Mentor and faculty network

A curated mentor network built to help teams move faster.

Start Attractor connects startups, researchers and innovators with selected mentors and faculty across venture building, industry, fundraising, product, science and go-to-market.

Relevant expertise. Targeted matching. Concrete next steps.

Become a mentor or a faculty

Last updated: January 23, 2026 · The mentor roster evolves over time.

Mentor network illustration
Focus areas
3+
BD & Fundraising
Legal, finance, tax
Tech & product
Mentors
70+
Founders
Executives
Investors
Why this network matters

The right expertise, when it can make a real difference.

Curated, not crowded

We do not build large generic pools. We bring in selected mentors and faculty when there is a real fit with the team, the challenge and the stage of development.

Relevant matching

Expertise is matched to concrete needs — from product and fundraising to industry access, scientific validation, strategy, partnerships and go-to-market.

Built for progress

The goal is not just inspiration, but momentum: better choices, faster learning, stronger execution and more opportunities to turn ideas into concrete projects.

How we work

Discover → Design → Pilot → Scale, with mentors at every step

Mentoring is integrated into our way of working: problem discovery, solution design, pilot execution and scaling support.

1) Discovery matching

We map your challenge and identify the right mentor profile (domain, market, fundraising, product, IP, operations).

2) Design sessions

Workshops and 1:1s to refine value proposition, roadmap, go-to-market, technology, strategy and pilot design.

3) Pilot & feedback loops

Structured check-ins to remove blockers, validate assumptions, and measure results during pretotyping, POCs and pilots.

4) Scale support

Mentors support fundraising readiness, partnerships, hiring and internationalisation as teams move toward scale.

