor operates as a consultant on topics of business development, data analytics and marketing. His role at ECHAlliance is International Ecosystems Coordinator, which puts him in regular contact with connected health ecosystems across Europe.

Professional with 14 years of experience in innovative pharmaceutical companies with broad experience from the field to strategy planning.

More than 12 years of experience in Medical Affairs, including strategic milestones in Serbia as setting up infrastructure for development clinical trials and their kick off in 2012, leading the team of Regulatory, Medical and Drug Safety associates in complex regional structure.

Being a Compliance Officer for more than 5 years, along with strong personal integrity, gave the business strong integrity and compliance in achieving results.

Open in communication, real team player that doesn’t satisfy with status quo, assertive in challenging current situation in order to achieve better solution for the company and patients.

Working in a pharmaceutical company made me realise how much I can do for patients. If every day starts better for at least one patient because of something I did, then it makes me feel happy and like I did something meaningful.

But to go even further in amplifying that, I am happy to share my experience and help others to do something great for the patients and healthcare system.