Lina is an investor, entrepreneur, family office advisor, and sustainability thought leader. Over the past 15 years, Lina has evaluated over 6,000 innovations, advised over 200, and cofounded several companies.
In 2016 Lina founded Innovation 4.4 with the mission to accelerate the commercialization of technologies key to implementing the Paris Agreement and the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals by aligning with 4.4 billion years of our planetary systems. In 2016, Lina led the development of the partnership between Innovation 4.4 and the New Organ Alliance NASA Centennial Challenge to connect the tissue engineering research community and the Silicon Valley investment and startup ecosystems. Lina lead the investment and entrepreneurship tracks at the launch of the NASA Centennial Challenge on Vascular Tissue at NASA Ames. Innovation 4.4 is also an official partner of the United Nations and has collaborated extensively with the UN on expert Brain Trusts, public engagement, and the implementation of the UN SDGs.
As a pioneer in biomimetic innovation, Lina has focused on investing in and commercializing biomimetic technologies. 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. In 2015, Lina founded a think tank, the Risk and Value Creation Institute and convened investors to shift more capital to impact at the NASA Mountain View campus, with a subsequent convening in London at the Willis Insurance headquarters in 2016, and in New York City in 2018.
As a sustainability strategist, Lina has worked with organizations such as the San Francisco Department of Environment where she quantified, co-authored, and presented for public hearing the Waste Offset Fee proposed legislation, a financial incentive GHG emissions reduction program towards the city’s zero waste goals. For the EPA, Lina designed and led a Stakeholder Engagement process with public agencies, business and NGOs in order to develop EPA’s Standards for Sustainable Large Scale Food Venues (convention centers, hotels, ballparks). For W Hotels and Starwood, Lina developed the Strategic Management Plan for Implementing Sustainability Initiatives, the Marketing Plan for promoting sustainable initiatives to guests, the Financial Assessment and Payback Analysis of Rooftop Wind Turbine installation, and lead a strategic foresight Scenario Planning process for sustainable supply chain strategy. For Walmart, Lina developed the Organics Recycling Operations Plan for the company’s Superstores, as well as supply chain standards for the company’s apparel suppliers.
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.
Lina has spoken at over 600 conferences in the past 15 years and serves on the Boards of Center for Environmental Health, Environmental Health Sciences, Rainforest Partnership, Schmidt Marine Technology Partners, and the Advisory Board of the UN Association SF Chapter.