Tech.Emotion 2026

Investor and advisor to publicly traded companies

Ramin Arani serves on the Boards of public Companies Brunello Cucinelli, LiveOne, and FAST Acquisition Corp I & II.
Most recently Ramin has been a partner at &vest Capital since February 2022 and served as the Chief Financial Officer of Vice Media Group from November 2019 until the end of December 2021.
Prior to this Ramin was a Portfolio Manager at Fidelity Investments where he had worked since graduating from Tufts University with a BA in International Relations in 1992. Most recently Ramin was Fund Manager of the Fidelity Puritan Fund from February 2008 through September 2018 where the Fund achieved top 5% performance relative to Lipper and Morningstar Balanced Fund Peers over all key performance time periods. The Fund was a 5 star rated & Silver designated Fund according to Morningstar, under his management.
Prior to the Puritan Fund, Ramin managed the Fidelity Trend Fund for 7 years, the Health Care Sector Fund in the late 90’s, and the Retail Select Fund in the mid-late ‘90’s.
As a Fidelity research analyst from 1992-2000 Ramin covered the Aerospace & Defense, REIT, Retail, and Pharmaceutical industries.
As an investor in Private Companies for the past 13 years, Ramin has served on several Company Boards such as Legendary Pictures, Vice, Moda Operandi, Rent the Runway, Goop, and Emotion Network.
Ramin has also personally been a founding partner and/or Board member of Rumble Boxing, ED by Ellen Degeneres, and Girlgaze.
Among his philanthropic efforts, Ramin has served on the Boards of The College
Foundation of the University of Virginia, The Nichols School, the Institute for Global Leadership at Tufts University, Opportunity Network, Devereux Cleo Wallace, and national dog rescue Danny & Ron’s Rescue.
Ramin has three daughters: the oldest is a graduate from the University of Virginia; one is a graduate of Clemson University; and the youngest is currently attending University of Michigan.
Ramin is an avid snowboarder, rock climber, runner, tennis player and a fan of American Football (Buffalo Bills), International Football/Soccer, Tennis and live music.

Co-founder & CIO, Caracol

Giovanni Avallone is Co-Founder and Chief Innovation Officer of Caracol, a leading advanced manufacturing technology provider, working between industrial robotics and additive manufacturing. As CIO, he drives the company's technological development roadmap, forging strategic partnerships with technical partners, universities, and research centers worldwide. His work sits at the intersection of near-term product delivery and long-term innovation — finding the right balance between what the market needs today and where the technology needs to go tomorrow.
With a background in design and architecture from Politecnico di Milano and CEU San Pablo Madrid, Avallone brings deep expertise in digital fabrication, software development for industrial robotics and advanced manufacturing processes, and high-performance materials. Over the years, he has collaborated with leading academic institutions on projects that push the boundaries of what advanced manufacturing can achieve — translating cutting-edge research into concrete technological solutions for Caracol and its industrial partners. He is based in Milan.

CEO, Banijay Entertainment & Banijay Live

Marco Bassetti is CEO of Banijay Entertainment and Banijay Live, overseeing one of the world’s leading content powerhouses and the group’s live events business.
With an extensive premium catalogue that includes Survivor, Big Brother, Peaky Blinders, MasterChef, Let’s Play Ball, Rogue Heroes, Mr Bean, The Summit, the Culpa trilogy, Black Mirror, Deal or No Deal, House of Guinness and Shaolin Heroes, the combined operations operate across 25 territories globally with a diverse, multi-genre portfolio of 130+ production entities and a significant live events operation.
With a strong track-record in the international content business, the entrepreneur’s television career took off in the early 1980s, as an executive producer for Mondadori’s Rete Quattro, before moving to Mediaset.
In 1986, he founded his own production company, La Italiana Produzioni, and a few years later, he set up Aran.
Between 1994 and 1997, he was CEO of Pearson TV Italy and in December 1997, he started Endemol Italy, working as Managing Director and then President until May 2004, when he stepped down to dedicate more time to entrepreneurial activities in Italy and abroad.
Still remaining on Endemol’s International Board, in October 2007, he returned to the Group as COO and in August 2009, was appointed President before taking over the responsibility of Group CEO.
Stepping down in 2012, he then opened Ambra Multimedia before, in 2013, taking on the role of CEO at Banijay. It is under his leadership the collective businesses have grown to reach €3.3bn in revenues and €528m in EBITDA for the year ending 2024.

