Carla Bustamante, Ph.D., is a Senior Researcher at IE University, focusing on social entrepreneurship and impact investing within the Impact Bridge Chair – IE. She conducts academic research to develop innovative strategies that balance financial returns with social and environmental impact.

With 18 years of experience in the entrepreneurial ecosystems of North and South America, as well as Europe, Carla has excelled as a professor, consultant, policy advisor, and entrepreneur. Previously, as Associate Director at IESE Business School, she advanced corporate innovation through applied research on open innovation and corporate venturing, participating in EU competitive projects.
She directed a Master’s program in Innovation and Entrepreneurship at Universidad Adolfo Ibáñez and consulted for Harvard’s Porter Institute of Strategy and Competitiveness. Her extensive experience includes serving as a board member for the Chilean Economic Productivity Agency (Corfo) and mentoring at a technology accelerator.

A Fulbright Scholar, Carla earned her Ph.D. in Strategy, Entrepreneurship, and Organizational Behavior from the University of Colorado Boulder and holds degrees from Universidad Adolfo Ibáñez. Her academic research has been published in leading journals like Global Strategy Journal and Journal of Business Research, while her contributions to applied research have been conducted with the Global Entrepreneurship Monitor (GEM), National Renewable Energy Laboratory (NREL), and the International Renewable Energy Agency (IRENA). Carla has received numerous grants and awards, and her work is frequently presented at prestigious international conferences.