Business development & corporate innovation
Giulio Ambrosi
Giulio Ambrosi
Investor, Advisor, Board Member
New York Angels, Stadel Investments
Role: Mentor
Expertise & skills: ICT, Deep-Tech, Med-Tech & BM, Go to market, Pitch, Marketing, Communication, Value Proposition, Customer Solution Fit
Angela Calò
Angela Calò
COO
OverGap
Role: Mentor
Expertise & skills: ICT, AI, Med-Tech, Agri-Tech, Green-Tech, Waste Recycling, Robotics & BM, Go to market, Growth hacking, Marketing, Communication, Negotiation, Networking, Team Building, Commercial management; Operations
Elisa Giuliani
Elisa Giuliani
Professor of Management,
UNIPI
Role: Mentor
Expertise & skills: business and human rights; responsible business; human rights and environmental due diligence
Jodi Koskella
Jodi Koskella
Consultant
Role: Mentor
Expertise & skills: Product marketing; partner marketing; product launch; integrations
Cipriano Moneta
Cipriano Moneta
Corporate Innovation & Strategy Advisor, Startup Investor & Advisor
Role: Mentor
Expertise & skills: ICT, Online business & BM, Design Thinking, Fundrising, Go to market, Growth hacking, Pitch, Lean and Agile Start-up, Market Analysis, Marketing, Communication, Networking, Pretotyping, Public Speaking, Team Building, Scaling-Up, Value Proposition, Customer Solution Fit
Jacopo Naidi
Jacopo Naidi
Program Manager
INNOVIT
Role: Mentor
Expertise & skills: Expertise & skills : program manager innovit
Luigi Pittalis
Luigi Pittalis
Owner
Brogi & Pittalis srl
Role: Mentor and Faculty
Expertise & skills: Business Model
Corrado Priami
Corrado Priami
Professor Computer Science, Vice Rector for Knowledge Valorization
UNIPI
Role: Mentor and Faculty
Expertise & skills: ICT, AI, Health-Tech, Pharma & BM, Public speaking, Pretotypig, Pitch, Communication, Negotiation
Antonio Procopio
Antonio Procopio
Co-founder & Strategic Advisor BA Club Pisa
CEO Digital-Hub Startup Accelerator
Role: Mentor
Expertise & skills: ICT, AI, Green-Tech, Fin-Tech & BM, Exit, Fundrising, Go to market, Growth hacking, Pitch, Lean and Agile Start-up, Marketing, Communication, MVP Design, Negotiation, Networking, Public Speaking, Team Building, Value Proposition, Customer Solution Fit, Start-up pipeline
Salvatore Rosania
Salvatore Rosania
Director
Startup Grind Pisa Lucca
Role: Mentor
Expertise & skills: Venture Building; Startup; Business Plan and financial; European MIMIT & Regional Call in R&D; IOT; AI
Giorgia Scetta
Giorgia Scetta
Materials Science & Accelerator Partner Manager; Expert Evaluator
Role: Mentor
Expertise & skills: Green-Tech, Waste Recycling & Pitch, Networking, Public Speaking, Value Proposition, Customer Solution Fit, Start-up pipeline
Francesca Sernissi
Francesca Sernissi
Chief Business Officer
Ianunai srl
Role: Mentor and Faculty
Expertise & skills: Med-Tech, AI & BM and Strategy, Clinical Development, Regulatory
Hannah Teichmann
Hannah Teichmann
Living Medical Device Innovation and Product Leadership
Role: Mentor
Expertise & skills: Med-Tech & BM, Design Thinking, Fundrising, Pitch, Market Analysis, Regulatory, Scaling-Up, Value Proposition, Customer Solution Fit, Start-up pipeline
Communication & impact
Joshua Dick
Joshua Dick
Entrepreneur, investor, advisor
Wave Investment-YETI Capital
Role: Mentor
Expertise & skills: Marketing, Entrepreneurship, Brand Building & BM, Exit, Fundrising, IP, Marketing, Communication, Negotiation, Team Building
Alice Matone
Alice Matone
Science Communication Expert
Freelance
Role: Mentor
Expertise & skills: Health-Tech & science communication
Investment & fundraising
Cosimo Francesco Biliotti
Cosimo Francesco Biliotti
Partner & Investment Manager
Forest Valley Catalyst
Role: Mentor
Expertise & skills: Green-Tech & BM, Exit, Fundrising, Networking, Start-up pipeline
Claudio Boni
Claudio Boni
Owner
Assiboni
Role: Mentor
Expertise & skills: ICT, Deep-Tech, Green-Tech, Fin-Tech, Insurtech & BM, Market Analysis, Networking, Public Speaking, Team Building
Arcangelo D’Onofrio
Arcangelo D’Onofrio
Founder
Temera srl
Role: Mentor
Expertise & skills: ICT, Waste Recycling, Fashion tech & BM, Go to market, Negotiation, Networking, Public Speaking, Team Building, Start-up pipeline
Riccardo Fisogni
Riccardo Fisogni
Investment Strategist Business Development Expert
Role: Mentor
Expertise & skills: Deep-Tech, Agri-Tech, Waste Recycling, Fin-Tech & BM, Exit, Financial, Fundrising, Pitch
