Josué J. López, an investor and entrepreneur at Fine Structures Ventures, received a prestigious award at the 39th annual BEYA STEM Conference held in Baltimore, MD, from February 13 to 15.
Each year, the National Graduate Education for Minorities (GEM) Consortium collaborates with BEYA to present this award.
Since its establishment in 1976, the National GEM Consortium—a network of corporations, laboratories, universities, and research institutions—has enabled students to pursue graduate education in applied science and engineering.
Over the years, GEM has supported more than 5,000 researchers, professors, entrepreneurs, inventors, and business leaders, including over 500 individuals who have earned doctorates in the physical sciences, life sciences, and engineering.
During the BEYA Gala, Peter Mellado, executive director of Great Minds in STEM (GMiS), presented the 2025 GEM Outstanding Young Alum/GEM Student Leadership Award to López.
He introduced López as a senior associate at Fine Structures Ventures and a Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) graduate, where he earned a Ph.D. in electrical engineering and computer science.
López has 15 years of experience in research and development, focusing on nanomaterials, photonics, and optics. He has co-authored numerous publications cited 1,500 times in peer-reviewed journals.
Mellado noted, “López is enriching the innovation ecosystem by leveraging his experience as a technologist, science entrepreneur, and leader in diversity and equity within the venture capital space.”
In his acceptance speech, López thanked the BEYA Selection Committee for recognizing his work as a technologist, entrepreneur, deep tech investor, and nonprofit advisor.
He stated, “I’m thankful to the National GEM Consortium because the fellowship was essential to my Ph.D. journey. My sponsorship through the MIT Lincoln Laboratory laid the foundation for my Ph.D. thesis at MIT, directly leading to my first startup developing next-generation sensors for autonomous vehicles.
López also took the opportunity to thank his parents, who did not have the same opportunities he experienced growing up.
“They risked a lot to emigrate to the United States to pursue the American Dream,” he said. “I have made significant strides thanks to the diversity, equity, and inclusion initiatives invested in me throughout my life. Mentoring talented, underrepresented scientists and entrepreneurs addressing critical challenges in climate change, deep tech, and artificial intelligence (AI) has been a privilege. Let’s continue to invest in the next generation so we can all be empowered to reach our full potential.”
Watch segment from the 2:03 to the 2:05:51 mark.
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