Dr. Balbien has 30+ Years of financial management, economic modeling, and forecasting experience with expertise in managing financial reporting, legal, licensing, and due diligence activities for both domestic and foreign corporations, as well as startups, and venture capital funds. He is an accomplished and visionary executive with proven success in raising capital, managing operational and financial aspects of the commercialization process in Clean Technology, Renewable Energy, Information Technology, Semiconductors, and Life Sciences for both Fortune 500 (UNOCAL/Chevron, and SoCalGas/Sempra Energy) and hi-tech startups (e.g., Olympus Sky Global, Hyperlight Energy, and Nantmobile/Nantworks). Positions include CEO, CFO, CSO, and membership on boards, audit committees, and advisory roles at dozens of startups, public companies, and non profit corporations including LARTA Institute.

Professor Balbien studied Economics, Math, and Mechanical Engineering at the University of California, San Diego, and received his MS/Ph.D. in Economics from the California Institute of Technology.  He also worked part time during graduate school as an operations research analyst at NASA's Jet Propulsion Laboratory (JPL), where he optimized procurement contracts for renewable energy related research and development projects.  His doctoral dissertation developed mathematical and empirical models of multi-period contractual relationships between a sponsor and researcher under asymmetric information and uncertainty.  

Microeconomics

Public Policy

Startups

Clean Technology

Health Care

"Game theory gives entrepreneurs an edge," Pacific Coast Business Times, February 2, 2018

"Game theory can reform health care industry," Pacific Coast Business Times, June 8, 2018

“Biotech 101: Sorting It Out,” San Fernando Valley Business Journal, April 28, 2008

“USDA Provides a Clear Catalyst for Innovation in Agriculture,” Larta VOX Feb 2008 v.9, n.11

“A Dynamic Model of Research Contracting,” The Bell Journal of Economics, Vol. 13, No. 1 (Spring, 1982), pp.107-119

http://www.jstor.org/stable/3003433

“Diet as a Factor Affecting Organochlorine Contamination of Breast Milk,” Social Science Working Paper 258, California Institute of Technology, April 1979

“JAWS 1 and The Politics of Budgetary Reduction, The City of Pasadena,” Social Science Working Paper 254, California Institute of Technology, February 1979

Patents: Method and Apparatus for the Alignment of a 60 GHz Endfire Antenna United States PCT/US/2013050842 Issued July 2013