Edwin Moncada

R&D, technology and innovation executive with 22+ years of international experience converting scientific and technological capabilities into intellectual property, industrial technologies, investment decisions, commercialization pathways and new business opportunities. PhD in Chemistry and MBA in Business Intelligence & Big Data, with experience across polymers, advanced materials, petrochemicals, catalysts, nanotechnology, manufacturing technologies and emerging digital solutions. Career combines industrial R&D, technology portfolio management, techno-economic and financial modeling, market and customer analysis, IP strategy, technology transfer, industrial scale-up and commercialization.

Experience includes Braskem R&D and innovation projects representing approximately US$350M in projected NPV and US$70M in risk-adjusted NPV, and management of Ecopetrol's approximately US$5B Petrochemical Infrastructure Growth Project. Current technology leadership includes AI-enabled R&D combining machine learning, computational chemistry and molecular descriptors to predict chemical reactivity, accelerate scientific screening, reduce experimental requirements and support data-driven technology and R&D decisions.

Founder & CEO - INNTS

(2017-01)

Technology Commercialization • Industrial Innovation • AI & Advanced Analytics • New Business Development

• Founded and lead a technology and innovation company focused on translating scientific, engineering and digital capabilities into industrial solutions, commercialization pathways and new business opportunities.
• Led 70+ industrial R&D&I and technology projects for seven corporate clients, integrating technology assessment, product/process development, market analysis, business modeling and implementation.
• Developed and implemented solutions across AI, Business Intelligence, advanced analytics, Digital Twins, Industry 4.0, polymer processing and industrial optimization.
• Led circular-economy and sustainability projects, including transformation of an industrial waste stream in Urabá into a functional disinfectant product initially deployed internally and subsequently commercialized by the client.

Research & Technology Leader - INSTITUCIÓN UNIVERSITARIA DE ENVIGADO (IUE) / GITESI

(2019-01)

Research Portfolio • AI-enabled R&D • IP • Technology Transfer • Talent Development

• Lead a multidisciplinary organization of approximately 30 researchers across six research lines and directed/coordinated 50+ funded R&D&I projects representing approximately US$4.4M.
• Led the organizational transformation of GITESI from Category C to Category A by restructuring research capabilities, strategic priorities, project development and knowledge-transfer practices.
• Led the development of an innovation and commercialization pathway connecting research → technology maturation → IP protection → business evaluation → technology transfer / venture creation.
• Co-invented a patent-pending AI-enabled chemical R&D system integrating machine learning and computational chemistry to predict chemical reactivity and reaction outcomes, with potential to reduce experimental screening and improve R&D decision-making.
• Built and developed multidisciplinary technical talent across six research lines, strengthening researcher autonomy, advanced training, collaborative leadership and knowledge-sharing capabilities.
• Applied structured technology-readiness, portfolio-prioritization and decision criteria to support resource allocation, development pathways and go/no-go technology decisions; led the pathway contributing to creation of the TAAGRO technology-based spin-off.

Strategic Program Director - RUTA N

(2016-01 - 2017-12)

Innovation Ecosystems • Technology Strategy • University–Industry–Government Collaboration

• Structured and coordinated an innovation ecosystem involving 35+ organizations, including corporations, universities, SMEs, government institutions and international research partners.
• Led strategic alignment, governance and resource coordination across stakeholders with different technological, institutional and business priorities.
• Supported technology and innovation portfolio development connecting scientific capabilities with industry needs and regional economic-development priorities.

Vice-Rector for Research & Academic Development - INSTITUTO TECNOLÓGICO METROPOLITANO (ITM)

(2014-01 - 2016-12)

Executive Research Leadership • Technology Transfer • IP • Organizational Transformation

• Led institutional research and innovation strategy, governance, budgeting and resource allocation.
• Created and implemented organizational capabilities including the Measurement and Control Directorate and Technology Transfer Office (TTO); designed the institution's IP protection model integrating prior-art analysis, patentability/protection assessment, patent drafting and national/PCT filing coordination.
• Led technology-transfer and intellectual-property practices, strengthening university–industry collaboration, commercialization pathways and applied research capabilities.

Senior Researcher / Technology Leader → PCIP Technology Leader → PCIP Project Manager - ECOPETROL S.A.

(2012-01 - 2014-12)

Industrial R&D • Techno-Economic Modeling • Technology & Vendor Selection • Technology Acquisition • Capital Investment

• Evaluated petrochemical production technologies and processes at the Barrancabermeja Refinery and Propilco, identifying opportunities for process improvement, product development and industrial competitiveness.
• Selected from Ecopetrol's research organization to join the Petrochemical Infrastructure Growth Project (PCIP), initially leading technology and product evaluation and subsequently progressing to Technology Leader and Project Manager.
• Co-developed techno-economic models for three planned petrochemical production plants, integrating process configurations, feedstock streams, mass and energy balances, production yields/capacities, product portfolios, CAPEX, OPEX, market prices and demand.
• Led product-portfolio and market analysis, evaluating alternative product mixes, national/international demand and Tier 1/Tier 2/Tier 3 market pricing to identify configurations maximizing expected plant operating profitability.
• Compared alternative industrial technologies and approximately five potential technology providers per technology, using technical, production, market and economic criteria to support technology and vendor selection.
• Participated with New Business teams in international technology-provider reviews and acquisition discussions, including meetings in Houston; one selected technology advanced to acquisition discussions with NOVA, while preferred providers had been identified for the other planned plants before the project was discontinued.
• Progressed to Project Manager for the approximately US$5B PCIP, integrating technology strategy, product/market opportunities, engineering analysis, investment economics and executive decision-making.

Senior Researcher - INSTITUTO TECNOLÓGICO METROPOLITANO (ITM)

(2010-01 - 2012-12)

Advanced Materials • Energy • Applied R&D

• Led and contributed to multidisciplinary R&D projects in advanced materials, energy and applied industrial technologies, strengthening research capabilities and external collaboration.

Senior Research Scientist & R&D Project Leader - BRASKEM S.A.

(2007-01 - 2010-12)

Polymers & Advanced Materials • Industrial R&D • IP Strategy • Technology Commercialization • Industrial Scale-Up

• Led approximately 12 R&D and innovation projects in polyolefins, advanced materials, catalysts, nanotechnology and polymer technologies, translating scientific and customer opportunities into industrial technology-development programs.
• Managed an innovation portfolio representing approximately US$350M in projected NPV and US$70M in risk-adjusted NPV, integrating technical evidence, market potential, customer requirements, intellectual property and financial value into R&D and commercialization decisions.
• Invented/co-invented multiple international patents

PhD - Chemistry

MBA - Business Intelligence & Big Data