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Hire Leonardo Z.

Brazil

USD 90 /hr

Deeptech Innovation Strategist & PhD Biochemist | Expert in R&D Management, Tech Transfer & Green Extraction Tech

Profile Summary

Translating scientific breakthroughs into market-ready assets. I am a PhD Scientist turned Innovation Manager with over 15 years of experience bridging the gap between academic research and industrial application. As the founder of a GreenTech startup recognized by the UN Environment Programme, I have successfully navigated the "Valley of Death" in deeptech innovation. Unlike generalist managers, I understand the technical complexities of Life Sciences. I combine this rigorous scientific background with practical expertise in business modeling, funding acquisition, and project execution. Core Competencies in Innovation Management: 1. R&D Strategy & Portfolio Management: Expertise in taking projects from TRL 3 (Proof of Concept) to TRL 7-9 (Market Launch), ensuring alignment with business goals. 2. Funding Acquisition (Grant Writing): Proven track record in securing competitive non-dilutive funding (e.g., FAPESP PIPE/SBIR equivalent) to fuel innovation without equity loss. 3. Technical Due Diligence: Acting as a trusted advisor for investors/companies to assess the scientific viability and scalability of new ventures. 4. Open Innovation: Facilitating partnerships between universities (USP/Butantan experience) and private industry. My Value Proposition: I don't just manage timelines; I manage technical risk. I help companies optimize their R&D budget, accelerate go-to-market strategies, and secure the necessary capital to scale.

Subject Matter Expertise

• ★ Green Chemistry
• ★ Food Engineering
• ★ Innovation Management
• ☆ Flavor & Fragrance Chemistry
• ☆ Herbal Products
• ☆ Nutraceuticals
• ☆ Supplements
• ☆ Essential Oils
• ☆ Entrepreneurship

Services

• Writing
• Research
• Consulting
• Product Development

Writing Technical Writing

Research User Research, Technology Scouting, Gray Literature Search, Scientific and Technical Research

Consulting Business Strategy Consulting, Go-to-Market Strategy Consulting, Scientific and Technical Consulting

Product Development Product Evaluation, Material Sourcing, Manufacturing, Concept Development, Prototyping

Work Experience

CEO

Bioativos Naturais LTDA

January 2015 - Present

Pesquisador PROCONTES

Universidade de São Paulo Instituto de Química

July 2010 - Present

Education

PhD in Biochemistry

Universidade de São Paulo - Brazil

July 2012 - July 2017

MSc in Biotechnology

Universidade de São Paulo - Brazil

February 2008 - June 2010

Bachelor in Biomedicine

Universidade de Santo Amaro - Brazil

February 2002 - December 2006

Certifications

• Associated Investigator Certification - Research Projects - Thematic Grants

  São Paulo Research Foundation (FAPESP) - Brazil

  December 2024 - Present

• Business Growth & Traction Strategies Certification

  G4 Education (Executive Immersion)

  https://alumni-strapi.s3.us-east-1.amazonaws.com/certificates/pdfs/certificate-3fd86a00-88ff-44cf-a07d-d10a59e154a7-878397bf-262a-45f-890-daefaf203ea4.pdf

  December 2023 - Present

• Academic Certification in Biochemistry and Molecular Biology

  Universidade de São Paulo - Brazil

  July 2017 - Present

• Associated Investigator Certification - Research Projects - Thematic Grants

  São Paulo Research Foundation (FAPESP) - Brazil

  April 2017 - September 2025

• Associated Investigator Certification - PIPE FAPESP (Small Business Innovation Research)

  São Paulo Research Foundation (FAPESP) - Brazil

  February 2016 - December 2022

Publications

JOURNAL ARTICLE

Victor S. A. de Lira, Floric&#233;a M. Ara&#250;jo, Rodrigo N. Santos, Lourdes C. Souza‐Neta, Leonardo Zambotti‐Villela, Pio Colepicolo, Lidyanne Y. S. Aona, Paulo R. Ribeiro (2025). GC–MS and HPLC–HRMS Metabolite Profiling and Biological Activities of <i>Blanchetia heterotricha</i> Extracts . Chemistry &amp; Biodiversity.

Mariana de Sousa Santos Hempel, Leonardo Zambotti-Villea, Ricardo Coutinho, Pio Colepicolo Neto (2024). Scientific dissemination and social networks: a look at the use of Instagram in scientific divulgation . Concilium.

