Joel Balbien manages Larta's USDA and NSF Commercialization Assistance Programs and has been part of the Larta team since 2007.

Joel is an accomplished and visionary executive with a proven success in managing the commercialization of CleanTech and Life Sciences Technologies in both Fortune 500 and Hi-Tech startup companies. His investment and management background spans three decades including planning and financial positions of increasing responsibility at JPL, Unocal Corporation (NYSE:CVX), and Pacific Enterprises, (now Sempra Energy NYSE:SRE). He was a co-founder and Managing Member of a Los Angeles based venture capital fund, and from 2005 - 2007 served as CEO of Kreido Biofuels. Joel has served on the board of directors of several successful startups including Transilica, Sonics, Clean Energy Systems, and was a Board Advisor for Continuous Computing Corporation and Clinical Microsensors.

Dr. Balbien is currently the Managing Director of GreenTech Consulting, LLC and has advised Fortune 500 companies including Sempra Utilities, offshore multi-national corporations like BASF, venture capital funds including Element Partners, and small businesses including Applied Power Concepts, and several startups including Topanga Technologies, iVisit, cellUcare, FlexEnergy, and Perrion. Joel has been a frequent speaker within the venture capital community including presentations at the 2009 Wireless-Life Sciences Forum, Larta University, and Nano-technology forums at UCLA and MIT/ Caltech. Dr. Balbien also served as a mentor for the Life Sciences and Ag Innovation Venture Forums, a reviewer for CalTip, NIH, and USDA SBIR grant programs, and is a Distinguished Lecturer at the Marshall School of Business at USC. Joel received his M.S. and Ph.D. from Caltech, and Chartered Financial Analyst credential from the CFA Institute.