Begoña Ruiz is a PhD Chemical Engineer with an MSc in agrofood biotechnology and more than two decades of experience in applied research, technological development, and innovation management within the agro-food and related sectors.
Since January 2022, she leads the Technologies Unit at AINIA, overseeing multidisciplinary teams dedicated to ingredients and food development, biotechnology, packaging, circular economy, bioenergy, food law, consumer studies, and preclinical in vitro research, including industrial services based on supercritical CO₂ extraction.
Previously, she directed AINIA’s Biotechnology Department, where she were responsible for industrial biotechnology, biogas and biorefineries, applied microbiology, microbiological modelling, omics technologies, and preclinical in vitro studies.
Before that, Begoña headed the Bioassays Department, managing microbiological food analysis and research lines in biotechnology, applied microbiology, food safety, and in vitro preclinical methodologies.
Her background also includes international research experience in anaerobic digestion for biogas production and environmental sample analysis.
Begoña serves as a Board Member at the BIOVAL Cluster, is a member of EJE&CON, and has completed executive programs at Esade and EDEM. She holds recent certifications in Responsible AI and AI & Innovation. Her work is complemented by scientific publications on food systems, sustainability, and policy interfaces.