Co-Founder Returns to Lead ACI Materials as CEO

ACI Materials co-founder Dr. Joseph “Joe” Capobianco is serving as Interim Chief Executive Officer, bringing technical expertise and experience building businesses, scaling manufacturing, and leading teams to the company he helped establish.
Dr. Capobianco returned to ACI in February 2026 and assumed the interim CEO role in August. He is leading the company’s commercial and operational priorities, with a focus on customer relationships, strategic partnerships, and growth supported by ACI’s development and manufacturing capabilities.
Co-Founder Returns to Lead ACI Materials as CEO
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Technical expertise grounded in commercial experience
As ACI’s former Chief Technology Officer and Vice President of its Board of Directors, Dr. Capobianco helped advance the company’s proprietary cavitation technology and develop several core materials products. His work spanned nanomaterial dispersion, formulation, process development, and the transfer of products from laboratory development through customer qualification, and commercial sale. Alongside his technical responsibilities, he contributed to business strategy, fundraising, intellectual property protection, commercial partnerships, and investment planning.
Dr. Capobianco previously co-founded TBT Group to commercialize piezoelectric and electroceramic materials for defense, biomedical, sonar, and energy applications. He helped establish its manufacturing operations, scale production, and build customer and partner relationships before exiting the company, which continues to operate successfully.
Turning technology into practical value
At the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Agricultural Research Service, Dr. Capobianco led government funded applied research and technology transfer efforts. He managed research priorities and resources, developed teams, and brought industry, regulators, academic institutions, and technology transfer specialists together around shared goals and practical requirements for adoption.
His work included more than 50 research and technology transfer agreements supporting validation, deployment, and partner-led commercialization. He also served on the USDA Agricultural Research Service’s National Program Science Translation Advisory Board and the USDA National Patent Mechanical and Measurement Committee, helping shape research priorities, intellectual property protection, and pathways to adoption.
Dr. Capobianco also serves on editorial boards for peer-reviewed journals and on the advisory board of Drexel University’s School of Biomedical Engineering, Science and Health Systems. At Drexel, he helps shape curriculum and learning objectives aligned with ABET accreditation standards, emphasizing practical training that prepares students to apply their knowledge in research and industry.
Across these roles, he has connected technical development with organizational priorities, stakeholder requirements, and the resources needed to achieve practical outcomes.
Leading ACI with a focus on customers and execution

As Interim CEO, Dr. Capobianco brings technical expertise and business judgment to decisions about growth, investment, and resource allocation. His understanding of materials science, processing engineering, and manufacturing economics guides decisions that connect customer value with profitable growth. His leadership aligns development, applications engineering, manufacturing, quality, and customer support around shared priorities and delivery commitments.

Dr. Capobianco's knowledge of the technology and its production requirements brings continuity and informed leadership to discussions about material selection, toll processing, product development, qualification, and supply. He works with customers and the ACI team to establish clear requirements, define practical paths to qualification and production, and deliver on commitments.

“I’m glad to be back at ACI. I helped develop the technology and some of our core products, and I appreciate the experience and capabilities this team has built over the years.

“My role is to bring that technical understanding together with clear business priorities and support for the people doing the work. We want to understand what our customers are trying to accomplish, focus our capabilities where they can create the most value, and follow through on our commitments. That is how we build lasting relationships and grow the business.”

Dr. Capobianco holds a doctorate in Materials Engineering and a bachelor’s degree in Biomedical Engineering from Drexel University.

About ACI Materials
Based in Goleta, California, ACI Materials develops and manufactures specialty inks, coatings, and adhesives for electronics, aerospace, medical, and mobility applications. The company combines patented cavitation technology with formulation expertise and provides toll processing services to address demanding materials requirements.
 

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