About the Founder & CEO
Founder's Bio:
Andrew T. Flowers, MBA, is the founder and CEO of Helikon Labs Inc. He brings over 17 years of industry experience, with his last role focused on managing complex, multi-million-dollar R&D portfolios at PPG Industries, where he led cross-functional innovation teams and drove strategic partnerships across automotive, aerospace, chemicals, energy, and advanced materials sectors. His expertise spans identifying market opportunities, optimizing R&D investments, and translating scientific breakthroughs into commercial applications.
Andrew earned his Executive MBA from the University of Pittsburgh's Graduate School of Business in 2024, where he was inducted into the Beta Gamma Sigma Honor Society. His practicum research, "Catalyzing Strategic Partnerships: Digital Transformation of University-Industry Collaborations for Synchronized Innovation," was presented at the R&D Management Conference in Stockholm and forms the foundation of Helikon Labs' strategic approach. This primary market research identified critical inefficiencies in university-industry partnerships and developed evidence-based solutions that now guide the company's platform and consulting services.
He holds a Bachelor of Science in Chemical & Petroleum Engineering, cum laude, from the University of Pittsburgh's Swanson School of Engineering, with a minor in Chemistry and concentration in Biochemical Engineering. Andrew is a member of the Project Management Institute and has contributed to peer-reviewed publications and patents in materials science and innovation management.
Andrew combines deep technical expertise with strategic business acumen to help universities and industry partners navigate the complexities of collaborative R&D, optimize partnership performance, and accelerate the translation of research into market impact.
Founder's Personal Vision Statement:
My vision is to lead a company that creates stable, fairly compensated jobs, treats employees, suppliers, customers, and communities with dignity and respect, and maximizes the creativity of the human spirit to create innovative products and services that increase the quality of life for humankind.
Founder's Personal Value Statement:
I aim to operate at all times adhering to the highest of ethical standards: to improve the lives of those my decisions will impact compared to status quo. To enable this, I will lead my teams by involving all stakeholders in decision making processes, providing transparent inputs, assumptions, and goals. I will maximize the potential of creativity on product and service innovation by creating a culture of learning, experimentation, helping, and respect, cultivating a combination of psychological safety and process accountability.