Bioprinting · Materials Science · University of Helsinki
Elva Bio develops versatile biomaterials for advanced biomedical applications, unlocking the creation of complex tissue models and enabling true 3D bioprinting.
Learn moreAbout Us
Modern drug development still relies on flat 2D cell cultures that fail to represent human tissue, and on animal models that poorly predict human response. This results in development timelines that stretch into decades and approval costs that reach into the billions. The same bottleneck also keeps artificial organs further out of reach. We believe 3D bioprinting can break this deadlock — by enabling spatially controlled disease models that mimic human environments, and by laying the groundwork for full-scale printed tissues and organ structures.
Elva Bio is a spin-out from the University of Helsinki, founded by four scientists with deep roots in polymer chemistry, cell biology, and materials science. Born from years of academic research, we are now translating scientific breakthroughs into practical tools for drug developers, tissue engineers, and researchers worldwide.
The key to bioprinting lies in the material itself — the bioink. Today, researchers are forced to choose between cytocompatibility and high-resolution printing. Our materials eliminate this trade-off, enabling precise, high-resolution printing without compromising cell viability. They can function either as standalone bioinks or as additives that enhance existing formulations, allowing seamless integration into all current bioprinting workflows.
Technology
3D bioprinting holds enormous promise for fabricating tissue and organ models for drug testing. Yet the field has been bottlenecked by a single problem: existing bioink materials cannot achieve the resolution and structural fidelity needed for complex, true-to-life constructs.
Our bioinks are designed to solve this. Based on novel hydrogel chemistries developed at the University of Helsinki, they provide cells with a supportive, biocompatible environment while maintaining the mechanical precision required for high-resolution printing.
Compatible with current bioink workflows, our materials enable fabrication of complex architectures with the precision needed for meaningful disease models.
Our novel polymer hydrogels have tunable mechanical properties and can be engineered with biological cues to support your cells growth.
We validated our materials across multiple cell types to ensure that they support high cell viability throughout the printing process and provide a biocompatible environment.
Publications
Kriukov, Kirill, Schneider, Doris, Zeck, Sabine et al.
Scientific Reports, 2025
Demonstrates that synthetic POx/POzi hydrogels are viable bioink matrices for extrusion-based 3D bioprinting of human mesenchymal stromal cells, with findings highlighting the importance of print conditions on cell viability and mechanosensitive gene expression.
Gensler, Marius, Malkmus, Christoph, Ockermann, Philipp et al.
Bioengineering, 2024
Presents a customizable open-source bioreactor workflow that enables direct bioprinting, perfusion, and maturation of tailored tissue constructs for regenerative medicine.
Hu, Chen, Ahmad, Taufiq, Haider, Malik Salman et al.
Biofabrication, 2022
Describes a thermogelling hybrid hydrogel ink that combines strong printability and shape fidelity with cytocompatibility for tissue-engineering-focused 3D bioprinting.
Hahn, Lukas, Beudert, Matthias, Gutmann, Marcus et al.
Macromolecular Bioscience, 2021
Introduces a two-step thermogel and Diels-Alder crosslinking strategy that improves long-term shape fidelity while preserving cell-friendly bioink behavior and enabling functional modification.
Hahn, Lukas, Maier, Matthias, Stahlhut, Philipp et al.
ACS Applied Materials & Interfaces, 2020
Shows how inverse-thermogelling triblock copolymers form macroporous shear-thinning inks with the rheology and structure needed for reliable 3D printing.
Lorson, Thomas, Jaksch, Sebastian, Luebtow, Michael M. et al.
Biomacromolecules, 2017
Reports a sponge-like supramolecular thermogel that supports extrusion printing while remaining cytocompatible, establishing an early POx-based bioink platform.
Team
Four co-founders from the University of Helsinki, combining expertise in polymer chemistry, cell biology, and materials science.
CEO & Co-founder
MSc. in polymer chemistry with three years of entrepreneurial experience. Leads sales, business development, and fundraising.
R&D Manager & Co-founder
Polymer chemistry doctoral candidate developing novel functional materials for a range of demanding applications.
Lead Chemist & Co-founder
Polymer chemist with expertise in hydrogel synthesis and functional material design.
Application Lead & Co-founder
Cell and molecular biologist with a technical mindset, bridging fundamental science and practical application.
Advisors
Business Advisor
MBA and certified Lean Six Sigma Green Belt. Over 14 years of experience in deep-tech startups with managerial roles at ICEYE and Carbo Culture. His expertise lies in scaling physical products from research to market.
Scientific Advisor
Professor of soft matter chemistry at the University of Helsinki. A pioneer in polyoxazoline chemistry since 2004, with several patents in this field. Co-founder of polymer startups DelAQUA and Flux-Polymers.
News
April 2026
Interested to learn more? Check out our latest educational article on innovative bioinks and the future of 3D disease models on page 34 of the University of Helsinki journal here.
Contact
We are open to conversations with investors, industry partners, customers, and collaborators exploring bioprinting solutions.