Management

Management

Matthias Müllner

Co-Founder & CEO

»I like to think outside the box, it opens up completely new perspectives.«

As Co-Founder and Chief Executive Officer of bespark*bio, Matthias offers comprehensive leadership and direction. He shapes the overarching strategic vision, steering both scientific and business objectives with a forward-thinking approach. Matthias brings more than a decade of expertise in the development and manufacturing of biopharmaceutical innovations, as well as in developing and executing technical commercialization strategies.

Monika Mangold

Co-Founder & COO

»Keeping the big picture in focus – that’s vital for success.«

Monika, Co-Founder and Chief Operating Officer of bespark*bio, plays a pivotal role ensuring operational efficiency, fostering organizational development, and executing strategic initiatives. She ensures seamless integration across research, development, and commercialization activities. Monika has an extensive biotech and pharma track record, holding senior leadership roles of increasing responsibility in R&D and global Project, Portfolio & Alliance-Management.

Dieter Palmberger

Co-Founder & CTO

»I have always been driven by a passion for science & technology.«

Dieter, Co-Founder and Chief Technology Officer of bespark*bio, plays a crucial role in providing scientific & technical guidance to the company. With a passion for science and extensive expertise in bioprocess development for life viral vectors and virus-based protein expression, he contributes valuable insights and leadership to drive innovation.

Advisory Board

Advisory Board

Alois Jungbauer

Alois Jungbauer

Alois, retired Professor at the Institute of Bioprocess Science and Engineering, BOKU University, Vienna, chairs bespark*bio’s Advisory Board. With his outstanding track record of excellence, he offers invaluable insights for bespark*bio’s bioprocessing endeavours.

With a focus on bioprocess engineering for proteins, plasmids, viruses and gene therapy vectors, Alois has authored more than 400 papers in leading scientific journals, covering recombinant protein production, bioseparation, and advanced materials for bioprocess engineering. He is also author of a recent monograph titled “Protein Chromatography, Process Development, and Scale Up,” alongside several patents and book contributions. Beyond academia, Alois co-founded the Biotechnology Journal, where he served as executive editor, and currently holds the position of the Scientific Vice-President of Research at the European Society of Biochemical Engineering Science.

Lee Smith

Lee, Principal Consultant & Managing Director of GreyRigge Associates Ltd., brings extensive CMC expertise. He plays a pivotal role in bespark*bio’s Advisory Board, providing crucial guidance for the company’s initiatives.

Lee’s broad expertise encompasses CMC, process, analytical method, and formulation development, with a keen understanding of product optimization and navigating regulatory submissions and interactions.
As a seasoned professional, Lee actively applies Quality by Design (QbD) principles and offers valuable guidance on utilization of Design of Experiments (DoE) and data analysis for processes, formulations, and assays. His specific focus centers on bioassays, where he excels in the development, optimization, and validation of both biopharmaceutical processes and methods.

Theresa Scharl-Hirsch

Leveraging her profound expertise in statistical data-analysis in downstream processing, machine learning, and advanced data modeling, Theresa assumes the role of a data science expert within the Advisory Board of bespark*bio.

Theresa holds the position of Senior Scientist at the Institute of Statistics and serves as the Deputy Scientific Head at the Core Facility Bioinformatics at BOKU University in Vienna. Her academic journey is rooted in the realms of Applied Mathematics, from which she has cultivated expertise in an array of disciplines. With her expansive repertoire, Theresa‘s focal points of research encompass statistical computing utilizing R, the application of statistical learning methodologies, intricate cluster analysis, sophisticated visualization techniques, as well as the intricate modeling of both upstream and downstream bioprocesses, alongside the analysis of gene expression data. Her contributions to the academic arena are marked by more than 60 peer-reviewed publications.

Florian Krammer

Florian is a globally recognized leader in microbiology and vaccine technology. His vision for translating scientific discovery into real-world public health solutions aligns seamlessly with bespark*bio’s mission to deliver transformative biotech innovations.

As Professor of Vaccinology at the Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, New York, and Professor of Infection Medicine at the Medical University of Vienna, Florian’s work spans continents, driving groundbreaking advancements in vaccinology and pandemic preparedness. As Co-Director of the Centre for Vaccine Research and Pandemic Preparedness and Principal Investigator of the Sinai-Emory Multi-Institutional Collaborative Influenza Vaccine Innovation Centre, Florian plays a pivotal role in shaping rapid-response frameworks for global health challenges. He is an elected member of the American Academy of Microbiology and the Henry Kunkel Society and serves on the Board of Directors of the European Scientific Working Group on Influenza. With over 400 scientific publications and book chapters, Florian’s leadership in vaccine research and infectious disease preparedness has a profound impact on global health.

Benoit Bossuge

Benoit, Founder & Managing Director of @B Squared, brings more than 15 years of expertise as a Biochemist and Biotech Engineer. His passion for Cell & Gene therapies and their transformative potential fuels his commitment to innovation and excellence in this rapidly evolving field.

