Who are we developing this for, who will decide on its use, and which partner do we need to move forward? Through Q22, I help companies in medtech, pharma and life sciences with those questions.
Sometimes it starts with a technology whose best application is still open. Sometimes there is already a product, and it is about a new customer, a distribution partner or an agreement. I work alongside the team, approach parties and guide the negotiations.
- 20+ years
- commercial experience in healthcare
- Partnerships
- licensing, joint development and supply
- Market access
- experience with pricing and reimbursement
- 2 products
- from concept to first use in patients
Expertise
How Q22 can help
Q22 supports companies from the first concept and funding through to commercialization. The customer is central at every step.
Choosing an application or market
Which customer benefits most from the technology? Together we test the need and look at who decides, who pays and what evidence is required. That helps to invest in the next development step with focus.
Finding customers and partners
Q22 identifies and approaches potential customers, development partners or distributors. In the first conversations we explore what both parties need and whether there is enough of a basis to move forward together.
Making a partnership concrete
Where there is mutual interest, Q22 helps to reach agreement on development, licensing, distribution or supply. In doing so, Q22 works with the commercial, technical, legal and regulatory colleagues who will later have to carry out the agreement.
Experience
Experience in pharma and medical devices, from concept to first use in patients
I know both sectors from practice. At companies including Johnson & Johnson, Nutricia, Allergan and DSM Biomedical, I worked in sales, market access and business development.
As co-founder of two companies, I went through the entire path with my teams: raising funding, the regulatory pathway and research in patients. In total we raised approximately €7 million in funding and grants and brought two products from concept to first use in patients.
So I know from my own experience what the consequences of a mistake along that path are.
At companies
As an entrepreneur
2018–2021
DSM Biomedical
Global Business & Commercial Development Manager
- I handled the commercial side and the project side of medical device developments, with the largest well-known companies as well as small, promising innovations. To do so, I brought together the specialists in regulatory, engineering, quality and legal. With customers, I negotiated joint development, licensing and supply.
- DSM Circle of Excellence 2019
Since 2025 · As an entrepreneur
Q22
Founder
- I work with companies on market development, customer relationships and commercial partnerships.
2024–2025 · At companies
DynaGroup / DynaHealth
Business Development Manager
- I worked with healthcare partners on the practical organization of medical care for patients at home.
2018–2021 · At companies
DSM Biomedical
Global Business & Commercial Development Manager
- I handled the commercial side and the project side of medical device developments, with the largest well-known companies as well as small, promising innovations. To do so, I brought together the specialists in regulatory, engineering, quality and legal. With customers, I negotiated joint development, licensing and supply.
- DSM Circle of Excellence 2019
2017–2023 · As an entrepreneur
Stabican
Co-founder & Managing Director
- As the initiator, I built up the company: from concept and funding to development partners and team. Stabican had its own analytical testing laboratory with EU GMP certification (obtained in 2022). From there, we took an active pharmaceutical ingredient into research in patients.
2015–2019 · As an entrepreneur
Eyegle
Co-founder & Managing Director
- As co-founder, I went through the entire path: from concept and funding to finding development partners and building the team. With our partners, we took a DSM technology into a clinical study in humans.
2013–2015 · At companies
Allergan
Market Access, Pricing & Reimbursement Manager
- For two business units, I worked on market access, pricing and reimbursement of medicines.
2008–2013 · At companies
Nutricia Advanced Medical Nutrition
Sales Manager
- I led a commercial team of four for medical nutrition in hospitals, nursing homes and other care institutions, with responsibility for strategic annual plans, customer contracts and European tenders.
2004–2008 · At companies
Johnson & Johnson Medical (Ethicon)
Clinical Sales Specialist / Account Manager
- I advised surgical teams on suture materials, managed hospital contracts, drew up strategic annual plans and worked on European tenders.
- Best Sales Rep EMEA 2006
2002–2004 · At companies
Novartis / AstraZeneca
District Sales Manager
- Through DOCS International, I worked in pharmaceutical sales for Novartis, Ferring and AstraZeneca.
Work experience at
Cases
Experience from practice
DSM Biomedical
Joint development, licensing and distribution
At DSM Biomedical I expanded existing customer relationships and won new customers in areas including orthopaedics, urology and cardiovascular care. I worked with large international medtech companies and smaller companies on the development of medical devices. Together with specialists from engineering, regulatory, quality and legal, I guided development projects with a combined potential value of more than €10 million.
With customers, I negotiated at executive level on development agreements and licence and supply agreements (LSAs). I also made agreements with distributors about the PRP system and with customers who wanted to outsource development and manufacturing to DSM (CDMO). It was in those negotiations that I learned a great deal from my colleagues. I learned from the best.
- DSM Circle of Excellence 2019
Stabican
Co-founder and Managing Director
I worked on building the company, its collaborations with partners and its commercial development. Stabican built a pharmaceutical platform for analysis and formulation; the organization obtained EU GMP certification in 2022.
Market access and reimbursement
Pricing, reimbursement and use in healthcare
At Allergan I worked for two business units on pricing, reimbursement and the use of products in healthcare.
About Q22
Working with Ivo Schefman
Q22 is the independent commercial practice of Ivo Schefman.
You work with me directly. We agree on what you want to achieve, which conversations I take on and where your team stays involved. If the assignment calls for specialist knowledge, I bring in a partner from my network in consultation with you.
More about my backgroundApproach
From question to commercial progress
Understand
We establish who decides on a purchase or partnership and what stands in the way of the next step.
Build
We choose the customers or partners we want to approach and work out a proposal that suits them.
Execute
I make contact, hold the conversations and guide the follow-up and negotiations.
Contact
A commercial challenge in healthcare?
Would you like to explore a new market, find a development partner or bring in an experienced business developer for a period? Feel free to email me to discuss your question.