Founder & CEO, Lumina

Thomas Benski is an award-winning producer and entrepreneur, renowned for his innovative approach to developing creative talent and disrupting the media and content industries.
He is the Founder and CEO of Lumina, a well-capitalized global media and entertainment holding company backing category-defining talent, studios, and brands at the intersection of content, community, and consumer. Founded in 2024, with a footprint across the US, UK, Europe, the Middle East, and Africa, Lumina partners with visionary creatives to shift them from service to ownership, building platforms that drive long-term cultural and commercial value.
Lumina’s portfolio includes Carrousel Studios, launched with Omar Sy and Louis Leterrier; Wayward Films, in partnership with director Yann Demange; and Magna Studios, a creative studio led by former Pulse Films executives Marisa Clifford and Davud Karbassioun, operating across scripted, non-fiction, branded, and music content.
Beyond talent-led studios, Lumina invests in next-generation IP, culturally resonant consumer brands, and technology companies, including Strike, an IP-driven sports and kids & family brand; Perplexity, a leading AI company; Creators Corp, an award-winning video game studio and publisher; Hunza G, a globally scaled swimwear and lifestyle label; and a creator-first content and brand platform, soon to be announced.
Prior to Lumina, Benski built and successfully exited one of the most innovative global independent studios of the past decade, Pulse Films. Its slate included American Honey (Cannes Jury Prize), Gangs of London (BAFTA-winning), Beastie Boys Story (Emmy-nominated), and No Distance Left to Run (Grammy-nominated), alongside groundbreaking work in branded entertainment and music.
Guided by a belief in the power of creativity, brand building, and value of ownership, Benski continues to shape the future of entertainment by championing voices that challenge convention, building lasting cultural impact, and supporting the next generation of creative entrepreneurs through mentorship and nonprofit initiatives.

Étoile, Teatro alla Scala

Trained at the School of Teatro Alla Scala in Milan, where he has been Étoile since 2004, Roberto Bolle has performed in the world’s most prestigious theatres and with the most renowned companies.
In 2009, he was appointed Principal Dancer with the American Ballet Theatre, becoming a full member of the company’s regular season for 10 years—an honor never before granted to any other Italian dancer. His Gala Roberto Bolle and Friends has, for 25 years, drawn tens of thousands of spectators to the most important squares and theatres across Italy and around the world.
He has taken part in film and television projects, many of which he personally conceived, such as Questa notte mi ha aperto gli occhi; Danza con me, broadcast from 2018 to 2023 on national Italian television; and Viva la Danza, in 2024 and 2025 to celebrate International Dance Day- each earning both critical and popular acclaim. He has served as Ambassador for several of the most prestigious Italian brands, has received numerous awards, and has been bestowed with some of the highest national and international honors.
He has been a UNICEF Ambassador since 1999, and in 2014 he received the UNESCO Gold Medal in recognition of the universal cultural value of his artistic achievements.In September 2018, he was appointed Officer of the Order of Merit of the Italian Republic by the President of Italy, and in May 2021, he was promoted to the rank of Grand Officer.
He has collaborated with renowned artists such as Bob Wilson, Peter Greenaway, Annie Leibovitz, and Bruce Weber. In May 2025 he brings for the first time ever in Italy the ballet “Caravaggio” by choreographer Mauro Bigonzetti. In the same year, he is given the title of “Chevalier de l’Ordre des Arts et de Lettres by the French Republic”, and receives an honorary master's degree from the University of Florence in "Practices, Languages, and Cultures of Communication."
He is also the creator and artistic director of the dance festival OnDance, which will celebrate its 9th edition in Milan in 2026. Through an extensive program of workshops, open classes, flash mobs, and performances, the festival transforms the entire city into a celebration of dance.