Daniele Genovesi
Daniele Genovesi
Senior Partner & Fund Manager, CDP Venture Capital SGR
Role: Mentor
Expertise & skills: ICT, AI, Deep-Tech, Fin-Tech & BM , Fundrising, Pitch, Negotiation, Start-up pipeline
Karl Handelsman
Karl Handelsman
Founder & Investor
Codon Capital
Role: Mentor
Expertise & skills: Pharma & BM, Exit, Lean and Agile Start-up
Marcello Marzano
Marcello Marzano
Chartered Accountant
Studio MM
Role: Mentor
Expertise & skills: ICT, Med-Tech, Green-Tech & BM, Financial, Fundrising, Pitch
Igor Milano
Igor Milano
Investment Associate, Co-Founder
Forest Valley Institute, CityZ
Role: Mentor
Expertise & skills: Green-Tech, Waste Recycling, Climate Tech & BM, Exit, Financial, Fundrising, Pitch, Negotiation
Laura Orestano
Laura Orestano
President
SocialFare Seed
Role: Mentor
Expertise & skills: welfaretech & BM, Design Thinking, Exit, Fundrising, Pitch, Negotiation, Scaling-Up, impact investing, sustainability
Vincent Xiang
Vincent Xiang
Managing Partner & Founder
7G BioVentures
Role: Mentor
Expertise & skills: Med-Tech, Pharma & BM, Exit, Financial, Go to market, Market Analysis, Team Building, Regulatory, Value Proposition, Customer Solution Fit, Start-up pipeline, Technical
Legal, finance & tax
Brunella Bellè
Brunella Bellè
Associate Professor of Law
UNIPI
Role: Mentor
Expertise & skills: Tax, Law & Legal
Morena Capja
Morena Capja
Freelancer
Role: Mentor
Expertise & skills: Law and Human Resources & BM, IP, Legal, Negotiation, Team Building
Rosalie Gallinaro
Rosalie Gallinaro
Indipendent consultant
Role: Mentor
Expertise & skills: Retail background, expertise in B2C or B2B & BM, Go to market, Market Analysis, Marketing, Communication, Negotiation, Team Building, Scaling-Up, Start-up pipeline
Flavio Notari
Flavio Notari
Head of Tax for Technology Companies
Orrick, Herrington & Sutcliffe
Role: Mentor
Expertise & skills: ICT, AI, Deep-Tech, Med-Tech, Pharma, Agri-Tech, Green-Tech, Fin-Tech & BM, Exit, Financial, Fundrising, IP, Legal, Negotiation, Networking, Taxation
Life sciences & biotech
Lavanya Anandan
Lavanya Anandan
Start-up advisor
Life Science and Healthtech Executive
Role: Mentor
Expertise & skills: Health-Tech, Pharma & BM, Fundrising, Go to market, Pitch, Marketing, Communication, Networking, Public Speaking, Team Building, Value Proposition, Customer Solution Fit
Andrea Cerase
Andrea Cerase
Associate Professor, UNIPI; Founder
CERNAIS srl
Role: Mentor
Expertise & skills: Med-Tech, Pharma & Go to Market
Sanjay Chanda
Sanjay Chanda
Chief Development Officer
AN2 Therapeutics
Role: Mentor
Expertise & skills: Pharma & BM, Fundrising, Pitch, Team Building, Regulatory, Scaling-Up, Start-up pipeline
Aditya Das
Aditya Das
Founder
Pharmaceutical Consulting
Role: Mentor
Expertise & skills: Med-Tech, Pharma & BM, Go to market, IP, Pitch, Negotiation, Regulatory, Start-up pipeline, Technical
Enrico Domenici
Enrico Domenici
Professor, UNITN; President
COSBI
Role: Mentor
Expertise & skills: Pharma & BM, Technical
Ramneik Dua
Ramneik Dua
CMC Program Leader
Role: Mentor
Expertise & skills: Pharma & IP, Scaling-Up, Technical
Ugo Faraguna
Ugo Faraguna
Associate Professor of Physiology, UNIPI; Founder & President Sleepacta
Role: Mentor
Expertise & skills: Med-Tech & BM, Design Thinking, Fundrising, IP, Pitch, Lean and Agile Start-up, Networking, Public Speaking, Regulatory, Value Proposition, Customer Solution Fit, Start-up pipeline, Technical
Zoya Gulzman-Poltorak
Zoya Gulzman-Poltorak
Biotech Startups Builder
Cell, Gene and Biologics Therapeutic Development
Role: Mentor
Expertise & skills: Pharma & BM, Design Thinking, Exit, Financial, Fundrising, Go to market, Growth hacking, Pitch, Lean and Agile Start-up, Market Analysis, Negotiation, Networking, Team Building, Regulatory, Scaling-Up, Value Proposition, Customer Solution Fit, Start-up pipeline, Technical
Shirin Hasan
Shirin Hasan
VP Global Head Clinical & Medical Affairs
Agilent Technologies
Role: Mentor
Expertise & skills: Med-Tech & BM, Design Thinking, Exit, Go to market, Negotiation, Networking, Public Speaking, Team Building, Regulatory, Scaling-Up, Clinical and Medical Affairs
Viktoria Kheifets
Viktoria Kheifets
Biotech Advisor
Role: Mentor
Expertise & skills: Pharma & BM, Design Thinking, Pitch, Lean and Agile Start-up, Networking, Public Speaking, Team Building, Start-up pipeline, Technical, program prioritization, milestone development
