LINA CONSTANTINOVICI

        FOUNDER and EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR of INNOVATION 4.4

For over 20 years, Lina has been engaged in sustainable innovation in the public, private, and NGO sectors. With an applied economist perspective, Lina has launched several organizations that contribute to shifting our macro-economic system towards more optimal outcomes - as an entrepreneur, pioneer in biomimetic innovation, sustainability and impact investing thought leader, educator, and philanthropic advisor.

In 2007, Lina led a research project for Lawrence Berkeley National Lab, evaluating the rate of commercialization of patented technologies developed in the lab and identifying relevant market failures related to technology commercialization. In the domain of the future of cities, sustainable architecture, and built environment innovation, Lina is the recipient of the international RE:STORE award for her future of retail design.

In 2012, Lina founded StartupNectar, a biomimetic technology incubator focused on commercializing solutions based on nature’s strategies. StartupNectar was selected as a finalist in the NASA/SSV Showcase of Solutions for Planetary Sustainability in 2013.

Over the past 12 years, Lina has worked with early-stage ventures as a startup advisor, a mentor for accelerators like Cleantech Open, and Advisory Board member for SXSW Eco’s Startup Central. As Head of U.S. Operations, Lina contributed to building GrowVC: the first online, global marketplace for entrepreneurs. Lina served as Vice-President of the Board of Directors for Silicon Valley Environmental Partnership for 6 years. Lina heads up the Financial Advocacy initiative for the Nexus Global Working Group Towards Equal Justice.

She is a frequent speaker and university lecturer on entrepreneurship, impact investing, sustainability, biomimetic innovation, the future of philanthropy, the evolution of global financial systems, and applied economics. Lina has spoken at over 100 conferences over the last 12 years on these subjects.