Bio

Rina Carlini is an accomplished business executive with over 25 years of experience in science and technology innovation and commercialization in the areas of life sciences, medical devices, digital health technologies, nanotechnology, and sustainability. Her experience spans multiple industries and leadership roles, where she began her career in drug discovery R&D (Merck, Syntex), then as a Principal Scientist & Director of Nanotechnology (Xerox) for 14 years. She left corporate innovation to establish Optimal Innovation Group in 2012, a Canadian technology innovation consulting firm she leads as CEO, that supports technology companies with commercialization and market development strategies to deliver their growth objectives. Dr. Carlini has also led interim executive management roles through Optimal Innovation Group, including as President & CEO of Haltech Regional Innovation Centre (west of Toronto area) where she supported the growth of tech startups, and Vice-President of Research & Innovation at Rapid Dose Therapeutics. She has also worked closely with  universities and non-profit institutions including The University of Waterloo Institute for Nanotechnology, University of British Columbia, Dalhousie University, National Research Council of Canada, Digital Health Canada, Ontario Centres of Innovation, and Concordia University. Rina Carlini also advises health technology companies in her role as Entrepreneur-In-Residence (EIR) with Invest Nova Scotia and Foresight Canada Accelerator, and most recently in Spring 2023, Dr. Carlini launched Healthyher.Life, a women’s health venture focused on delivering hormonal health solutions. 

Dr. Carlini’s professional credentials include B.Sc. (Honours) degree from Concordia University; Ph.D. degree (with 1998 Science Gold Medal) from University of Waterloo, and the 2017 University of Waterloo Science Alumni of Honour Award. She earned executive management certificates from MIT (AI for Business Strategy, 2018), Harvard University (Business Model Innovation, 2014), and McMaster University (Executive Management, 2014). Rina is the inventor of 105 US patents and has authored over 25 peer-reviewed research articles and conference papers. She is deeply committed to helping advanced new solutions for the healthcare industry and has given several presentations on health innovation technology topics through Digital Health Canada.