Luis Martinez

Dr. Martínez is the Former Director of the Center for Innovation and Entrepreneurship at Trinity University, San Antonio TX where he taught courses in entrepreneurship and innovation; mentored student startups; and facilitated connecting Trinity students and faculty with entrepreneurs and accredited investors. He was responsible for all aspects of Trinity’s Entrepreneurship program, Trinity’s Technology and Licensing efforts, and helping make every student, faculty, staff and alumni become more innovative and entrepreneurial. Over the past 9 years, he has facilitated the launch of over 50 Trinity student ventures that have collectively gone on to raise over $60M in external funding. Dr. Martínez is sought by early stage investors and senior management in private and public companies for his startup expertise in business strategy, new product and business development, customer acquisition, corporate positioning, corporate communications and investor relations, and competitive technology analysis. He serves as a startup mentor with Geekdom, the Break Fast & Launch Culinary Business Accelerator, the HELM Small Business Accelerator and the RealCo Seed Fund Program in San Antonio, TX, MassChallenge Texas in Austin, TX and Techstars Anywhere. Prior to his return to his alma mater, he’s served on the faculty of Rollins College, Eastern Florida State College and the University of Texas at El Paso where he’s taught Organic Chemistry and as a Senior Scientist at the Scripps Research Institute-Florida. Dr. Martínez’s research effort is focused on the synthesis and application of small molecules to probe and study the biology of infectious disease, cancer, immune response, oxidative stress and cell cycle control. He holds two patents in organic synthesis. Prior to his academic appointments, Dr. Martínez also served as a senior account executive with Feinstein-Kean Healthcare, an Ogilvy PR Worldwide Company, and as a consultant with Kendall Strategies, the agency's consulting practice. He also co-founded BGV Strategies, a strategy consulting firm that served startups an small businesses in southwest Texas and southern New Mexico. Dr. Martínez also has extensive experience with K-12 science education, scientific workforce diversity and American competitiveness. Dr. Martínez received a B.S. degree with Honors in Chemistry from Trinity University in San Antonio, TX and a A.M. and Ph.D. in Chemistry from Harvard University.