Valeria Ferrando

Open Innovation Manager with over 20 years of experience in innovation management, ecosystem development and stakeholder engagement, working across industry, academia, research organisations, public authorities and European institutions. She combines a strong scientific and technical background with expertise in open innovation, technology scouting and transfer, roadmapping, business modelling, collaborative funding and strategic partnership development. At STAM, she leads Open Innovation and space commercialisation activities, supporting companies in connecting technology capabilities, market needs and innovation opportunities. She is responsible for the ESA BSGN Agrifood Accelerator and contributes to stakeholder engagement across several ESA initiatives, including the ESA InCubed Ambassador and ESA Technology Broker activities. Her profile combines ecosystem orchestration and multi-stakeholder engagement with hands-on experience in the European space innovation ecosystem, with a particular focus on connecting non-space industries with space technologies and commercial opportunities.