Rector, University of Milan

Marina Brambilla, full professor of German Linguistics, is the Rector of the State University of Milan, starting from 1 October 2024 and until 30 September 2030. She is Full Professor of German Language and Linguistics at the Department of Languages, Literatures, Cultures and Mediations.
She graduated in Foreign Languages and Literatures from IULM University and obtained her PhD in German Language and Literature from the University of Pavia. From 2018 to 2024, she served as Vice-Rector for Planning and the Organization of Student Services, Teaching, and Staff. She also chaired the University Language Centre (SLAM) and the University Observatory for the Right to Education, which she helped establish.
She is Coordinator of the Right to Education Commission within the Conference of Italian University Rectors (CRUI), and serves on the Boards of Directors of Fondazione Lombardia per l’Ambiente, Fondazione Feltrinelli, Fondazione Triulza, the Mario Negri Institute, MUSA Scarl, Fondazione Oncologia Niguarda Onlus, and Fondazione Tronchetti Provera.

Professor of Virology and Microbiology, Vita-Salute San Raffaele University, Milan

Roberto Burioni is Full Professor of Microbiology and Virology at San Raffaele University in Milan, where he directs a laboratory dedicated to the development of human monoclonal antibodies and advanced molecular diagnostics. A physician, PhD holder and specialist in Clinical Immunology, he conducted research activities in the United States at the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, the University of Pennsylvania, the University of California at San Diego and the Scripps Research Institute.
Alongside his scientific and academic work, he is deeply involved in science communication. He is the author of numerous books, a columnist for the Italian newspaper la Repubblica, and since 2020 has regularly appeared on the television program Che tempo che fa hosted by Fabio Fazio.
He also authors one of the most widely followed Italian scientific newsletters on the Substack platform. In 2025, the President of the Italian Republic, Sergio Mattarella, awarded him the Bronze Medal for Merit in Public Health.

Founder and Chair, EuroStack Foundation

Dr Cristina Caffarra is a globally renowned competition expert who had a 25-year career as a leading economic consultant. She headed for 17 years (between 2006 and 2022) the Competition Team of Charles River Associates (CRA) in Europe. She then set up Keystone Europe as Managing Partner in July 2022, which she left in 2023.
She co-founded the EuroStack movement in 2024 and is she is co-founder and Chair of the EuroStack Initiative Foundation e.V., a non-profit organization to pursue European resilience and asset-building in European tech and digital.
She is recognised as a thought leader in antitrust enforcement, regulation, tech policy, the interface between tech, competition, industrial policy and trade. She is sought after as a public speaker and /regularly keynotes at top events on competition, regulation, digital and industrial policy. She is also a convener with the ability to gather senior agency, policy and academic speakers for the most high-profile policy events in Europe on tech and related economic policy. She hosts and produces the Eacape Forward podcast, and her Annual Escape Forward Brussels Conference is the highest-profile event on economic and regulatory policy in Europe. She has written multiple contributions to the field of competition and regulation of digital markets, lectures in competition economics. She is an Honorary Professor at UCL, she is also Associate Fellow of the Centre for Economic and Policy Research (CEPR) in London and Deputy Chair of the CEPR Competition Research Policy Network. She is also a 2026 Fellow at DG Grow.

Professor and Senior Fellow for Global Health, Johns Hopkins University SAIS Europe
Professor Ilaria Capua, DVM, MS, PhD, is Senior Fellow of Global Health at Johns Hopkins University, SAIS Europe. An internationally renowned virologist, she has led diagnostic and research laboratories on zoonotic and emerging viruses both in Italy and abroad. In 2006, she promoted the global sharing of viral genetic sequences for pandemic preparedness, an initiative that was covered by The New York Times and The Wall Street Journal, as well as by the scientific press including Science and Nature.
She has collaborated with WHO, FAO, OIE, CDC, ECDC and coordinated international research projects. She is the author of over 240 publications in international journals, a member of the European Academy of Sciences, and a member of two Lancet Commissions. She is the inventor of the concept of Circular Health, a convergence model that promotes health and sustainability.
She served as a Member of the Italian Parliament (2013-2016) and has received international awards, including the Penn Vet World Leadership Award, the Scientific American 50 award, and the Hypatia Prize from the European Academy of Sciences.
She is an essayist and columnist for Corriere della Sera and has published over 10 popular science books for the public, young adults and children, some of which have been translated into the main European languages. She is an advocate for leadership and for the empowerment of women.

