Luz Cristal Glangchai

Dr. Luz Cristal Glangchai is a scientist, entrepreneur, author, and educator focused on closing the gender gap in STEM and entrepreneurship by empowering young innovators. Glangchai earned a Bachelor of Arts in Plan II, a Bachelor of Science in Mechanical Engineering, and both a Master of Science and a Doctorate in Biomedical Engineering from the University of Texas at Austin. Before concentrating on education, she worked as a postdoctoral research scientist in the Department of Mechanical Engineering in Technology and Commercialization, while also running NanoTaxi, a company she founded to commercialize a drug delivery device for lung cancer therapy. Her experiences as a woman in male-dominated engineering environments, including being the only female engineer in her division at 3M, informed her commitment to changing the landscape for future generations.

Glangchai previously served as an assistant professor at Trinity University and as the founding director of the Center for Entrepreneurship and Innovation. She also served as the founding director of the Blackstone LaunchPad at the University of Texas at Austin and as director of the Texas Entrepreneurship Exchange. Through her work in university-level entrepreneurship education, Glangchai identified the need to engage women in STEM at a younger age. In response, she founded VentureLab, a nonprofit organization initially created to attract young girls to STEM and entrepreneurship through summer programs. Following positive feedback and national media coverage, VentureLab expanded to serve both boys and girls, with its curriculum now included in after-school programs, electives, and gifted and talented programs for all K–12 grade levels.

VentureLab provides free and open-source curriculum, entrepreneurship education programs, and teacher training to help create the next generation of innovators and changemakers. Its ESTEAM curriculum integrates science, technology, engineering, arts, and mathematics with entrepreneurship, encouraging students to identify needs, develop solutions, and take calculated risks. This hands-on approach fosters creativity, problem-solving, and confidence. VentureLab aims to make entrepreneurship education accessible to children ages 5 to 18 worldwide and supports anyone interested in championing entrepreneurial learning.

Glangchai is the author of "VentureGirls: Raising Entrepreneurial Girls to Be Tomorrow's Leaders," which guides parents and educators in fostering confidence in girls through an entrepreneurial mindset. The book emphasizes that entrepreneurship is not only about starting companies but also a valuable skillset and way of thinking, particularly in science, mathematics, engineering, and technology fields.

Glangchai has delivered talks at TEDx San Antonio, SXSW Interactive, and SXSW Edu, sharing her personal journey and insights on STEM education, entrepreneurship, and diversity. Her work has been featured in Wall Street Journal, TODAY Show, NPR's The TakeAway, Mashable, Medium, Silicon Hills News, Rivard Report, San Antonio Express-News, and San Antonio Business Journal. Her recognitions include 40 Under 40, Woman of the Year, and Non-Profit CEO of the Year in San Antonio. Glangchai speaks on topics including education, creativity, failure, entrepreneurship, STEM, gender gap solutions, and workplace diversity, providing expertise for audiences across industries.