Mentor and Faculty network

Our mentors and faculty

Start Attractor connects founders and innovators with an international pool of mentors and faculty from industry, venture capital, academia and entrepreneurship. We match mentors to the specific needs of each team and program stage.

Become a mentor or a faculty

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

Mentor network illustration
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. Teams get structured office hours, expert clinics and ongoing coaching.

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
Angela Calò
Angela Calò
COO
OverGap
Role: Mentor
Expertise & skills: Business model and strategy, growth hacking, negotiation
Jodi Koskella
Jodi Koskella
Consultant
Role: Mentor
Expertise & skills: Product marketing; partner marketing; product launch; integrations
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
Vice Rector for Knowledge Valorization
UNIPI
Role: Mentor and Faculty
Expertise & skills: Public speaking and pitching, business development and strategy, negotiation
Antonio Procopio
Antonio Procopio
Co-founder & Strategic Advisor BA Club Pisa
CEO Digital-Hub Startup Accelerator
Role: Mentor
Expertise & skills: Expertise & skills : co-founder & strategic advisor ba club pisa ceo digital-hub startup accelerator
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: Expertise & skills : (add keywords)
Hannah Teichmann
Hannah Teichmann
Living Medical Device Innovation and Product Leadership
Role: Mentor
Expertise & skills: Expertise & skills : (add keywords)
Communication & impact
Alice Matone
Alice Matone
Science Communication Expert
Freelance
Role: Mentor
Expertise & skills: Expertise & skills : science communication expert freelance
Investment & fundraising
Giulio Ambrosi
Giulio Ambrosi
Investor, Advisor, Board Member
New York Angels, Stadel Investments
Role: Mentor
Expertise & skills: Expertise & skills : investor • advisor • board member new york angels • stadel investments
Pietro Amoretti
Pietro Amoretti
Business Development, Grants & Funding Director
ESAOTE
Role: Mentor
Expertise & skills: Expertise & skills : business development • grants & funding director esaote
Cosimo Francesco Biliotti
Cosimo Francesco Biliotti
Partner & Investment Manager
Forest Valley Catalyst
Role: Mentor
Expertise & skills: Expertise & skills : partner & investment manager forest valley catalyst
Joshua Dick
Joshua Dick
Entrepreneur, investor, advisor
Wave Investment-YETI Capital
Role: Mentor
Expertise & skills: Expertise & skills : entrepreneur • investor • advisor wave investment-yeti capital
Riccardo Fisogni
Riccardo Fisogni
Investment Strategist Business Development Expert
Role: Mentor
Expertise & skills: Expertise & skills : (add keywords)
Daniele Genovesi
Daniele Genovesi
Senior Partner & Fund Manager, CDP Venture Capital SGR
Role: Mentor
Expertise & skills: Expertise & skills : senior partner & fund manager • cdp venture capital sgr
Karl Handelsman
Karl Handelsman
Founder & Investor
Codon Capital
Role: Mentor
Expertise & skills: Expertise & skills : founder & investor codon capital
Igor Milano
Igor Milano
Investment Associate, Co-Founder
Forest Valley Institute, CityZ
Role: Mentor
Expertise & skills: Expertise & skills : investment associate • co-founder forest valley institute • cityz
Cipriano Moneta
Cipriano Moneta
Corporate Innovation & Strategy Advisor, Startup Investor & Advisor
Role: Mentor
Expertise & skills: Expertise & skills : corporate innovation & strategy advisor • startup investor & advisor
Jack Moorman
Jack Moorman
Managing Partner
Nichibei Advisors
Role: Mentor
Expertise & skills: Expertise & skills : managing partner nichibei advisors
Laura Orestano
Laura Orestano
President
SocialFare Seed
Role: Mentor
Expertise & skills: Expertise & skills : president socialfare seed
Vincent Xiang
Vincent Xiang
Managing Partner & Founder
7G BioVentures
Role: Mentor
