As chief operating officer at Graphene 3D Lab and CEO at Graphene Labs, Elena Polyakova spends her time ensuring that both technical and business staffs work at full capacity without the development of silos. Graphene - a single layer of carbon atoms arranged in a hexagonal lattice - is a material with remarkable properties, including a high-conductivity, superior strength to any material ever isolated, flexibility, and chemical resistivity. It has become known the world over as "the wonder material," and it is quickly moving from research laboratories to industrial applications. Elena's team has developed technology to produce graphene nanocomposites and other advanced materials to be used in 3D printing, with the potential to bring 3D printing to the next stage of commercial development.

Because Elena is regularly invited to leading international conferences, she is well-known worldwide by players in industry and academia. The scientific community regards her as an expert in two-dimensional materials. She is regularly contacted by journalists, including those from the BBC and Bloomberg, as well as market analysts who are seeking her professional advice.

Elena has co-authored papers with Nobel and Kavli prize winners, as well as members of the National Academy of Sciences.