Luiz A.F. Ribeiro, Iago B.F. dos Santos, Caline G. Ferraz, Lourdes C. de Souza-Neta, Valdenizia R. Silva, Luciano de S. Santos, Daniel P. Bezerra, Milena B.P. Soares, Leonardo Zambotti-Villela, Pio Colepicolo, et al. (2023). Bioactive compounds from Vellozia pyrantha A.A.Conc: A metabolomics and multivariate statistical analysis approach . Fitoterapia.

Luiza Araujo-Motta, Cicero Alves-Lima, Leonardo Zambotti-Vilella, Pio Colepicolo(2023). Metabolome of Cadmium Stressed Gracilaria caudata (Rhodophyta) . Phycology. 3. (2). p. 255--269. {MDPI} {AG}

Mariana de Sousa Santos Hempel, Pio Colepicolo, Leonardo Zambotti-Villela(2023). Macroalgae Biorefinery for the Cosmetic Industry: Basic Concept, Green Technology, and Safety Guidelines . Phycology. 3. (1). p. 211--241. {MDPI} {AG}

Fernanda V. Carvalho, Lucia Fonseca Santana, Victor Diogenes A. da Silva, Silvia L. Costa, Leonardo Zambotti-Villelae, Pio Colepicolo, Caline G. Ferraz, Paulo R. Ribeiro (2021). Combination of a multiplatform metabolite profiling approach and chemometrics as a powerful strategy to identify bioactive metabolites in Lepidium meyenii (Peruvian maca) . Food Chemistry.

Caroline S. Farias, Martins Dias de Cerqueira, Pio Colepicolo, Leonardo Zambotti‐Villela, Luzimar G. Fernandez, Paulo R. Ribeiro(2021). HPLC/HR‐MS‐Based Metabolite Profiling and Chemometrics: A Powerful Approach to Identify Bioactive Compounds from <i>Abarema cochliacarpos</i> . Chemistry &amp; Biodiversity. 18. (5). Wiley

Chlo&#233; Alexandra Pupier, Miguel Mies, Maoz Fine, Ronaldo Bastos Francini‐Filho, Frederico Pereira Brandini, Leonardo Zambotti‐Villela, Pio Colepicolo, Christine Ferrier‐Pag&#232;s(2021). Lipid biomarkers reveal the trophic plasticity of octocorals along a depth gradient . Limnology and Oceanography. 66. (5). p. 2078--2087. Wiley

Natan R.S. da Hora, Lucia F. Santana, Victor Diogenes A. da Silva, Silvia L. Costa, Leonardo Zambotti-Villela, Pio Colepicolo, Caline G. Ferraz, Paulo R. Ribeiro(2021). Identification of bioactive metabolites from corn silk extracts by a combination of metabolite profiling, univariate statistical analysis and chemometrics . Food Chemistry. 365. p. 130479. Elsevier {BV}

Maryke Wijma, Carolina Gimiliani Lembke, Augusto Lima Diniz, Luciane Santini, Leonardo Zambotti-Villela, Pio Colepicolo, Monalisa Sampaio Carneiro, Glaucia Mendes Souza(2021). Planting Season Impacts Sugarcane Stem Development, Secondary Metabolite Levels, and Natural Antisense Transcription . Cells. 10. (12). p. 3451. {MDPI} {AG}

Leonardo Zambotti Villela, Karen Cristina Rangel, Karina de Castro Pereira, Pio Colepicolo, Hosana Maria Debonsi, Lorena Rigo Gaspar(2020). Assessment of the photoprotective potential and toxicity of Antarctic red macroalgae extracts from Curdiea racovitzae and Iridaea cordata for cosmetic use . Algal Research. 50. p. 101984. Elsevier {BV}

Danilo Batista, Patr&#237;cia Campos, Valdenizia R. Silva, Luciano de S. Santos, Daniel P. Bezerra, Milena B. P. Soares, Pio Colepicolo, Leonardo Zambotti-Villela, Ernani Pinto, Floricea M. Ara&#250;jo, et al.(2020). Piper anisum as a promising new source of bioactive metabolites . Chemical Papers. 74. (5). p. 1505--1515. Springer Science and Business Media {LLC}

Levi P. Machado, Eliezer Stefanello, Daniel X. Andreghetti, Leonardo Zambotti-Villela, Pio Colepicolo, Luciana R. de Carvalho, Nair S. Yokoya(2019). Effects of bromide-enriched natural seawater culture medium on protein and monoterpenes output of Ochtodes secundiramea (Rhodophyta, Gigartinales) . Journal of Applied Phycology. 31. (6). p. 3831--3839. Springer Science and Business Media {LLC}

