# Ricardo Raphael C. > AI Assurance & Startup Advisor | Techstars ’20, YC ’14 | Research at Alka Intelligence Location: San Francisco, California, United States Profile: https://flows.cv/ricardoraphaelc AI has been my playground since 2015, but ensuring it’s built responsibly is my real focus. Currently heading research at Alka Intelligence. I’m a startup operator and advisor specializing in AI assurance - the art and science of making sure AI systems meet regulatory, ethical, and operational standards. My journey includes stints as a founder (Techstars ’20, YC ’14 alum), an AI Technical Fellow, and a coach to early-stage deep-tech ventures. - Juniper Ventures & Seldon Accelerator: I work with AI assurance startups, helping them navigate not just the technological complexities of black-box models but the governance frameworks that keep them on track. - Perplexity AI Business Fellow: Recently selected to deepen my expertise in AI adoption strategies. This fellowship complements my involvement in designing better “trust & safety” solutions for black-box, interoperable AI. - Track Record: From scaling underrepresented founders’ acceptance rates at top accelerators by 400%, to forging novel partnerships (ask about Eric Ries’ role in the AI accelerator’s governance structure), my passion lies in bridging the gap between emerging technology and real-world positive impact. Let’s connect. Whether you’re looking to chat about AI risk mitigation, safer model deployments, or seed-stage startup life, I’m always happy to help. Full disclosure: I am a recovering nanomaterials and bioengineering scientist. Need time on my calendar? I’ve added a link on my profile (under “Featured” or “Contact info”) so you can schedule a call directly. Looking forward to the conversation! ## Work Experience ### Head of Research @ Alka Intelligence Jan 2026 – Present | San Francisco, CA We build agents for fundamental investing ### AI Business Fellow @ Perplexity Jan 2025 – Jan 2026 | San Francisco Bay Area • Selected for an application-based fellowship dedicated to exploring real-world AI adoption in business, with a lens on black-box interoperability and responsible governance. • Engage in fireside chats, deep-dive workshops, and community collaborations to bring new insights back into the AI risk & governance space. ### Operations / Ecosystem @ Seldon Jan 2024 – Jan 2026 | San Francisco Bay Area • Spearheaded creation of a novel governance structure with Eric Ries (The Lean Startup) as the founding board member, ensuring Seldon’s long-term “mission lock” in AI assurance. • Mentor AI safety & AI governance startups on product–market alignment, risk mitigation strategies, and cross-industry partnerships. ### Technical AI Residency Fellow @ Colorwave Jan 2024 – Jan 2024 | San Francisco Bay Area • Focused on AI governance, employee empowerment, and 3D environmental modeling for seed-stage startups. • Engaged with AI startups backed by top funds (Juxtapose, A16Z, etc.), providing AI strategy and product feedback. ### Senior Director, Startup Accelerator Prep @ Management Leadership for Tomorrow Jan 2020 – Jan 2024 | San Francisco Bay Area At MLT, we are dedicated to transforming the landscape of entrepreneurial success for underrepresented communities in the tech, startup, and venture capital sectors. By forging strategic partnerships with leading VC firms, tech companies, and educational institutions, we are creating a comprehensive ecosystem that nurtures and propels diverse talent to the forefront of innovation. • Accelerator Leadership: Directed the MLT Startup Accelerator Prep program, establishing data-driven strategies to increase admission rates of Black, Latine, and Native American(BLNA) MLT founders at Techstars and Y Combinator by400%+ and over$7.2M fundraised post program. • Data Analytics: Enhanced a database of 6.6K MLT founders with sociodemographic and venture funding data, leveraging advanced analytics to reshape our strategic approach, increased marketing effectiveness by 30%, and led to over 50 BLNA founders to apply to top accelerators. • Curriculum Design: Developed and implemented a comprehensive DEI curriculum, applying AI-driven decision-making systems to tailor educational content and boost engagement rates across cohorts including $5.1M founder success story Diagon that credits MLT Accelerator Prep. ### Founder @ Magnimer Compounds Jan 2019 – Jan 2021 | Monterrey, Nuevo León, Mexico A Techstars Hardtech THG startup, I founded Magnimer Compounds with a vision to revolutionize the bioplastics industry by developing pragmatic PHA bioplastics alternatives to traditional plastics. Through innovative R&D and strategic partnerships, we aimed to set new standards in the bioplastics market and contribute to a greener, more sustainable future. • Pioneered a breakthrough in PHA production that modifies microorganisms to produce compostable plastic from waste and petrochem gases. • Recruited a CXO founding duo with 110 years’ experience biotech materials and 4 operators to implement lab-scale microbe engineering MVP. • Secured groundbreaking partnership with Japanese supplier Toyobo, $500K which allowed Magnimer to scale our Mexico-based bioreactors. • Guided my idea-stage startup team towards acceptance and $120K funding from Techstars Hardtech Fund, to scale American operations. ### Product Lead @ Emergentist Endeavors Jan 2017 – Jan 2021 | San Francisco Bay Area My product lead practice fostered solutions that emerge when human sustainability and artificial intelligence intersect with circular economies, resource efficiency, and human equity. Alongside founders, think tanks, and venture firms I finessed technical product pilots between corporate teams and deep-tech seed-stage startups using design research principles and leveraging SBIR Phase 1 and 2 grants • Designed workshops focused on circular economies and design research principles, attended by over 500 startup founders, promoting sustainable product development practices as part of their customer needs discovery and use-case pitches. • Utilized SBIR Phase 1, 1B, and 2 government grants to enhance startup ventures, doubling raise rate and facilitating over $3.5M funds to date. • Restructured 20+ supply chains, product designs and assemblies, saving $750K+ in carbon offsets and $300K+ in production. ### Principal, AI Investments @ Comet Labs Jan 2015 – Jan 2017 Scale startups, guide innovation, and generate discussion around opportunities for artificial intelligence in traditional industries through Comet Labs’ programs and investments. One part venture capital firm. One part startup studio. Comet Labs was founded as a subsidiary of Legend Star [联想控股股份], one of the largest early-stage venture capital funds in China originally part of the Chinese Academy of Sciences. • Pioneered novel AI systems assessments via value chains, leading to three-fold increase in investments made by Comet in AI-driven startups across traditional industries and a substantial portfolio expansion on a per-industry basis in construction, healthcare, and indoor agriculture. • Authored 7+ reports assessing learning machine complexity and their disruptive role as autonomous systems in construction, healthcare, and indoor agriculture, spanning 150+ cross-functional research interviews (tech/policy professors, CXOs, engineers). • Leveraged and co-organized semi-quarterly global AI and Robotics conferences centered around the insights of my reports, fostering exchange of ideas and collaboration between startups, venture capitalists, and traditional industry LPs considering investing in our Chinese AI VC fund. ### Design Research Fellow @ Autodesk Jan 2015 – Jan 2015 | San Francisco, CA The Stanford Creative Ignition Lab @ Autodesk was in operation from June 2014 to December 2016. It’s mission was to explore and unlock the potential of visual, experiential, and embodied thinking. Its aim was to pioneer new ways to more purposefully bring the tools of invention and production seamlessly into the creative processes. https://michaelsturtz.com/autodesk/ Design Abstraction and Generative Design Tool Adoption • Segmented use-case thesis for 5 generative and algorithmic systems used in product engineering and design by mapping how usage differed in non-intuitive tools (AutoCAD) compared to generative tools (Dreamcatcher, Within) • Synthesized abstraction workflows of 30+ subject experts in architecture, automotive engineering, and 3D printing ### Product Manager @ MadeSolid, Inc Jan 2014 – Jan 2015 | Berkeley, California, United States A Y Combinator accelerator startup, we developed high-quality resins and filaments designed for consumer 3D printing applications in SLA and FDM systems to increase sales and revenue KPIs. Structure product strategy accessible to experienced chemists and engineers focused on piloting prototype materials with an iterative lean approach. • Launched 20+ new materials products and 7 product development timelines in collaboration with Contract Development Manufacturing Organizations (CDMOs) and major industrial chemicals suppliers like BASF and Sartomer, 4x increase in product offerings within 1 year. • Formed key strategic partnerships for joint development agreements required to conduct highest risk industrial R&D, product specification and timelines based on the insights from over 50 interviews on industrial-scale applications. • Awarded NSF SBIR #1448788, accelerating the development and launch of innovative organo-metallic 3D printing materials. Managed research business development plans with $179K+ budget for polymers and over $1M in potential additional funding through NSF SBIR grants. ### Corporate Strategy Associate @ Flextronics Jan 2012 – Jan 2014 | San Jose, CA Created the world’s largest hardware ecosystem by bringing together startups, original equipment manufacturers (OEMs), and technology design partners (IDEO). Via Lab IX, startups gain access to Flextronics' global end-to-end supply chain solutions and industry leading expertise in hardware design, manufacturing and logistics that are typically only available to clients at a conglomerate scale. • Strategically designed the Lab IX hardware accelerator in partnership with IDEO’s venture design team, catering to pre-Design for Manufacture (DFM) electronics startups, attracting over 100 startup applications annually. • Defined the purpose and structure of the startup accelerator, reviewed startups for fit, engaged pilot managers at Flextronics, and advised startups on integrating into the Flex contract manufacturing process. • Created a novel framework for corporate-startup partnerships by streamlining the integration process of startups into Flex's contract manufacturing ecosystem, reducing entry barriers and making high-quality manufacturing services accessible to more startups. • Standardized an internal guidebook on product design and manufacturing for hardware startups, acknowledged as a comprehensive manual for navigating the manufacturing industry for early-stage startups considering contract manufacturing services at scale. • Optimized manufacturing analytics by identifying and eliminating system bottlenecks affecting 57 PCB lines in Hong Kong, netting ~$14M in gains. ### Materials Engineer @ 3M Jan 2011 – Jan 2011 | St. Paul, MN Solar Concentrator Alpha Product R&D • Improved dye degradation testing throughput from months to hours, 450% efficiency gain • Integrated research from 4 R&D divisions for a polymer street lighting system proposal ### Automation Engineer @ Refine Solar Jan 2010 – Jan 2010 | Hangzhou-Shaoxing Metropolitan Area Process Line Expansion and Automation • Installed crystalline solar cell line, which doubled in-house capacity to 20 MW • Promoted expansion into Spain and Latin America, resulting in automation partnerships ### Materials Engineer @ Acelity Jan 2008 – Jan 2008 | San Antonio, Texas Manipulated the pharmocadynamic properties of ibuprofen releasing ibuprofen microspheres ## Education ### Bachelor of Science - BS in Materials Science and Engineering Stanford University ### Doctor of Philosophy - PhD in Aerospace, Aeronautical and Astronautical/Space Engineering Stanford University ### International Innovation Institute Zhejiang University ## Contact & Social - LinkedIn: https://linkedin.com/in/ricardoraphaelcorona --- Source: https://flows.cv/ricardoraphaelc JSON Resume: https://flows.cv/ricardoraphaelc/resume.json Last updated: 2026-04-08