Expertise & skills: Expertise & skills : managing partner & founder 7g bioventures
Legal, finance & tax
Brunella Bellè
Brunella Bellè
Associate Professor of Law
UNIPI
Role: Mentor
Expertise & skills: Expertise & skills : associate professor of law unipi
Morena Capja
Morena Capja
Freelancer
Role: Mentor
Expertise & skills: IP, legal, negotiation, team building
Ugo Faraguna
Ugo Faraguna
Associate Professor of Physiology, UNIPI; Founder & President Sleepacta
Role: Mentor
Expertise & skills: Expertise & skills : associate professor of physiology • unipi; founder & president sleepacta
Rosalie Gallinaro
Rosalie Gallinaro
Indipendent consultant
Role: Mentor
Expertise & skills: Expertise & skills : (add keywords)
Elisa Giuliani
Elisa Giuliani
Professor of Management,
UNIPI
Role: Mentor
Expertise & skills: Expertise & skills : professor of management
Marcello Marzano
Marcello Marzano
Chartered Accountant
Studio MM
Role: Mentor
Expertise & skills: Expertise & skills : chartered accountant studio mm
Flavio Notari
Flavio Notari
Head of Tax for Technology Companies
Orrick, Herrington & Sutcliffe
Role: Mentor
Expertise & skills: Expertise & skills : head of tax for technology companies orrick • herrington & sutcliffe
Life sciences & biotech
Lavanya Anandan
Lavanya Anandan
Start-up advisor
Life Science and Healthtech Executive
Role: Mentor
Expertise & skills: Expertise & skills : start-up advisor life science and healthtech executive
Sanjay Chanda
Sanjay Chanda
Chief Development Officer
AN2 Therapeutics
Role: Mentor
Expertise & skills: Expertise & skills : chief development officer an2 therapeutics
Ramneik Dua
Ramneik Dua
CMC Program Leader
Role: Mentor
Expertise & skills: Expertise & skills : (add keywords)
Zoya Gulzman-Poltorak
Zoya Gulzman-Poltorak
Biotech Startups Builder
Cell, Gene and Biologics Therapeutic Development
Role: Mentor
Expertise & skills: Expertise & skills : biotech startups builder cell • gene and biologics therapeutic development
Shirin Hasan
Shirin Hasan
VP Global Head Clinical & Medical Affairs
Agilent Technologies
Role: Mentor
Expertise & skills: Expertise & skills : vp global head clinical & medical affairs agilent technologies
Viktoria Kheifets
Viktoria Kheifets
Biotech Advisor
Role: Mentor
Expertise & skills: Expertise & skills : (add keywords)
Toni Kline
Toni Kline
Drug discovery and chemistry advisor & consultant
Tatara Therapeutics
Role: Mentor
Expertise & skills: Expertise & skills : drug discovery and chemistry advisor & consultant tatara therapeutics
Veena Krishnappa
Veena Krishnappa
CEO
Therapeutics company in stealth
Role: Mentor
Expertise & skills: Expertise & skills : ceo therapeutics company in stealth
Todd Lorenz
Todd Lorenz
Clinical Development Physician
Role: Mentor
Expertise & skills: Expertise & skills : (add keywords)
Francesco Mazzini
Francesco Mazzini
Startup advisor
Fondazione Toscana Life Science
Role: Mentor
Expertise & skills: Business model and strategy, value proposition, IP, fundraising, networking, regulatory, technical
Tejal Merchant
Tejal Merchant
Senior Director, CMC; Advisor
DermBiont; SPARK
Role: Mentor
Expertise & skills: Expertise & skills : senior director • cmc; advisor dermbiont; spark
Hiroaki Sagawa
Hiroaki Sagawa
Life Science Consultant, Industry Advisor
SPARK
Role: Mentor
Expertise & skills: Expertise & skills : life science consultant • industry advisor spark
Federica Tadini
Federica Tadini
General Manager
G-Factor
Role: Mentor
Expertise & skills: Expertise & skills : general manager g-factor
Santosh Vetticaden
Santosh Vetticaden
Entrepreneur / Biotech Consultant
Role: Mentor
Expertise & skills: Expertise & skills : (add keywords)
Operations & leadership
Christian Apfel
Christian Apfel
President and CEO
SageMedic Corp.
Role: Mentor
Expertise & skills: Expertise & skills : president and ceo sagemedic corp.
Lucia Arcarisi
Lucia Arcarisi
CEO
Weabios
Role: Mentor
Expertise & skills: Expertise & skills : ceo weabios
Luca Barboni
Luca Barboni
Founder
