Biography

I am a Research Fellow at the Inter-American Development Bank (IDB) and hold a Ph.D. in Public Policy from the Georgia Institute of Technology. At the IDB, I investigate the drivers and effects of business innovation and innovation policy, employing causal inference, machine learning, and administrative microdata. I also maintain a parallel research agenda focused on emerging technologies, applying natural language processing to analyze unstructured data from patents, academic publications, and policy documents.

Interests
  • Business innovation and innovation policy
  • Causal inference and impact evaluation
  • Natural language processing and patent analysis
  • Economic implications of emerging technologies
  • Machine learning methods
Education

  • PhD in Public Policy (Science & Technology Policy), 2025

    Georgia Institute of Technology

  • MA in Economics, 2018

    Universidad del Rosario

  • BA in Economics & BA in Business, 2015

    Universidad Autonoma de Manizales

Peer-Reviewed Publications

Sergio Pelaez, Gaurav Verma, Barbara Ribeiro, Philip Shapira (2026). Do Societal Promises Influence Patent Value? An Analysis of Inventions in Artificial Intelligence. Research Policy, 55, 105566.

DOI

Diana Hicks, Navya Gupta, Naseeb Souweidane, Sergio Pelaez, Gordon Kingsley (2026). Technology Readiness Levels for Policy Making: Lessons from the Autonomous Vehicle Hype Cycle. Technological Forecasting and Social Change, 231, 124783.

DOI

Sergio Pelaez, J. D. Gutierrez (2025). The Gradual Impact of Sanctioning Cartels on Market Competition. Journal of Industry, Competition and Trade, 25(1), 6.

DOI

Sergio Pelaez, Gaurav Verma, Barbara Ribeiro, Philip Shapira (2024). Large-scale text analysis using generative language models: A case study in discovering public value expressions in AI patents. Quantitative Science Studies, 5(1), 153–169.

DOI

Sergio Pelaez, Bryan Hurtado, Javier Avila-Maecha (2024). Taxation and innovation: evidence from Colombia. Economics of Innovation and New Technology, 33(1), 166–184.

DOI

Sergio Pelaez, Jan Youtie, Philip Shapira (2022). Analyzing research outcomes and spillovers at a US nanotechnology user facility. Journal of Nanoparticle Research, 24(12), 243.

DOI

Sergio Pelaez (2018). Ciclo de recursos naturales y política fiscal bajo preferencias inconsistentes. Coyuntura Económica, 48(1–2), 13–78.

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Forthcoming

Preprints & Working Papers

Zhenyu Gou, Sergio Pelaez, Gunnar Sivertsen, Lin Zhang (2026). Diverse Languages of Innovation: Gender Differences in Patent Value Expressions. Under Review at Quantitative Science Studies.

Sergio Pelaez, Jeongyoon Yang, John P. Walsh, Marco Ceccagnoli (2026). More Disclosure, Better Inventions? Commercial Potential in University Invention Disclosures. Under Review at Research Policy.

DOI

Sergio Pelaez, Diana Hicks (2024). Are Societal Promises in Science and Technology Substantiated? A Study of Value Expressions in Patents. Available at SSRN.

DOI

Sergio Pelaez (2024). Exporting Knowledge-Intensive Business Services (KIBS): Innovation and Complementary Factors. Available at SSRN.

DOI

Work in Progress

Andre Cazor, Edwin Goni, Sergio Pelaez . Investor Configuration and the Venture-Financing Ladder: Regional Heterogeneity Across Entrepreneurial Ecosystems. Work in Progress.

Gabriela Aparicio, Maria Paula Gerardino, Edwin Goni, Sergio Pelaez, David Rosas, Hugo Tuesta . How effective are business training programs for entrepreneurs of necessity-driven startups? An RCT of Fondoempleo's Entrepreneurship Program. Work in Progress.

Sergio Pelaez . The Fiscal Returns of Productive Development Programs. Work in Progress.

Sergio Pelaez, Kevin Widmaier, Robert Tijssen, Cassidy Sugimoto . The New R&D Frontier: How Industry is Reshaping Research. Work in Progress.

Andre Cazor, Sebastian Calvo, Edwin Goni, Sergio Pelaez . What Sustains Productivity in Micro, Small and Medium-sized Enterprises (MSMEs)?. Work in Progress.

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