Paola is a Food System expert consultant and advisor, with extensive international experience in Innovation and Technology. Grounded on an early scientific career (she holds a Master in Food Science and a Doctorate in Food Biotechnology), she worked 25 years in the food industry (at Unilever, Chiquita, & Migros) in different leadership roles in R&D and Innovation, developing new products and technologies in different categories. From 2019 to 2022, Paola served as Director of Innovation and member of the Management Board at EIT Food (European Institute of Innovation & Technology). In this role, she was responsible for European programmes aiming at accelerating the delivery of innovative solutions to the agrifood sector. Since 2023, Paola has been working as an independent senior consultant, and she held, among others, the role of Lead of Global Collaborations at Foodvalley in The Netherlands. In this capacity she contributed to the development of agrifood ecosystems, hubs, and companies worldwide. Paola is an EU Expert Evaluator and Advisory Board member. She collaborated with leading accelerators programs, including MassChallenge in Lausanne and Kickstart in Zurich.