Rodrigo Frias
Member since 2026
I joined the UKYA to be part of an action-oriented community, connect UK and Latin American challenges, and translate entrepreneurship and innovation research into public value.
Bio
Rodrigo Frias is a final-year PhD researcher at Durham University Business School. His background includes extensive experience in Chile’s public innovation system, where he worked as a senior policymaker. In this role, he led early-stage funding and startup support at the Chilean Economic Development Agency (CORFO) and later served as CEO of Start-Up Chile, the world’s first public business accelerator. These years taught him how policy decisions are often made under pressure, with incomplete information and across diverse local realities. Rodrigo’s research focuses on developing practical tools to navigate complex evidence, aiming to formulate better entrepreneurship policies and make policy discussions more grounded and context-sensitive. He is passionate about connecting real-world problems with research and learning from others engaged in similar efforts. He truly believes that interdisciplinary approaches are essential for addressing societal challenges.
