Richard Amato

Austin Technology Incubator Executive Director

Richard Amato is the Executive Director of the Austin Technology Incubator (ATI) at The University of Texas at Austin, where he leads the ATI Sustainability portfolio. He founded the Clean Energy Incubator at ATI in 2001, marking a significant commitment to supporting sustainable ventures. Amato has also directed Global Programs and Innovation at Texas Global and founded an alternative energy company. His extensive experience includes managing an independent consultancy focused on international technology commercialization, supporting early-stage startups and small-to-medium enterprises worldwide, particularly in sustainability and developing markets. Additionally, Amato serves as a faculty member at the McCombs School of Business at UT Austin, where he leads Global Connection classes on entrepreneurship and sustainability.

Amato's dedication to fostering innovation and sustainability in the energy sector has earned him worldwide acclaim. He has been featured as a keynote and panelist at conferences across various countries, including Austria, Denmark, Ghana, India, Italy, Japan, Kazakhstan, Kenya, Malaysia, Norway, South Africa, and Vietnam. Amato also founded and served as President and CEO of Venti Energy, a renewable development company dedicated to increasing the supply of clean, reliable, and affordable energy.