Global Fellows
R&D to Ready fellows are some of the worlds most accomplished disruptive design + engineering + finance new product development experts, and each having personally and for international organizations delivered ground breaking Design + Engineering + PhD Scientific Research + Industrial design + Finance focused New Product Development breakthroughs. Having pushed the boundaries of not only what is now possible today, but more importantly breakthroughs of what was once deemed impossible, R&D to Ready fellows continue to lead the charge.
Reach out to us today to become part of the R&D to Ready Fellowship Program
Dr. Steevy Cordette
Dr. Steevy Cordette holds a Ph.D in Photonics & Applications, and is an IEEE Senior Member with 18+ years of experiences in innovation, previously serving as Board of Directors’ Member of the Light Communication Alliance, as Director and Founder of the Advanced Photonics Research Department at Technology Innovation Institute, and as R&D Scientist at world-class Research organizations, notably CERN, EPFL, CNRS. He provides the strategic vision and leadership required to drive cross-disciplinary research and accelerate 'lab-to-market' transitions, delivering practical innovations across healthcare, aerospace, telecom, AI and quantum technology excelling in new product development. Steevy is currently CEO & Founder of a stealth mode photonics based startup.
https://ae.linkedin.com/in/steevy-cordette-phd-93b6b945
Dr. Steevy Cordette
Past R&D @ CERN
Bracken Darrell
Bracken Darrell is currently CEO at VF Corporation in Denver, Colorado, United States, scaling global consumer brands. Former CEO of Logitech (10+ years, $3B business), he mastered new product development, launches, and go-to-market strategies. With Harvard MBA, honorary PhD, and board roles at Life Biosciences plus Harvard Business School advisor, his leadership spans multi-billion operations at Whirlpool, Braun, and P&G. He excels in R&D innovation, cross-functional teams, M&A, and P&L management, delivering CEO-level growth and product transformation in the R&D to Ready fellowship
https://www.linkedin.com/in/bracken-darrell-81ba255
Bracken Darrell
Past CEO @ Logitech
Dr Edouard Duliege
Dr Edouard Duliege is currently Head of R&D Chemistry at Microcaps in Schlieren, Zurich, Switzerland. A PhD expert with ~10 years in innovation, he previously served as CTO at Kapsera, leading technology teams. His expertise includes multiple patents in microencapsulation (gelified capsules, bactericidal capsules, UV filters, diffusion control) and co-authoring "Extended Biocontrol." He drives new product and technology development across high-performance formulation and encapsulation applications with rigorous leadership and scaling excellence, in the R&D to Ready fellowship.
https://ch.linkedin.com/in/edouard-duliege
Dr Edouard Duliege
R&D @ Microcaps
Adam Helps
Adam Helps is currently R&D Lead at Autodesk International, driving global design and engineering innovation. He leads international R&D teams focused on new product development in CAD software and collaborative platforms. His capabilities include fostering design thinking, accelerating technology readiness, and strategic cross-disciplinary leadership. With expertise in scaling Autodesk tools from concept to deployment, he mentors on product innovation and commercialization, exemplifying R&D-to-market excellence in the R&D to Ready fellowship
https://www.linkedin.com/in/adam-helps-98245912
Adam Helps
R&D @ Autodesk
Dr. Jock Herron
Dr. Jock Herron is currently Professor in the Master in Design Engineering (MDE) Program at Harvard Graduate School of Engineering & Graduate School of Design in Cambridge, Massachusetts, United States. He mentors on design thinking, engineering integration, and innovation pipelines. His super capabilities include guiding interdisciplinary R&D, new product development strategies, and leadership in creative problem-solving. As Harvard faculty shaping startups and talent, he bridges academia with real-world commercialization, delivering PhD-level expertise in design-engineering fusion in the R&D to Ready fellowship .
