VICTORIA SCARBOROUGH
Vice President, Collaborative Innovation, THE CHEMQUEST GROUP, INC.
Could you please share your current role, what it entails, and what excites you most about it?
I serve as the vice president of Collaborative Innovation at The ChemQuest Group, Inc. In this role, I focus on identifying and evaluating emerging technologies and material science startups, helping our clients gain a competitive edge through strategic insights and partnerships. This includes engaging with organizations like the National Science Foundation (NSF) and other innovation-driven agencies to support the commercialization of breakthrough technologies.
I also attend conferences showcasing cutting-edge research and frequently connect with innovators through my LinkedIn network. What excites me most is the opportunity to bridge the gap between promising new technologies and real-world market needs—creating value for both our clients and the startups we engage.
What brought you to the coatings industry? Was it part of the plan, or did you discover coatings along the way?
I joined the coatings industry in 1981, leaving the medical field for a better-paying job in business. It was a big pivot—but one that eventually led to a rewarding, 35-year career with The Sherwin-Williams Company.
Back then, computers weren’t on desks, and volatile organic compound (VOC) regulations were just emerging. As a chemist, I had the privilege to formulate and commercialize over 100 products for iconic brands like Thompson’s®, Minwax®, and Krylon®. Though I was “just a lab rat,” strong leadership and continuous learning helped me grow professionally. My advice? Don’t fear the pivot. The coatings industry is rich with opportunity and impact.
How important has mentorship or a piece of advice from someone been in your career—and have you had the chance to mentor others in return?
Mentorship has been a deeply rewarding part of my long career in the coatings industry. Sharing guidance and best practices—especially with startups—has brought me great joy. I’ve had the privilege of mentoring multiple startup companies through the NSF National I-Corps program, a rigorous and eye-opening experience focused on validating a technology’s value proposition through customer discovery.
One piece of advice that stuck with me over the years is: “In business, no matter which way they’re moving their mouths, they’re always talking about money.” It’s a simple but powerful reminder that financial drivers are often at the heart of critical decisions—a truth that’s served me well throughout my career.
What’s one project or innovation you’ve worked on that you’re especially proud of?
One project I’m especially proud of was reformulating Thompson’s® WaterSeal® when the first VOC laws were enacted in California. Originally developed in the 1940s, it was a household name and heavily advertised—so the stakes were high.
Reformulating a water-repellent product to be VOC compliant using water-based technology felt like a chemical oxymoron. It took several years, deep research, collaboration, and multiple patents, but we achieved the impossible. The product sold today not only meets all regulatory standards—it performs better than ever. It was a defining moment in my career that proved innovation, persistence, and teamwork can overcome even the toughest technical challenge
What trends or developments do you think are shaping the future of coatings?
Coatings are everywhere, serving to protect, enhance functionality, and add color to countless substrates. Looking ahead, products must address the challenges of our time—particularly those brought on by a warming climate.
Future coatings will need to be both environmentally sustainable and climate tolerant. Rising temperatures accelerate weathering and degrade the polymers that hold paints and coatings together. This will drive raw material developers to innovate rapidly, creating new chemistries and technologies that maintain performance under harsher conditions. The next generation of coatings will not only protect surfaces but must adapt to a rapidly changing environment.
Victoria Scarborough, Ph.D., specializes in the commercialization of in-demand new technology that leverages open innovation. Over the course of her career, she has advanced technology in the public and private sectors, ranging from the U.S. Department of Defense and federal laboratories, universities, and multinational corporations to individual inventors and startups, often by creating and managing complex R&D and commercialization activities with multi-million-dollar budgets. She draws on this experience to serve as ChemQuest’s vice president of Collaborative Innovation, a position she has held since 2020.
Scarborough holds numerous U.S. and international industry patents on breakthrough technologies and is a frequent contributor to professional society conferences and publications. In addition, she frequently participates as NSF Panel reviewer for funding research grants and has participated as a mentor in several national-level NSF I-Corps program cohorts.
Scarborough earned a Bachelor of Science degree in Biology from the University of Mary Washington and received her doctorate in Biochemistry from the University of Tennessee Health Science Center. She pursued an MBA from Christian Brothers University and later participated in the Sherwin-Williams’ Leadership Excellence Program at Case Western Reserve University. She also completed the Licensing Executives Society’s Best Practices in Licensing: Developing, Negotiating & Executing Transactions program.
vscarborough@chemquest.com.