Evia Bio
Evia Bio is a Minneapolis-based life sciences company that sells DMSO-free cryopreservation kits and consulting services—anchored by its osmolyte-based CellShield platform—to MSC and broader cell therapy developers, CDMOs, and the IVF industry.
- Company typePrivate
- Founded2020
- HeadquartersMinneapolis, United States
- Headcount1–10
- GTM typeB2B
- OfferingHardware or Manufacturing
What Evia Bio does
Evia Bio is a Minneapolis-based life sciences company developing DMSO-free cryopreservation solutions for the cell and gene therapy market. Its core technology is an osmolyte-based cryoprotectant system using naturally-occurring sugars, sugar alcohols, and amino acids, paired with a proprietary algorithm that customizes formulations to specific cell types (MSCs, iPSCs, T-cells, sensory neurons, and heterogeneous populations such as leukopaks). The technology was developed over 30 years of research by founder and CSO Allison Hubel, PhD, a world-renowned cryobiologist, MIT-trained engineer, President of the Society for Cryobiology, and Professor at the University of Minnesota.
The company's commercial offering centers on the CellShield product line—anchored by the CellShield MSC Cryo Kit launched in November 2025 at $475-$550 per 100mL RUO kit, with GMP grade planned for Q1 2026—and a suite of cryo-engineering services: CryoGAP (risk assessment), CryoConsulting (biweekly advisory), and CryoCustom Development (custom formulation and protocol development). Manufacturing is outsourced to Teknova, enabling scale-up without internal GMP capacity. Evia Bio sells direct through its e-commerce site and an enterprise sales motion, targeting MSC-based cell therapy developers, broader cell therapy developers (T, B, NK, PBMC, HSC, iPSC-derived), CDMOs, and the IVF industry.
The company operates from a ~8-10 person team, closed a seed round in Q2 2023, and is led by Chairman & CEO Jeffrey Allen (formerly CEO of Cellero, sold to Charles River Labs) following a May 2024 leadership transition. A multi-channel educational program—CryoChats roundtables, CryoU webinars, CryoX hands-on training, and CryoToons comics—functions as community-led demand generation in a niche where buyer education on DMSO toxicity is the primary adoption barrier. Third-party validation comes from the PACT/BEST Collaborative Study across seven cell therapy laboratories and testing at an unnamed leading CDMO.
Evia Bio firmographics
Firmographics- Name
- Evia Bio
- Legal name
- Evia Bio
- Website
- https://eviabio.com
- Company type
- Private
- Founded year
- 2020
- Operating status
- Operating
- Headcount range
- 1–10 employees
- Short description
- Evia Bio is a Minneapolis-based life sciences company that sells DMSO-free cryopreservation kits and consulting services—anchored by its osmolyte-based CellShield platform—to MSC and broader cell therapy developers, CDMOs, and the IVF industry.
- Ownership category
- akta.pro rank
Evia Bio industry classification
Industry- Product category
- Cell Therapy Cryopreservation Reagents
- NAICS
- Biological Product (except Diagnostic) Manufacturing (325414), Research and Development in Biotechnology (except Nanobiotechnology) (541714)
- SIC
- Biological Products, (No Disgnostic Substances) (2836), Services-Commercial Physical & Biological Research (8731)
- akta.pro primary industry
- Cold Chain, Cryopreservation & Biologics Storage/Handling Technologies (HLAAAJAN)
- akta.pro secondary industry
- Sample Preparation, Storage & Cryogenics (Freezers, Cryovials, Cryostats) (HLAGAIAJ)
Keywords
Where Evia Bio is headquartered
LocationHeadquarters
- HQ city
- Minneapolis
- HQ country
- United States
- HQ region
- North America
Offices1 record
Markets served
Evia Bio business model
Business model- GTM type
- B2B
- Offering type
- Hardware or Manufacturing
- Cost components
- Personnel, Technology or R&D, Marketing or Sales, Supply Chain, Operations
Revenue model
- CellShield Product Sales: Sale of CellShield MSC cryopreservation kits, including RUO grade currently available and GMP grade planned for Q1 2026. The 100mL kit includes 2X CPA solution, buffer, and optimized protocol.
- CryoGAP Risk Assessment Services: Consulting service providing assessment of gaps and risk factors across the entire cryopreservation process including preparation, freezing, storage/transportation, and thawing/post-thaw assessment.
- CryoConsulting Services: Biweekly consulting engagement with Evia Bio team to improve and refine cryopreservation processes.
- CryoCustom Development Services: Comprehensive customization service for cell-specific requirements including formulation development, cryopreservation protocol development, and temperature/load mapping for scale up and technology transfer.
Pricing tiers
| Model | Billing | Price |
|---|---|---|
| Unit Pricing | Pay-as-you-go | CellShield MSC RUO Grade 100mL Kit |
| Unit Pricing | Pay-as-you-go | CellShield MSC RUO Grade 100mL Kit |
Go-to-market motion3 records
Distribution channels3 records
Marketing channels7 records
Evia Bio product offering
Product offeringCore offering
Evia Bio develops and sells DMSO-free cryopreservation kits (CellShield MSC) using proprietary osmolyte-based technology for cell therapy developers. The company also provides cryopreservation risk assessment (CryoGAP), biweekly consulting (CryoConsulting), and custom formulation/protocol development services (CryoCustom Development) for cell therapy manufacturers and CDMOs.
