Dr. Austin Kozman
R&D Sr. Director External Innovation
Dr. Austin Kozman is an R&D Sr. Director at PepsiCo leading the External Innovation team. The External Innovation (XI) team is an upstream, externally facing, department within PepsiCo R&D. We actively scout for, identify and develop strategic partnerships with external collaborators. Our goal is to locate key external insights, business models and technical unlocks and new capabilities that, when partnered with PepsiCo’s robust internal R&D expertise, will yield disruptive innovation in our core products and/or new and emerging products. We are currently exploring novel technology spaces that can dramatically impact our portfolio of foods and beverages. We are interested in improving all facets of our supply chain—from raw material inputs all the way to the consumer consumption—and identifying global efficiencies in areas including crop science, ingredients, processing, packaging, equipment, distribution/fleet, retail and e-commerce. We are also committed to sustainability for our planet and our communities. Austin has worked as a thermal engineer for over 25 years. Austin received his B.S.M.E. from the University of Texas at Austin and his Masters of Engineering and Ph.D. in mechanical engineering from the University of Texas at Arlington. Austin has three issued US patents and six currently pending (3 issued UK patents). In 1999 Austin was selected as the Young Engineer of the Year by the North Texas Electronic Packaging Division of the American Society of Mechanical Engineers (ASME). In 2010, Austin was elevated to Fellow Status in ASME. Austin is a registered professional engineer in the state of Texas.