247X
Role: Mentor
Expertise & skills: Expertise & skills : founder 247x
Claudio Boni
Claudio Boni
Owner
Assiboni
Role: Mentor
Expertise & skills: Expertise & skills : owner assiboni
Arcangelo D’Onofrio
Arcangelo D’Onofrio
Founder
Temera srl
Role: Mentor
Expertise & skills: Expertise & skills : founder temera srl
Aditya Das
Aditya Das
Founder
Pharmaceutical Consulting
Role: Mentor
Expertise & skills: Expertise & skills : founder pharmaceutical consulting
Luigi Doveri
Luigi Doveri
President
Forti Holding S.p.A.
Role: Mentor
Expertise & skills: Expertise & skills : president forti holding s.p.a.
Diletta Huyskes
Diletta Huyskes
Co-CEO & co-Founder
Immanence
Role: Mentor
Expertise & skills: Expertise & skills : co-ceo & co-founder immanence
Monica Lorenzon
Monica Lorenzon
Head of R&D
3DNextech
Role: Mentor
Expertise & skills: Expertise & skills : head of r&d 3dnextech
Francesco Oppedisano
Francesco Oppedisano
CEO
NetResults srl
Role: Mentor
Expertise & skills: Expertise & skills : ceo netresults srl
Francesco Paolo Russo
Francesco Paolo Russo
Founder & CEO
To Be srl
Role: Mentor
Expertise & skills: Expertise & skills : founder & ceo to be srl
Nicola Tanzini
Nicola Tanzini
CEO & Founder
intarget
Role: Mentor
Expertise & skills: Expertise & skills : ceo & founder intarget
Marisa Testa
Marisa Testa
Management Consultant
Role: Mentor
Expertise & skills: Expertise & skills : (add keywords)
Simone Zinanni
Simone Zinanni
Founder & CEO
Develer
Role: Mentor
Expertise & skills: Expertise & skills : founder & ceo develer
Other
Duccio Medini
Duccio Medini
R3 Program Director
Wellcome Leap
Role: Mentor
Expertise & skills: Expertise & skills : r3 program director wellcome leap
Morgan Palmer
Morgan Palmer
Advisor
F4 Advisor
Role: Mentor
Expertise & skills: Expertise & skills : advisor f4 advisor
Silvia Parolo
Silvia Parolo
Preclinical Bioinformatics Lead
Chiesi Italia
Role: Mentor
Expertise & skills: Expertise & skills : head of systems biology fondazione cosbi
Technology & product
Fabio Bonomo
Fabio Bonomo
CEO and Founder
QbRobotics
Role: Mentor
Expertise & skills: Robotics and automation; technology transfer
Andrea Cerase
Andrea Cerase
Associate Professor, UNIPI; Founder
CERNAIS srl
Role: Mentor
Expertise & skills: Expertise & skills : associate professor • unipi; founder cernais srl
Enrico Domenici
Enrico Domenici
Professor, UNITN; President
COSBI
Role: Mentor
Expertise & skills: Expertise & skills : professor • unitn; president cosbi
Paolo Faraboschi
Paolo Faraboschi
VP and HPE Fellow
Hewlett Packard Enterprise
Role: Mentor
Expertise & skills: Expertise & skills : vp and hpe fellow hewlett packard enterprise
Kevin Grimes
Kevin Grimes
Prof. of Chemical & Systems Biology, Stanford University; Co-director SPARK
Role: Mentor
Expertise & skills: Expertise & skills : prof. of chemical & systems biology • stanford university; co-director spark
Giuseppe Iannaccone
Giuseppe Iannaccone
Founder Quantavis
Professor of Electronics, UNIPI
Role: Mentor
Expertise & skills: Expertise & skills : founder quantavis professor of electronics • unipi
Jim Karkanias
Jim Karkanias
Chief Executive Officer
cogitech.ai
Role: Mentor
Expertise & skills: Expertise & skills : chief executive officer cogitech.ai
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: Expertise & skills : associate professor of it unitn
Daniele Mazzei
Daniele Mazzei
Associate Professor of Computer Science, UNIPI
Founder Zerynth
Role: Mentor
Expertise & skills: Expertise & skills : associate professor of computer science • unipi founder zerynth
Gabriele Montelisciani
Gabriele Montelisciani
Co-founder and CEO
Zerynth
Role: Mentor
Expertise & skills: Expertise & skills : co-founder and ceo zerynth
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: Expertise & skills : associate professor of it • unipi; founder tennis commander
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.

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