Perla M. Santos, Danilo L.J. Batista, Luiz A.F. Ribeiro, Elis&#226;ngela F. Boffo, Martins D. de Cerqueira, Dirceu Martins, Renato D. de Castro, Lourdes C. de Souza-Neta, Ernani Pinto, Leonardo Zambotti-Villela, et al.(2018). Identification of antioxidant and antimicrobial compounds from the oilseed crop Ricinus communis using a multiplatform metabolite profiling approach . Industrial Crops and Products. 124. p. 834--844. Elsevier {BV}

Miriam Falkenberg, Eliana Nakano, Leonardo Zambotti-Villela, Gabriele A. Zatelli, Ana Claudia Philippus, Kely Braga Imamura, Angela Maria Arenas Velasquez, Rafaela Paula Freitas, Lenita de Freitas Tallarico, Pio Colepicolo, et al.(2018). Bioactive compounds against neglected diseases isolated from macroalgae: a review . Journal of Applied Phycology. 31. (2). p. 797--823. Springer Science and Business Media {LLC}

Aline P. Martins, Leonardo Zambotti-Villela, Nair S. Yokoya, Pio Colepicolo(2018). Biotechnological potential of benthic marine algae collected along the Brazilian coast . Algal Research. 33. p. 316--327. Elsevier {BV}

Renato Lahos Romano, Cleber Wanderlei Liria, M. Ter&#234;sa Machini, Pio Colepicolo, Leonardo Zambotti-Villela(2016). Cadmium decreases the levels of glutathione and enhances the phytochelatin concentration in the marine dinoflagellate Lingulodinium polyedrum . Journal of Applied Phycology. 29. (2). p. 811--820. Springer Science and Business Media {LLC}

Claudio M. P. Pereira, Camila F. P. Nunes, Leonardo Zambotti-Villela, Nivia M. Streit, Daiane Dias, Ernani Pinto, Carolina B. Gomes, Pio Colepicolo(2016). Extraction of sterols in brown macroalgae from Antarctica and their identification by liquid chromatography coupled with tandem mass spectrometry . Journal of Applied Phycology. 29. (2). p. 751--757. Springer Science and Business Media {LLC}

Levi P. Machado, Luciana R. Carvalho, Maria Cl&#225;udia M. Young, Elaine M. Cardoso-Lopes, Danilo C. Centeno, Leonardo Zambotti-Villela, Pio Colepicolo, Nair S. Yokoya(2015). Evaluation of acetylcholinesterase inhibitory activity of Brazilian red macroalgae organic extracts . Revista Brasileira de Farmacognosia. 25. (6). p. 657--662. Springer Science and Business Media {LLC}

Luiz Fernando Mendes, Leonardo Zambotti-Villela, Cintia Simas-Rodrigues, Pio Colepicolo(2014). Toxicological effects of metal-EDTA/NTA complex formation in a synthetic medium on the macroalga Gracilaria domingensis . Journal of Applied Phycology. 27. (3). p. 1307--1314. Springer Science and Business Media {LLC}

Levi Pompermayer Machado, Luciana Retz de Carvalho, Maria Cl&#225;udia Marx Young, Leonardo Zambotti-Villela, Pio Colepicolo, Daniel Xavier Andreguetti, Nair S. Yokoya(2014). Comparative chemical analysis and antifungal activity of Ochtodes secundiramea (Rhodophyta) extracts obtained using different biomass processing methods . Journal of Applied Phycology. 26. (5). p. 2029--2035. Springer Science and Business Media {LLC}

Luiz Fernando Mendes, Cassius Vinicius Stevani, Leonardo Zambotti-Villela, Nair Sumie Yokoya, Pio Colepicolo(2014). Toxic effect of metal cation binary mixtures to the seaweed Gracilaria domingensis (Gracilariales, Rhodophyta) . Environmental Science and Pollution Research. 21. (13). p. 8216--8223. Springer Science and Business Media {LLC}

Luiz Fernando Mendes, Leonardo Zambotti-Villela, Pio Colepicolo, Eliane Marinho-Soriano, Cassius Vinicius Stevani, Nair Sumie Yokoya(2013). Metal cation toxicity in the alga Gracilaria domingensis as evaluated by the daily growth rates in synthetic seawater . Journal of Applied Phycology. 25. (6). p. 1939--1947. Springer Science and Business Media {LLC}