Dr. Jock Herron
Professor @ Harvard
David Goldenberg
David Goldenberg is currently CEO & Founder at VLP Law Group LLP in San Francisco and leads the +50 US state team focused on tech, IP, and venture clients. His capabilities include strategic legal counsel for startups, IP protection, and commercialization support with founder-level insight into scaling innovative companies in the R&D to Ready fellowship .
https://www.linkedin.com/in/davidgoldenberg1
David Goldenberg
CEO @ VLP Law Group
John J. Jenkin
John J. Jenkin is the Chief Sales Officer at Barovier&Toso founded in 1295 in Venice Italy and past Ambassador at Poliform in New York City as well as the former CEO of Kartell North and South America. John has scaled luxury design brands through global expansion and countless R&D to new product development efforts with international design superstars His leadership capabilities includes CEO-level market development, new product launches in furniture, and premium brand representation. Excelling in international partnerships and design commercialization, he shares R&D-to-market growth with strategic vision in luxury product leadership and business innovation globally in the R&D to Ready fellowship.
https://www.linkedin.com/in/jjj-74b7a53
John Jenkin
Past CEO @ Kartell
Dr. Francisco Lamas Lopez
Dr. Francisco Lamas Lopez is currently Data Analytics Professor at Universidad Camilo Jose Cela in Spain. A PhD specialist, he advances R&D in predictive modeling, machine learning, and big data for industry applications. His leadership capabilities encompass teaching data-driven new product development, guiding analytics strategies, and mentoring interdisciplinary teams. With expertise bridging academia and business for innovation acceleration, he delivers CEO-level decision support through analytics, enhancing R&D readiness and optimization in the R&D to Ready fellowship.
https://es.linkedin.com/in/lamaslopezfrancisco
Dr. Francisco Lopez
U-Camilo José Cela
Dr. Davis Liu, M.D.
Dr. Davis Liu, M.D. is currently Chief Medical Officer at Curai Health in the United States. A physician leader, he advances AI-driven healthcare solutions. His capabilities include clinical R&D, new product development in digital health, and scaling medical technologies, evidence-based innovation, medical regulatory strategy and bringing advanced technology expertise into the medical field by bridging biology and tech for impactful commercialization in the R&D to Ready fellowship.
https://www.linkedin.com/in/davisliumd
Dr. Davis Liu
Chief MD @ Curai
Daniele Livi
Daniele Livi is currently CEO at FIAM Italia in Italy. In 2024 FIAM celebrates it's 50th anniversary and where Daniele leads design-driven manufacturing of high-end glass furniture. His capabilities include strategic growth, new product innovation in luxury materials, and global brand scaling. With CEO-level vision in design commercialization, operational excellence, and R&D for new and innovative glass technologies he focuses on new product development and breakthroughs in the R&D to Ready fellowship.
https://it.linkedin.com/in/daniele-livi-20448b5
Daniele Livi
CEO @ FIAM Italia
Jason Lloyd
Jason Lloyd is the past Rear Admiral & U.S. Navy Chief Engineer and Deputy Commander for Ship Design at NAVSEA Warfare Centers (NSWC/NUWC) US Navy in the United States. He oversaw naval engineering R&D and ship systems leading complex systems integration, risk-managed innovation, and large-scale program direction and shares this to accelerate defense technology from concept to deployment in the R&D to Ready fellowship.
Jason Lloyd
Past R&D @ US Navy
Ran Merkazy
Ran Merkazy is currently Maestro at Samsung, Dyson, Lloyds Bank, Factor127 in Israel. A multidisciplinary innovator, he leads creative strategy and product vision across tech and design. His design and industrial design capabilities include feature breakthrough concept development, cross-industry R&D, high-impact leadership, new product pipelines optimization, and user-centered innovation, the R&D to Ready fellowship.
https://il.linkedin.com/in/ran-merkazy-f127
Ran Merkazy
Past head R&D @ Dyson
Arian Hakimi Nejad
Arian Hakimi Nejad is a past Lead Architect at Zaha Hadid Architects in London, United Kingdom. He drives advanced R&D based parametric design and advanced computational workflows. His international efforts include pioneering complex geometry tools, new material applications, and innovative building systems modeling. With leadership capabilities in cutting-edge architectural R&D and project delivery, he shares accelerated design-to-construction innovation capabilities in the R&D to Ready fellowship.
