Rina Carlini, PhD
PhD Chemistry ‘98
Alumni Gold Medal ‘98
President & CEO
Haltech Regional Innovation Centre
Burlington, ON
Dr. Rina Carlini is an accomplished business leader with 25 years’ experience in science and technology innovation, commercialization in advanced materials, clean/green technology, nanotechnology, IT and health science. She is known for establishing corporate technology programs, as well as developing new technology ventures for business growth.
Her professional experience spans diverse industry sectors and roles, including pharmaceutical drug discovery R&D (Merck, Syntex); Director of Xerox’s Global Technology Incubator and corporate innovation lead for Nanotechnology in Canada; Director of Commercialization at GreenCentre Canada; and President of Optimal Science Consulting. In her current role as President and CEO of Haltech Regional Innovation Centre, she helps to develop tech startups and small businesses to become viable, high-growth ventures.
Dr. Carlini obtained her Ph.D. in Chemistry and Alumni Gold Medal from University of Waterloo, and holds certifications in Business Model Innovation from Harvard University; Executive Management, McMaster University’s DeGroote School of Business; and Lean Six Sigma Green Belt. She also serves on the Board of Directors at Nano Ontario and Waterloo Institute for Nanotechnology, and as expert grant reviewer for NSERC, Canada Foundation for Innovation, Ontario Centres of Excellence and other funding agencies.