Dr. Brent Ridley currently serves as a Technology-to-Market Advisor within the Department of Energy’s Advanced Research Projects Agency-Energy (ARPA-E), supporting technology development and commercialization efforts for a range of programs, including those focused on energy use in data centers. Dr. Ridley is interested in new materials, the built environment, renewables, and waste reuse.

Prior to joining ARPA-E, Dr. Ridley was the founder and CEO of Skyscrape, a temperature-responsive apparel startup. Skyscrape worked with Ralph Lauren to create a first-of-its-kind temperature-responsive outerwear piece for Team USA athletes at the Opening Ceremonies of the 2022 Olympic Winter Games. Based on a natural materials response, Skyscrape’s insulating textile changes shape and insulation level in response to changes in ambient temperature, without the use of any wires or sensors. 

Previously, Dr. Ridley co-founded printed microelectronics startup Kovio, working on the development of printable silicon semiconductor inks. Kovio was acquired by Ensurge Micropower in 2014.

The co-inventor of more than 40 patents, Dr. Ridley received his undergraduate degree in chemistry from the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT). After a year working as a synthetic chemist at ArQule, he entered the graduate program at the MIT Media Lab, where he was the first chemist in an increasingly interdisciplinary environment and earned both a Master’s degree and Ph.D.