Meet the Team
Ben Cherian
Chief Executive OfficerBen Cherian is a technology entrepreneur, startup executive, and early-stage investor with more than 20 years of experience building, advising, and investing in emerging companies.
With a background in computer science and technology, Ben has spent much of his career working at the intersection of entrepreneurship, innovation, and company building. He is currently co-founder and CEO of drill.run, an AI and data automation company, and has been an active angel investor and advisor since 2008, investing in more than 40 companies at the idea, pre-seed, and seed stages.
Beyond investing, Ben has worked extensively with founders as an advisor and mentor. He spent eight years mentoring enterprise technology startups through Alchemist Accelerator in San Francisco and has served on the board of the Atlanta Music Project since its founding in 2010.
Ben holds a Bachelor of Science in Computer Science from Georgia State University and has also studied at the Georgia Institute of Technology.
After initially becoming involved with delphistem as an investor and advisor, Ben joined the company as CEO to help lead its next stage of growth. He brings an operator and investor perspective to building the organizational and financial foundation required to advance the company’s regenerative medicine platform toward clinical development.
Ben leads delphistem’s corporate strategy, fundraising, strategic partnerships, and next stage of growth.
Dr. Noel Moya, PhD
Co-Founder & Chief Science OfficerDr. Noel Moya is a stem cell scientist with 18 years of experience spanning molecular biology, cellular reprogramming, human pluripotent stem cells, pancreatic development, and regenerative medicine, including more than 12 years focused specifically on the generation of pancreatic β-cells capable of producing insulin.
His scientific and medical training began in Cuba, where he completed five years of a six-year medical degree before continuing his education in the United States. His scientific career has since included research at the Salk Institute, Scripps Research in La Jolla, California, UC San Diego and the Sanford Consortium for Regenerative Medicine, Helmholtz Zentrum München and Ludwig Maximilian University of Munich in Germany, and Emory University in Atlanta.
At the Salk Institute, Dr. Moya studied insulin and metabolic signaling in the laboratory of Dr. Marc Montminy, contributing to research published in Cell. He later joined UC San Diego and the Sanford Consortium for Regenerative Medicine in San Diego, CA, where his work expanded into human pluripotent stem cells and regenerative medicine. There, he differentiated stem cells into cholinergic and glutamatergic neurons to study Alzheimer’s disease and worked on the generation of cardiomyocytes and lung progenitor cells from pluripotent stem cells.
Dr. Moya completed his PhD at Ludwig Maximilian University of Munich in collaboration with the Institute of Diabetes and Regeneration at Helmholtz Zentrum München, graduating magna cum laude. His doctoral research focused on pancreatic endocrine development and the differentiation of human pluripotent stem cells into functional insulin-producing β-cells. His work included developing an advanced 3D differentiation approach for generating islet-like aggregates, investigating mechanisms governing α- and β-cell development, and using CRISPR/Cas9 gene editing to create human iPSC reporter cell lines.
After returning to the United States, Dr. Moya joined Emory University, where he worked on the 3D differentiation of iPSCs into cardiac cell populations for regenerative applications, including research toward the development of a cell-based biological pacemaker.
His research has been published in leading scientific journals including Cell, Stem Cell Reports, Stem Cell Research, and The CRISPR Journal.
Drawing on nearly two decades of multidisciplinary scientific experience, Dr. Moya co-founded delphistem to translate advances in stem cell biology into personalized regenerative therapies designed to restore natural biological function.
Noel leads delphistem’s scientific strategy, cell therapy platform development, and translational execution.
Danae Moya (née Vassilopoulou), MBA
Co-Founder & Chief Operations OfficerDanae Moya is a global business executive and entrepreneur with more than 20 years of experience spanning strategy, operations, commercial growth, and organizational leadership across the United States, Europe, and the Middle East.
Raised in Greece in a family of entrepreneurs and financial professionals, Danae began her international career in London, developing global media and communications strategies. She later spent nearly a decade in Dubai in strategy and commercial leadership roles with global brands including Bulgari and Louis Vuitton, before relocating to Munich, where she led international product launch and training initiatives for Steelcase.
Danae earned her Executive MBA from London Business School, including coursework at Columbia Business School and an international strategy assignment with IAE Business School in Buenos Aires. She also holds a Master’s degree from City University of London and a Bachelor’s degree from Central Michigan University, along with professional credentials from the Chartered Institute of Marketing and Institute of Practitioners in Advertising.
After meeting her co-founder, Dr. Noel Moya, in Munich and gaining a deeper understanding of the potential of regenerative medicine, Danae saw an opportunity to combine advanced science with the business infrastructure needed to bring transformative technologies from the laboratory toward patients. The mission carried particular meaning following her family's own experience with serious illness.
In 2021, she co-founded delphistem, bringing her background in strategy, operations, and global business to building a biotechnology company focused on personalized regenerative medicine.
As COO, Danae leads corporate strategy and operations while driving fundraising, strategic partnerships, investor relations, commercialization planning, and organizational development.
George J. Huntely- CEO, Diabetes Leadership Council
AdvisorGeorge is a founding member of the Diabetes Leadership Council (501c3) and currently serves as CEO of both the DLC and its affiliate, the Diabetes Patient Advocacy Coalition (501c4). He has been living with type 1 diabetes since 1983 and has 3 other family members also living with T1D. A passionate advocate for people with diabetes, George is a past National Chair of the Board of the American Diabetes Association and currently serves on the board of Children with Diabetes and the Association of Diabetes Care and Education Specialists.
A former CPA, George spent his business career as CFO of Theoris Group, Inc., United Pentek, Inc. and MicroProse Games, Inc. In his corporate roles, he was the plan administrator of self-insured, employer-based health plans for more than 25 years. He learned firsthand the impact of chronic disease management on his company’s bottom line and the importance of strategic health plan design decisions to manage cost, reduce overall risk and improve health outcomes. George is also a highly rated and frequent speaker on the topic of health plan design and drug pricing.
Bradley Saveth
AdvisorBradley Saveth is an entrepreneur, investor, and business leader with a track record of building and scaling high-growth companies. He is the Co-Founder, President and Chief Operating Officer of SupplyCaddy, a global packaging and supply chain company he launched in 2020 and has grown into a trusted partner to some of the world’s most recognizable restaurant and consumer brands. His experience spans entrepreneurship, operations, business development, capital formation, and strategic growth.
Bradley also brings direct experience within the diabetes industry, having previously served as a consultant to MannKind Corporation, where he reported directly to the CEO and supported strategic initiatives.
His involvement with delphistem is deeply personal. As a Type 1 diabetic who has supported diabetes research and advocacy for more than two decades, Bradley brings a firsthand understanding of the burden of the disease and the potential of technologies designed to restore insulin independence.
As an investor and Board Advisor, Bradley advises delphistem on strategy, commercialization, partnerships, fundraising, and growth, helping advance its science toward real-world application.
Shefqet Avdullau
AdvisorShefqet Avdullau is an entrepreneur, investor, and business strategist with experience supporting early-stage companies through growth, fundraising, and strategic partnerships. He brings a strong network within the startup and investment ecosystem and advises delphistem on fundraising strategy and company growth initiatives.