Jill Becker

JILL S. BECKER, PhD '03, chemistry, is an inventor, deep-technology entrepreneur, board director, CEO, strategic advisor, and speaker who has spent more than twenty-five years transforming breakthrough technologies into products and services that create commercial and societal impact. As founder and principal of 02139 Inc., she has advised deep-technology companies, investors, universities, and research organizations since 2013 on commercialization, strategy, mergers and acquisitions, fundraising, strategic partnerships, turnarounds, and corporate governance. Becker currently serves on the boards of Arradiance and Brilliant Matters and has served on numerous corporate, nonprofit, and advisory boards throughout her career.

During her Harvard doctoral research, Becker invented novel semiconductor manufacturing chemistries that helped advance the fabrication of today’s advanced semiconductors. She founded Cambridge NanoTech based on that research, bootstrapping the capital equipment company to sustained year-over-year profitability until its acquisition by Ultratech (now Veeco) in 2012. She later founded Kebotix, a Harvard spinout that helped pioneer the commercial self-driving laboratory by integrating artificial intelligence, robotics, and automation to accelerate the discovery of next-generation materials, chemicals, and therapeutics. Throughout her career, Becker has repeatedly transformed breakthrough technologies into commercially successful products and services spanning semiconductors, advanced materials, artificial intelligence, drug discovery, energy, and the life sciences.

Passionate about bridging the gap between the laboratory and the marketplace, Becker has served as both an entrepreneur-in-residence and expert-in-residence, mentoring researchers and founders in translating scientific discoveries into venture-backed companies and real-world impact. She is a member of the Young Presidents’ Organization (YPO) and was recognized with the Ernst & Young Entrepreneur of the Year Award in Energy & Materials. Becker earned an Honours Bachelor of Science in chemistry from the University of Toronto and a master’s degree and PhD in chemistry from Harvard University. Outside of work, she enjoys international travel, snowboarding, weightlifting, fine dining, and spending time with family and friends.