Product overview
Evia Bio is a life science innovation company providing non-DMSO cryopreservation solutions for the cell therapy and in vitro fertilization industries. The core product offering is the CellShield platform—a DMSO-free cryopreservation system using osmolyte-based technology (sugars, sugar alcohols, amino acids) inspired by nature. The CellShield MSC Cryo Kit is their first proprietary product for mesenchymal stem cells. The company also offers a suite of cryo-engineering services including CryoGAP (risk assessment), CryoConsulting (ongoing advisory), and CryoCustom Development (custom formulation services). Educational offerings include CryoU webinars, CryoChats roundtables, CryoX hands-on training, CryoToons educational comics, and CryoTip technical guides. All solutions are developed by world-leading cryobiologist Allison Hubel, PhD, from the University of Minnesota.
Differentiator
Problem solved
Functional benefit
Brands
- CryoGAP: Risk assessment and audit service for cryopreservation protocols
- CryoConsulting
- CryoCustom Development
- CellShield
- CryoU
- CryoChats
- CryoX
- CryoToons
- CryoTip
Products and services
- CellShield MSC Cryo Kit A DMSO-free, fully defined, protein-free cryopreservation kit for mesenchymal stem cells (MSCs) using proprietary osmolyte technology combining penetrating and non-penetrating cryoprotectants (sugars, sugar alcohols, amino acids). Kit includes 2X CPA solution, buffer, and optimized controlled rate freezing protocol. Designed for MSC-based cell therapy developers needing to eliminate DMSO toxicity while maintaining cell integrity.
- CryoGAP Risk Assessment Cryopreservation risk assessment service that evaluates gaps and risk factors across the entire cryopreservation process, including preparation and formulation, freezing, storage and transportation, and thawing and post-thaw assessment. Offered as Complete (full assessment), Select (individual categories), Risk Mitigation (action plan), and Annual Audit. Designed for cell therapy developers and CDMOs needing validated, GMP-ready cryopreservation processes.
- CryoConsulting Biweekly consulting engagement with the Evia Bio team to improve and refine cryopreservation processes. Targeted at cell therapy developers, CDMOs, and manufacturers seeking ongoing expert support for protocol optimization and process improvement.
- CryoCustom Development Custom formulation development service for cell-specific cryopreservation requirements, including cryopreservation protocol development and extensive temperature and load mapping for scale up and technology transfer. Designed for cell therapy developers working with unique cell populations (T-cells, iPSCs, NK cells, MSCs, leukopaks) needing tailored cryoprotectant formulations.
Quantifiable outcome
- >85% recovery and viability with iPSCs, MSCs, sensory neurons, and T-cells
- +3 more outcomes
Companies that use Evia Bio
Customer profileNamed customers2 records
Segments4 records
Ideal customer profiles3 records
Evia Bio technology and API
TechnologyTechnology focussed Yes
API detail
- Has API
- No
- API docs
- API detail
Core technology
AI maturity
App detail
AI capability1 record
Feature4 records
Evia Bio partnerships and signals
Strategic signalPartnerships
Five partnerships are on record, tiered core, flagship and minor.
- TeknovacoreTeknova manufactures CellShield MSC as a leading provider of critical reagents for development and commercialization of emerging therapies, vaccines, and molecular diagnostics. This manufacturing partnership enables Evia Bio to scale production while leveraging Teknova's expertise in critical reagent manufacturing.
- PACT/BEST Collaborative Study (7 Cell Therapy Laboratories)flagshipMulti-center international study involving seven cell therapy laboratories that validated CellShield MSC delivered viability and recovery comparable to DMSO-based standards while maintaining identical cell surface phenotypes (CD45, CD73, CD90, CD105). This validation provides third-party credibility for the product.
- University of Minnesota - BioCoRcorePartnership with University of Minnesota's Biopreservation Core Resource (BioCoR) for hosting the Preservation of Cellular Therapies Short Course. Founder Allison Hubel serves as Director of BioCoR, creating natural collaboration between academic research and commercial applications.
- Technological Leadership Institute, University of MinnesotacoreCo-hosts the Preservation of Cellular Therapies Short Course with Evia Bio's CryoX Add-On Laboratory Training. Allison Hubel serves as Director of the Technological Leadership Institute at the University of Minnesota.
- CryoportminorCryoport is listed as an institutional supporter for CryoX training. Dominic Clarke, VP Technical Operations at IntegriCell for Cryoport Systems, serves on Evia Bio's Scientific Advisory Board.
Scale indicators3 records
Recent moves7 records
Expansion highlights5 records
Evia Bio competitors and assessment
Company assessmentDirect peers
- BioLife Solutions: BioLife Solutions is the leading independent supplier of biopreservation products for cell and gene therapies, including the CryoStor and HypoThermosol DMSO-free cryopreservation media lines. It is the most direct competitor to Evia Bio's CellShield platform, serving the same MSC, iPSC, and immune cell therapy developers with established regulatory filings and global distribution.