Toni Kline
Toni Kline
Drug discovery and chemistry advisor & consultant
Tatara Therapeutics
Role: Mentor
Expertise & skills: Pharma, Biotech & Start-up pipeline, drug discovery, hit to lead to Development Candidate, med chem, CRO management
Veena Krishnappa
Veena Krishnappa
CEO
Therapeutics company in stealth
Role: Mentor
Expertise & skills: Med-Tech, Pharma & BM, Exit, Financial, Fundrising, Go to market, Pitch, Lean and Agile Start-up, Market Analysis, Marketing, Communication, Negotiation, Networking, Team Building, Value Proposition, Customer Solution Fit, Start-up pipeline, Technical
Todd Lorenz
Todd Lorenz
Clinical Development Physician
Role: Mentor
Expertise & skills: Pharma & BM, Pitch, Lean and Agile Start-up, Regulatory
Francesco Mazzini
Francesco Mazzini
Startup advisor
Fondazione Toscana Life Science
Role: Mentor
Expertise & skills: Med-Tech, Pharma & BM, Fundrising, Go to market, IP, Pitch, Market Analysis, Networking, Regulatory, Value Proposition, Customer Solution Fit, Start-up pipeline, Technical
Duccio Medini
Duccio Medini
R3 Program Director
Wellcome Leap
Role: Mentor
Expertise & skills: AI, Med-Tech, Pharma, Philanthropic Funding & BM, Design Thinking, Pitch, Lean and Agile Start-up, MVP Design, Networking, Pretotyping, Public Speaking, Regulatory, Technical
Tejal Merchant
Tejal Merchant
Senior Director, CMC; Advisor
DermBiont; SPARK
Role: Mentor
Expertise & skills: Pharma & Team Building, Start-up pipeline, Technical, Formulation/ Drug development
Silvia Parolo
Silvia Parolo
Preclinical Bioinformatics Lead
Chiesi Italia
Role: Mentor
Expertise & skills: Health-Tech, Pharma & Systems biology, Computational and AI
Hiroaki Sagawa
Hiroaki Sagawa
Life Science Consultant, Industry Advisor
SPARK
Role: Mentor
Expertise & skills: Deep-Tech, Pharma & BM, Go to market, Value Proposition, Customer Solution Fit, Technical
Federica Tadini
Federica Tadini
General Manager
G-Factor
Role: Mentor
Expertise & skills: Med-Tech, Pharma & Financial, Fundrising, Negotiation
Santosh Vetticaden
Santosh Vetticaden
Entrepreneur / Biotech Consultant
Role: Mentor
Expertise & skills: Pharma, Biotech & BM, Exit, Financial, Fundrising, Pitch, Negotiation, Networking, Public Speaking, Team Building, Regulatory, Scaling-Up, Start-up pipeline, Technical
Operations & leadership
Pietro Amoretti
Pietro Amoretti
Business Development, Grants & Funding Director
ESAOTE
Role: Mentor
Expertise & skills: Med-Tech & BM, Fundrising, Go to market, Negotiation, Value Proposition, Customer Solution Fit
Christian Apfel
Christian Apfel
President and CEO
SageMedic Corp.
Role: Mentor
Expertise & skills: AI, Med-Tech, Pharma & BM, IP, Pitch, Legal, Life sciences, oncology and cancer research
Lucia Arcarisi
Lucia Arcarisi
CEO
Weabios
Role: Mentor
Expertise & skills: Med-Tech, Device, Rapid Prototyping, Hardware, Tech, Sensors & BM, MVP Design, Networking, Pretotyping, Public Speaking, Start-up pipeline, Technical, Open Innovation
Luca Barboni
Luca Barboni
Founder
247X
Role: Mentor
Expertise & skills: ICT, AI & BM, Design Thinking, Go to market, Growth hacking, Pitch, Lean and Agile Start-up, Marketing, Communication, MVP Design, Pretotyping, Public Speaking, Scaling-Up, Value Proposition, Customer Solution Fit
Luigi Doveri
Luigi Doveri
President
Forti Holding S.p.A.
Role: Mentor
Expertise & skills: Med-Tech, Waste Recycling & BM, Fundrising, Go to market, Negotiation, Networking, Scaling-Up, Value Proposition, Customer Solution Fit, Start-up pipeline
Diletta Huyskes
Diletta Huyskes
Co-CEO & co-Founder
Immanence
Role: Mentor
Expertise & skills: ICT, AI, Ethics of technology / social impacts & BM, Marketing, Communication, Public Speaking, Team Building
Monica Lorenzon
Monica Lorenzon
Head of R&D
3DNextech
Role: Mentor
Expertise & skills: Deep-Tech & Fundrising, Pitch, Networking
Francesco Oppedisano
Francesco Oppedisano
CEO
NetResults srl
Role: Mentor
Expertise & skills: ICT, AI, Deep-Tech & BM, Exit, Financial, Fundrising, Go to market, Growth hacking, IP, Pitch, Lean and Agile Start-up, MVP Design, Pretotyping, Scaling-Up, Value Proposition, Customer Solution Fit, Start-up pipeline, Technical
Francesco Paolo Russo
Francesco Paolo Russo
Founder & CEO
To Be srl
Role: Mentor
Expertise & skills: ICT, Deep-Tech, Green-Tech & BM, Fundrising, Go to market, Pitch, Networking, Scaling-Up, Value Proposition, Customer Solution Fit, Start-up pipeline
