Adam Closson obtained his Doctorate in Organic Chemistry from the University of California, San Diego, in 2002 for work on organoiridium compounds. He then held postdoctoral positions at Stockholm University and the China Lake Naval Air Warfare Station before joining the fragrance synthesis group at International Flavors and Fragrances, where he worked until 2023. There he invented the novel fragrance molecules known as Tropicalia and Vertonic. While at IFF, he joined the board of the Chemical Marketing and Economics group, a topical subgroup of ACS NY. He has been a member of the Chemical Angel Network since 2017 and a board member of Chemical Angels, Inc. since the beginning of 2025. His long experience on the inside of the specialty chemical industry and the angel investing arena give him insight into the inner workings of the chemical startup ecosystem