- STEMCELL Technologies: STEMCELL Technologies sells a broad portfolio of cell culture media, cryopreservation reagents (e.g., CryoStor-style DMSO-free media), and tools for cell therapy and regenerative medicine research. It is a direct competitor to Evia Bio in supplying MSC and immune cell cryopreservation consumables to academic and translational customers.
- Corning Life Sciences: Corning offers defined, serum-free and DMSO-free cryopreservation media (e.g., Cryopreserve DMSO-Free) alongside cell culture vessels and bioprocessing consumables. It competes with Evia Bio across the same cell therapy developer customer base, leveraging an entrenched catalog and global commercial reach.
- FUJIFILM Irvine Scientific: FUJIFILM Irvine Scientific provides cell culture media and cryopreservation solutions for cell therapy, regenerative medicine, and IVF applications. Its product breadth and IVF adjacency overlap directly with Evia Bio's stated cell therapy and IVF customer segments.
Broad incumbents
- Sartorius: Sartorius is a major bioprocessing supplier offering cell culture media, single-use technologies, and cell therapy manufacturing platforms. Through its bioprocessing catalog it competes broadly with Evia Bio for cell therapy developer wallet share, even though cryopreservation media is not its primary focus.
- Lonza: Lonza is a global CDMO and supplier of cell and gene therapy manufacturing services, including media and process development. Its cell therapy manufacturing platform and media offerings overlap with Evia Bio's CDMO customer segment and broader cryopreservation/process tooling value proposition.
- Cytiva: Cytiva (formerly part of GE Healthcare Life Sciences) supplies bioprocessing tools, cell culture media, and cryopreservation solutions for cell and gene therapy developers. It competes with Evia Bio as part of a much broader bioprocessing portfolio targeting CDMOs and therapy developers.
- MilliporeSigma: MilliporeSigma (the life science business of Merck KGaA) provides an extensive catalog of cell culture media, cryoprotectants, and bioprocessing consumables. It overlaps with Evia Bio across research-grade and clinical-grade cryopreservation reagents, sold through a global life sciences sales channel.
Emerging players
- Pluristyx: Pluristyx is an emerging iPSC-focused cell therapy tools and services company offering GMP-grade iPSC lines and related manufacturing support. It intersects with Evia Bio in the iPSC cryopreservation workflow, and the company's CEO previously served as a Strategic Advisor to Pluristyx.
Others
- Cryoport Systems: Cryoport is a specialty logistics and cold-chain provider for cell and gene therapies, offering cryogenic shipping and chain-of-custody services. It is an enabling/adjacent ecosystem partner rather than a direct reagent competitor; Cryoport's VP of Technical Operations for IntegriCell also serves on Evia Bio's Scientific Advisory Board.
Market position
Strengths5 records
Weaknesses5 records
Competitive moat4 records
Key risks6 records
Key highlights7 records
Customer concentration
Evia Bio social profiles
Digital presenceEvia Bio financial estimates
Financial estimateRevenue estimate
Valuation estimate
Evia Bio leadership team
Management profileNumber of profiles
Profiles9 records
Evia Bio funding detail
Funding detailFunding overview
Funding rounds4 records
Investors3 records
Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Evia Bio M&A and investment
M&A and investmentM&A
Investments
M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Frequently asked questions about Evia Bio
What does Evia Bio do?
Evia Bio develops and sells DMSO-free cryopreservation kits (CellShield MSC) using proprietary osmolyte-based technology for cell therapy developers. The company also provides cryopreservation risk assessment (CryoGAP), biweekly consulting (CryoConsulting), and custom formulation/protocol development services (CryoCustom Development) for cell therapy manufacturers and CDMOs.
Is Evia Bio a public or private company?
Evia Bio is a private company. It is classified as venture growth investor backed and is currently operating.
When was Evia Bio founded?
Evia Bio was founded in 2020. It employs 1 to 10 people.
Where is Evia Bio based?
Evia Bio is headquartered in Minneapolis, United States, in the North America region.
How does Evia Bio make money?
Four revenue lines are on record. CellShield Product Sales are the primary driver. The others are cryoGAP Risk Assessment Services, cryoConsulting Services and cryoCustom Development Services.
Who are Evia Bio's main competitors?
Direct peers on record are BioLife Solutions, STEMCELL Technologies, Corning Life Sciences and FUJIFILM Irvine Scientific. Broad incumbents are Sartorius, Lonza, Cytiva and MilliporeSigma. Pluristyx is listed as an emerging player. Cryoport Systems is listed as an others.
Does Evia Bio have an API?
No public API is recorded for Evia Bio.
What industry is Evia Bio in?
Evia Bio's product category is Cell Therapy Cryopreservation Reagents. Its primary akta.pro industry code is HLAAAJAN, Cold Chain, Cryopreservation & Biologics Storage/Handling Technologies, with a secondary code of HLAGAIAJ, Sample Preparation, Storage & Cryogenics (Freezers, Cryovials, Cryostats). Its NAICS code is 325414 and its SIC code is 2836.