MA (Maria) Pineda Escobar

Biography

My PhD research aims to gain a better understanding of the pending question of the connection between frugal innovation and sustainability. In doing so I want to specifically study small and medium local enterprises, which correspond to a sub-group of frugal innovation actors that has been largely overlooked by frugal innovation research.

I am a researcher and consultant specialized in issues related with innovation, inclusive business and sustainability in Base of the Pyramid (BoP) markets, with a particular focus in developing and emerging countries. I describe myself as a pracademic, being actively engaged with both academia and practice, and building bridges between both. For more than eight years I’ve been a full time researcher with the Faculty of Business, Management and Sustainability at Politecnico Grancolombiano University in Colombia. I am also a senior consultant with the Spanish “Centro de Alianzas para el Desarrollo” Global CAD and with CECODES, the Colombian chapter of the World Business Council for Sustainable Development. I am a member of the National Committee of Inclusive Business of Colombia (CONNIC) and of the International Center for Trade and Sustainable Development experts network.

I have been visiting scholar with various universities across the world, including research stays in the Czech Republic, Canada, Germany and South Africa. Most recently I’ve been awarded the prestigious Fulbright visiting researcher scholarship to conduct a research stay with the Frugal Innovation Hub of Santa Clara University.