https://uk.linkedin.com/in/arian-hakimi-nejad-865b7932
Arian Hakimi Nejad
Past R&D @ Zaha Hadid
Victoria Neuhofer
Victoria Neuhofer is currently CEO at DAMN PLASTIC in Austria. She leads circular economy initiatives and sustainable innovation. She is a 5th generation Neuhofer family business entrepreneur having founded multiple impact-driven ventures, and most recently a new material solutions against plastic pollution. She shares R&D commercialization in eco-materials and business scaling capabilities in the R&D to Ready fellowship.
https://at.linkedin.com/in/victoria-neuhofer-entrepreneur-keynotespeaker-autor-damnplastic-zaubermehl
Victoria Neuhofer
CEO @ DAMN PLASTIC
Anthony Ruto
Anthony Ruto is a Senior Director of Research Engineering at Autodesk. He is passionate about engineering innovative solutions that can have a positive impact on the world. Anthony leads a team that develops novel prototype solutions and experiences that demonstrate new possibilities in design, manufacturing and construction driving new product development, strategic scaling, and shares advanced R&S team leadership capabilities for accelerating computational mechanics in the R&D to Ready fellowship.
https://www.linkedin.com/in/anthonyruto/
Dr. Anthony Ruto
R&D @ Autodesk
Dr. Prajwal Sabnis
Dr. Prajwal Sabnis is currently CEO at Orxa Energies in India. With a PhD in Material Mechanics and aerospace management experience, he leads sustainable energy innovations, advanced simulations of crack growth, crystal plasticity, viscoplasticity-damage coupling, and superalloy analysis, with many publications in top scientific journals by sharing driving new product development, strategic scaling, and team leadership, accelerating computational mechanics to commercialization as part of the R&D to Ready fellowship.
https://in.linkedin.com/in/prajwalsabnis
Dr. Prajwal Sabnis
CEO @ Orxa Energies
Dr. Tom Sederberg
Dr. Tom Sederberg is the Creator of revolutionary T-Splines technology at Autodesk that transformed the entire design and 3D manufacturing industries. He is a PhD pioneer having developed transformational 3D modeling and CAD underlying technologies with patented spline algorithms for complex geometries. His leadership capabilities include directing R&D breakthroughs, product innovation teams, and commercialization of mathematical tools. He shares his new product development pipelines and design-engineering integration experience , as well as enabling scalable innovations in software and advanced modeling systems in the R&D to Ready fellowship.
https://www.linkedin.com/in/tom-sederberg-96027
Dr. Tom Sederberg
Creator @ T-Splines
Matthew Sederberg
Matthew Sederberg has been the Co-Founder of T-Splines and CEO at Coreform Inc. He pioneered T-Splines technology (acquired by Autodesk) revolutionizing CAD modeling and at Coreform he leads R&D in isogeometric analysis (IGA) for simulation on native CAD geometry, driving new product development, high-fidelity engineering software, and commercialization. He shares his leadership experience in advanced simulation tools from research to industry, with expertise in geometry modeling, FEA innovation, and advanced R&D tech startups in the R&D to Ready fellowship.
https://www.linkedin.com/in/msederberg
Matthew Sederberg
CEO @ Coreform
Dr. Mike Smith
Dr. Mike Smith has been the past Dean at SEAS Harvard John A. Paulson School of Engineering and Applied Sciences and the past dean of the Harvard Graduate School of Sciences. He led engineering education and R&D strategy focusiing on feature academic leadership, lauinched startups and primary scientific research as well as fostering interdisciplinary R&D, and talent development for innovation by bridging academia with real-world product impact, contributing senior expertise in the R&D to Ready fellowship.
https://www.linkedin.com/in/mike-smith-b0680
Dr. Mike Smith
Past Dean @ Harvard
Marc Spiegler
Marc Spiegler is currently Founder at Art Market Minds - The Academy in Switzerland. Former CEO & Global Director at Art Basel, he built the world's leading art fair into a global platform. He shares his capabilities include strategic leadership in cultural industries, new program development for art education, market insights, bridging creative sectors with business scaling in the R&D to Ready fellowship.