Benoit has played key roles in leading global companies, driving advancements in pharmaceutical development, manufacturing science, CMC operations, and external supply. His experience spans both pharmaceutical giants and pioneering biotechs, including Novartis, Sanofi, MedImmune, and CRISPR Therapeutics. His deep industry knowledge, strategic negotiation skills, and financial expertise make him a valuable advisor in advancing next-generation therapies and shaping the future of biotech.

Cooperation

Partnership

novasign

A strong partnership for Data-driven Bioprocessing bespark*bio and NOVASIGN

Modern bioprocessing is no longer defined by running more experiments – but by knowing which ones matter.

Modern bioprocessing is no longer defined by running more experiments – but by knowing which ones matter.

From the beginning, bespark*bio has worked closely with Novasign to integrate advanced data modeling into bioprocess development. Starting with early collaborations, we combined deep bioprocessing expertise and experimental execution with predictive in-silico modeling. This approach demonstrated clear impact – enabling faster development, reducing experimental effort, and significantly improving process understanding.

Following these results, we have taken the next step. Data-driven modeling is now fully embedded within our internal workflows and executed directly by our scientific team.

This transition is powered by Novasign Studio, which we use as our exclusive modeling environment. The platform enables us to design smarter experiments, develop hybrid models and digital twins, run in-silico simulations, and seamlessly integrate modeling with lab execution.

Together with Novasign, we have evolved from collaboration to deep technological integration – establishing a new standard for data-driven bioprocess development that combines experimental excellence with predictive, model-based decision-making.

https://novasign.at/

 

Collaboration

FFG

Driving the future of scalable ATMP manufacturing with FFG

Transforming gene therapy requires more than breakthrough ideas – it requires an ecosystem that enables them to scale.

Transforming gene therapy requires more than breakthrough ideas – it requires an ecosystem that enables them to scale.

bespark*bio is supported by the Austrian Research Promotion Agency (FFG), Austria’s central organization for applied research and innovation.

Through its Life Sciences and COIN programs, FFG supports the advancement of our technology and the development of next-generation biomanufacturing approaches.

Within the Life Sciences program, we are further evolving our platform to unlock more efficient, scalable ways of developing gene therapies – addressing fundamental challenges that still limit their broader impact.

In parallel, our COIN project brings together strong partners including Novasign, Engenes, Holloid, and Qubicon to rethink how AAV manufacturing is designed and operated. By combining bioprocessing expertise with real-time data, machine learning, and automation, we are building adaptive systems that can transform how therapies are produced.

Together with FFG, we are driving a shift from complex, costly processes toward scalable, intelligent biomanufacturing – laying the foundation for gene therapies to reach far more patients.

 

Collaboration

aws

STRONG PARTNERSHIP FOR INNOVATION: bespark*bio and AWS

Innovation needs the right partners. bespark*bio is supported by aws (Austria Wirtschaftsservice) in advancing our gene therapy platform.

Innovation needs the right partners. bespark*bio is supported by aws (Austria Wirtschaftsservice) in advancing our gene therapy platform.

aws plays a key role in enabling deep-tech and biotech companies to progress from early validation to market readiness, providing targeted funding at critical stages of development.

At bespark*bio, we are building a next-generation AAV framework that combines a novel high-efficiency vector design with a robust and scalable manufacturing approach. By addressing key limitations of current approaches, this platform opens the door to broader and more accessible applications of gene therapy beyond rare diseases.

With aws PreSeed Deep Tech funding, we generated initial data and validated our core technology.

Building on this foundation, Seed funding now supports the next phase: advancing toward application, expanding capabilities, and moving closer to market readiness.

At bespark*bio, we translate complex biology into robust, scalable processes. Together with aws, we are accelerating the development of reliable, next-generation gene therapy solutions – bringing them closer to real-world application.

Facility

Facility

bespark*bio’s laboratories

The bespark*bio process development facility – where innovation meets precision.

bespark*bio’s leading-edge laboratories are operational at Muthgasse, Vienna. Our state-of-the-art process development suite ensures exceptional capabilities for advancing biotech solutions.

Equipped with high-end machinery for upstream and downstream processes and analytical development, we produce and analyze up to 50 L pilot batches of biopharmaceuticals under tightly controlled conditions.

In addition to our dedicated process development suite, we use specialized laboratories for molecular biology, cell culture, virology, and immunology.

Our laboratories boast state-of-the-art equipment, including various bioreactor systems, cell counting/analysis tools, metabolite analyzers, chromatography setups and tangential flow filtration systems.

Our client’s ground-breaking discoveries come to life through bespark*bio’s advanced laboratory capabilities.

News

Insights

September 28.2026 //

CPHI | Milan | 06-08 October 2026!

This October, our CEO Matthias Müllner will attend CPHI Milan, a conference bringing together the global pharmaceutical community for three days of science, technology and industry exchange.

Together with experts from Roche, Fujifilm, Assurea, eschbach and BioCurie, Matthias will discuss how AI, advanced analytics and real-time monitoring are changing biologics manufacturing – and what it takes to move these approaches from promising pilots into regulated operations.