Luiz Fernando Mendes, Leonardo Zambotti-Villela, Nair Sumie Yokoya, Erick Leite Bastos, Cassius Vinicius Stevani, Pio Colepicolo(2013). Prediction of mono-, bi-, and trivalent metal cation relative toxicity to the seaweed<i>Gracilaria domingensis</i>(Gracilariales, Rhodophyta) in synthetic seawater . Environmental Toxicology and Chemistry. p. n/a--n/a. Wiley

Juliana Marton Barone, Rafaela Fadoni Alponti, Rodrigo Frezzatti, Leonardo Zambotti-Villela, Paulo Fl&#225;vio Silveira(2011). Differential efficiency of simvastatin and lipoic acid treatments on Bothrops jararaca envenomation-induced acute kidney injury in mice . Toxicon. 57. (1). p. 148--156. Elsevier {BV}

Valter de Sousa Alegre, Juliana Marton Barone, Simone Cristina Yamasaki, Leonardo Zambotti-Villela, Paulo Flavio Silveira(2010). Lipoic acid effects on renal function, aminopeptidase activities and oxidative stress in Crotalus durissus terrificus envenomation in mice . Toxicon. 56. (3). p. 402--410. Elsevier {BV}

Simone Cristina Yamasaki, Joyce Siqueira Villarroel, Juliana Marton Barone, Leonardo Zambotti-Villela, Paulo Fl&#225;vio Silveira(2008). Aminopeptidase activities, oxidative stress and renal function in Crotalus durissus terrificus envenomation in mice . Toxicon. 52. (3). p. 445--454. Elsevier {BV}

L. Zambotti-Villela, S. C. Yamasaki, J. S. Villarroel, R. F. Alponti, P. F. Silveira(2008). Prospective evaluation of aminopeptidase activities in plasma and peripheral organs of streptozotocin-induced diabetic rats . Journal of Endocrinological Investigation. 31. (6). p. 492--498. Springer Science and Business Media {LLC}

Leonardo Zambotti-Villela, Simone C. Yamasaki, Joyce S. Villarroel, Rafaela F. Alponti, Paulo F. Silveira(2007). Aspartyl, arginyl and alanyl aminopeptidase activities in the hippocampus and hypothalamus of streptozotocin-induced diabetic rats . Brain Research. 1170. p. 112--118. Elsevier {BV}

Leonardo Zambotti-Villela, Camila Eduardo Marinho, Rafaela Fadoni Alponti, Paulo Flavio Silveira(2007). Hypothalamic activity during altered salt and water balance in the snake Bothrops jararaca . Journal of Comparative Physiology B. 178. (1). p. 57--66. Springer Science and Business Media {LLC}

Leonardo Zambotti-Villela, Simone C. Yamasaki, Joyce S. Villarroel, Cristiane Murena-Nunes, Paulo F. Silveira(2007). Prolyl, cystyl and pyroglutamyl peptidase activities in the hippocampus and hypothalamus of streptozotocin-induced diabetic rats . Peptides. 28. (8). p. 1586--1595. Elsevier {BV}

Camila Eduardo Marinho, Renata do Amaral Olivo, Leonardo Zambotti-Villela, Tabatha Novikov Ribeiro-de-Andrade, Cristina Maria Fernandes, Paulo Flavio Silveira(2006). Renal and macrophage aminopeptidase activities in cyclosporin-treated mice . International Immunopharmacology. 6. (3). p. 415--425. Elsevier {BV}

Camila Eduardo Marinho, Renata do Amaral Olivo, Leonardo Zambotti-Villela, Tabatha Novikov Ribeiro-de-Andrade, Cristina Maria Fernandes, Paulo Flavio Silveira(2006). Renal and macrophage aminopeptidase activities in cyclosporin-treated mice . International Immunopharmacology. 6. (3). p. 415--425. Elsevier {BV}

Rafaela Fadoni Alponti, Leonardo Zambotti-Villela, Cristiane Murena-Nunes, Camila Eduardo Marinho, Renata do Amaral Olivo, Paulo Flavio Silveira(2005). Cystyl aminopeptidase activity in the plasma, viscera and brain of the snake Bothrops jararaca . Comparative Biochemistry and Physiology Part A: Molecular &amp; Integrative Physiology. 141. (3). p. 336--352. Elsevier {BV}