https://ch.linkedin.com/in/marc-spiegler
Marc Spiegler
Past CEO @ Art Basel
Scott Sholder
Scott Sholder is currently Co-Chair Litigation at Cowan, DeBaets, Abrahams & Sheppard LLP in the United States. He specializes in intellectual property, entertainment, tech litigation, IP strategy, new venture protection, and risk mitigation for innovative products with deep expertise in legal frameworks for R&D commercialization in the R&D to Ready fellowship.
https://www.linkedin.com/in/scottsholder
Scott Sholder
Litigation @ C,D,A&S
Dr. Lisa X. Smith
Dr Lisa Smith is the CEO of the UK's Midlands Mindforge, a university & gov co-investment firm to invest & scale world-leading science & technology spinouts. Lisa has over 25 years global investment experience including 8 years at Unilever Ventures leading sustainable investment, and Unilever’s IP-Spinouts. Dr Smith was the first female Chief Engineer in Africa; at McKinsey she practiced lean operations across the consumer goods and tertiary care sectors in North America, UK, and Europe as well as creating and launching a Pan-African green bond to address food security paired with a novel Agri-MBA program. Lisa is part of CISL: The Cambridge University Institute for Sustainability Leadership and also brings advanced NPD from R&D expertise with global government & stakeholder leadership insights in the R&D to Ready fellowship.
https://www.linkedin.com/in/lisa-smith-027177/
Dr Lisa X. Smith
CEO of Midlands Mindforge
Marc Tarpenning
Marc Tarpenning is one of the original Founders of Tesla co-leading early product development, engineering, and scaling of electric vehicles. His capabilities encompass visionary R&D leadership, new product innovation in sustainable tech, and executive strategy from startup to global impact, hardware-software integration and commercialization, energy and mobility innovators in the R&D to Ready fellowship.
https://www.linkedin.com/in/marctarpenning
Marc Tarpenning
Founder @ Tesla
Ty Ahmad Taylor
Ty Ahmad Taylor is currently a Board Member at GoPro with executive experience in tech and consumer products, he provides strategic governance for innovation and growth with leadership spaning board oversight, risk management, and guiding new product strategies in imaging and action tech. Ty shares driving corporate direction, diversity in leadership, and commercialization pathways, contributing high-level insights in the R&D to Ready fellowship.
https://www.linkedin.com/in/tyahma
Ty Ahmad Taylor
Board @ GoPro
Shai Terem
Shai Terem is currently President & CEO at Markforged in Israel/United States. He drives additive manufacturing growth and industrial 3D printing innovation. He shares hi leadership experience in global scaling, new product launches in composites and metals, operational excellence, transforming advanced R&D into market-leading solutions, for advanced manufacturing technologies in the R&D to Ready fellowship.
https://il.linkedin.com/in/shai-terem-7551889
Shai Terem
CEO @ Markforged
John F. Wharton
John F Wharton is the past Major General ( ret ) and Head of the Army Futures Command Research Labs at the United States Department of Defense. He directed advanced military R&D and technology integration, strategic planning, high-stakes innovation management, and scaling defense technologies and shares his expertise in advanced R&D futures technologies and operational readiness, providing senior-level guidance in Harvard's R&D to Ready fellowship.
https://www.linkedin.com/in/john-f-wharton-103696/
John Wharton
Past Dir Army Futures Lab
Dr. Ines Whitworth
Dr. Ines Whitworth is currently a Research Scientist at UCL London & King's College London in the United Kingdom advancing biomedical and materials research. Her capabilities encompass rigorous R&D, experimental design, interdisciplinary collaboration, and translating scientific discoveries toward practical applications in Harvard's R&D to Ready program.
https://www.linkedin.com/in/ines-whitworth/
Dr Ines Whitworth
UCL & King's London R&D