Journalist, Sky TG24

Vice Chairman of EMEA, General Atlantic

Vittorio Colao is Vice Chairman EMEA and Board member of Growth Equity investor General Atlantic, working with European Technology and Consumer companies. He is a non-Executive Director of Verizon in the US and an Executive Trustee of Bocconi University in Milan. From 2015 until early 2021 he chaired the Remuneration Committee of Unilever PLC.
Vittorio has been Minister for Technology Innovation and Digital transition and Delegate authority for Space for the Italian Government with PM Draghi in 2021-22, where he led the growth of inclusive and efficient digital services across Italy. In 2024 Vittorio contributed to the Draghi Report ‘The Future of Competitiveness in Europe’.
In 2020 he chaired the Italy’s Post Covid recovery committee for Prime Minister Conte.
Vittorio has been the CEO of Vodafone Group from 2008 to 2018, where he led the business's significant growth into one of the largest telecommunications groups globally. He has also been CEO of RCS Media Group in Italy between 2004 and 2006. During his tenure he served as Vice-Chairman of the European Roundtable until 2018. In his early career he served as NED on the Boards of Finmeccanica (Leonardo) and RAS (Allianz Italy) and as advisor to McKinsey&Co and Harvard Business School.
In 2014 Vittorio was awarded Italy’s Knighthood of the Order of Labor and in 2021 the Grand Ufficiale honor by two Presidents of Italy. Vittorio has been a 2015 UN “He4She” champion and the 2015 FT “HERos” top nominee.
A Carabinieri Lieutenant trained at the Mountain Troops Military School in Italy, Vittorio is a graduate of Bocconi University and holds an MBA from the Harvard Business School. In 2024 he received an Honorary Degree, Doctor of Law, at Bath University. In 2025 he received the Alumni Achievement Award at Harvard Business School.

Founder and Investor, Felix Capital

Frederic Court is Founder and Investor at Felix Capital, a venture capital firm for the Creative Class, managing over $1.2B of venture and growth capital. Based in London, Felix operates at the intersection of technology and creativity, with an investment focus in Europe and North America. Felix Capital’s mission is to be a partner of choice for the best founders - creative innovators empowering new ways of living and working, in both the Consumer and B2B sectors.
Illustrative investments for Felix Capital include: Farfetch, an online global fashion marketplace, exited via IPO and fully realised in 2019; Moonbug, a media platform for kids entertainment including “Cocomelon” and “Blippi”; Perk, a corporate travel platform leveraging AI; Mirakl, a SaaS platform for marketplaces; and Voy, a leading UK-based digital health-tech platform.
Frederic founded Felix in 2015 and has worked in the technology industry for over 20 years. Prior to Felix, he was an entrepreneur and a General Partner at Advent Venture Partners. Since 2017, Frederic has been selected for the Forbes' Midas List Europe multiple times. In 2023, Felix Capital was named “VC Firm of the Year” at the GP Bullhound All Star Awards in the UK, and became one of the first venture capital firms in Europe to become a certified B Corp.

Journalist, Corriere della Sera

Executive Vice President, Sky Italia

Founder & Managing Partner, The Techshop SGR

Andrea De Micheli has created thousands of projects, ranging from events to commercials, for more than two hundred major brands across around thirty countries, winning nearly one hundred awards in Italy and abroad. He has also produced short films and documentaries that have received several Nastri d’Argento awards.
He produces approximately three hundred concerts each year at Blue Note in Milan and other venues. He has worked with Oscar winners such as Nestor Almendros, Dante Ferretti, Stu Hagmann, Gabriele Salvatores, Martin Scorsese, Paolo Sorrentino and Giuseppe Tornatore, as well as many other renowned talents. He founded and leads Casta Diva Group, an international network of communication companies present across four continents with thirteen offices, which has become a leader in Italy in both live communication and commercial production. He is also the author of La Fabbrica degli spot, published by Lupetti, with a foreword by Spike Lee.

Co-founder and Chief Revenue Officer, Lexroom

Martina Domenicali is the Milan-based co-founder and Chief Revenue Officer of Lexroom, the legal tech startup redefining how lawyers work through artificial intelligence. Recognized by Forbes Italia in the 30 Under 30 2024 list, Martina previously founded Outcity and built a community of over 100,000 on social media, where she advocates for mental health awareness.
She holds a law degree (summa cum laude) from the University of Bologna and an LL.M. in Law and Technology and Intellectual Property from King's College London.
She met her co-founders at Vento, Exor's venture builder. Today, she leads strategic partnerships with top European law firms, transforming AI adoption in the legal sector from challenge to opportunity.