Nicola Tanzini
Nicola Tanzini
CEO & Founder
intarget
Role: Mentor
Expertise & skills: ICT, AI, Fin-Tech, Martech, Digital Marketing & BM, Exit, Go to market, Pitch, Lean and Agile Start-up, Market Analysis, Marketing, Communication, Negotiation, Networking, Public Speaking, Team Building, Start-up pipeline
Marisa Testa
Marisa Testa
Management Consultant
Role: Mentor
Expertise & skills: Med-Tech & BM, Exit, Go to market, Growth hacking, Legal, Market Analysis, Marketing, Communication, Networking, Public Speaking, Team Building, Regulatory, Value Proposition, Customer Solution Fit
Simone Zinanni
Simone Zinanni
Founder & CEO
Develer
Role: Mentor
Expertise & skills: ICT, AI, Deep-Tech & BM, Fundrising, Go to market, Pitch, MVP Design
Technology & product
Fabio Bonomo
Fabio Bonomo
CEO and Founder
QbRobotics
Role: Mentor
Expertise & skills: Agri-Tech, Green-Tech, Waste Recycling, robotics & BM, Go to market, Marketing, Communication, Networking, Pretotyping, Team Building, Start-up pipeline
Paolo Faraboschi
Paolo Faraboschi
VP and HPE Fellow
Hewlett Packard Enterprise
Role: Mentor
Expertise & skills: ICT, AI & BM, Go to market, IP, Market Analysis, Public Speaking, Technical
Kevin Grimes
Kevin Grimes
Prof. of Chemical & Systems Biology, Stanford University; Co-director SPARK
Role: Mentor
Expertise & skills: Pharma & BM, IP, Market Analysis, Regulatory, Value Proposition, Customer Solution Fit, Start-up pipeline, Technical
Giuseppe Iannaccone
Giuseppe Iannaccone
Founder Quantavis
Professor of Electronics, UNIPI
Role: Mentor
Expertise & skills: ICT, Deep-Tech & IP, Public Speaking, Technical
Jim Karkanias
Jim Karkanias
Chief Executive Officer
cogitech.ai
Role: Mentor
Expertise & skills: AI, Deep-Tech, Med-Tech, Pharma & BM, Design Thinking, Exit, Financial, Fundrising, Go to market, Growth hacking, IP, Pitch, Lean and Agile Start-up, Market Analysis, MVP Design, Negotiation, Networking, Pretotyping, Public Speaking, Team Building, Scaling-Up, Value Proposition, Customer Solution Fit, Start-up pipeline, Technical
Maria Antonietta La Serra
Maria Antonietta La Serra
Italian Institute of Technology
Role: Faculty
Expertise & skills: Computational chemistry and biology
Luca Marchetti
Luca Marchetti
Associate Professor of IT
UNITN
Role: Mentor
Expertise & skills: AI, Deep-Tech, Med-Tech, Pharma & Pretotyping, Regulatory, Value Proposition, Customer Solution Fit, Technical
Daniele Mazzei
Daniele Mazzei
Associate Professor of Computer Science, UNIPI
Founder Zerynth
Role: Mentor
Expertise & skills: ICT, IOT, Manufacturing & BM, Design Thinking, Go to market, Growth hacking, Lean and Agile Start-up, MVP Design, Pretotyping, Public Speaking, Team Building, Value Proposition, Customer Solution Fit
Gabriele Montelisciani
Gabriele Montelisciani
Co-founder and CEO
Zerynth
Role: Mentor
Expertise & skills: ICT, AI, Deep-Tech, Green-Tech, B2B Services; Industry 4.0/5.0 & BM, Financial, Fundrising, Go to market, Pitch, Lean and Agile Start-up, Market Analysis, MVP Design, Team Building, Scaling-Up, Value Proposition, Customer Solution Fit, Start-up pipeline
Jack Moorman
Jack Moorman
Managing Partner
Nichibei Advisors
Role: Mentor
Expertise & skills: AI & BM, Design Thinking, Exit, Fundrising, Go to market, Pitch, MVP Design, Negotiation, Networking, Public Speaking, Scaling-Up, Start-up pipeline
Morgan Palmer
Morgan Palmer
Advisor
F4 Advisor
Role: Mentor
Expertise & skills: ICT & BM, Fundrising, Go to market, Pitch, Lean and Agile Start-up, Market Analysis, MVP Design, Value Proposition, Customer Solution Fit, Start-up pipeline, Technical, Profitable growth
Edoardo Pini
Edoardo Pini
Technology Transfer Specialist
IIT
Role: Faculty
Expertise & skills: Deep tech, Technology transfer
Giuseppe Prencipe
Giuseppe Prencipe
Associate Professor of IT, UNIPI;
Founder Tennis Commander
Role: Mentor
Expertise & skills: ICT, AI, Deep-Tech, Med-Tech & Design Thinking, Pitch, MVP Design, Pretotyping, Public Speaking, Team Building, Technical
Get involved

Become a mentor or a faculty member

We welcome mentors and faculty who are excited to contribute expertise and help founders and teams build impactful innovation.

Application form

Apply as a mentor, a faculty member, or both. Submitting the form will open your email client and prefill an email to info@startattractor.eu.

Apply for *
Select at least one option.