Tutorial 2 - ICEDEG 2026

Dr. Giulia Ajmone Marsan is an internationally recognised expert in innovation strategy and ecosystem development. With extensive experience in economic analysis, policy advisory, research, and capacity building, she specialises in innovation, technology, entrepreneurship, and startup creation. Throughout her career, she has advised a wide range of public- and private-sector leaders, including senior policymakers, government officials, international organisations, and key stakeholders worldwide. Her work spans Africa, ASEAN, the European Union, the Indo-Pacific, MENA, North America, and Latin America, and includes collaborations with Chambers of Commerce and Industry Associations, the OECD, UN agencies, the European Commission, the G20, and multilateral development banks. Giulia is the inaugural Secretary General of United Afro Experts for Innovation (UAEFI), a newly established organisation dedicated to fostering innovation and entrepreneurship across high-growth markets. Until 2026, she served as Head of Startups and Digital Inclusion at the Economic Research Institute for ASEAN and East Asia (ERIA). Prior to her roles at UAEFI and ERIA, Giulia worked as an Innovation Economist at the Organization for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD). Giulia has been actively contributing to the G20 since Indonesia’s G20 Presidency in 2022. Since the establishment of the G20/Startup20 engagement group, she has played an active role in shaping its agenda and priorities. In 2022, she worked closely with the Indonesian Ministry of Communication and Informatics to lead the G20 Digital Innovation Network in Bali. In 2023, she was appointed Co-Chair of the G20/Startup20 Inclusion Task Force under India’s G20 Presidency. In 2024, she became a member of the G20/Startup20 ESG Task Force under Brazil’s G20 Presidency, and in 2025, she served as a Member of the G20/Startup20 International Secretariat under South Africa’s Presidency. Giulia is a member of the World Economic Forum (WEF) Strategic Intelligence Community and Expert Network, an Associate of the Edinburgh Futures Institute (EFI) in the UK, and a member of the BOLD Community, a global network of leading innovators in business, research, policymaking, and the creative industries across continents, developed by the Austrian Federal Economic Chamber (WKO). Until February 2025, she served as Chair of the Steering Committee of the OECD Entrepreneurship Education Collaboration and Engagement (EECOLE) Initiative. In 2025, she served as a member of the Sustainable Business COP, a new global alliance promoting sustainable business practices under COP30, led by the Brazilian National Confederation of Industry (CNI). Giulia has actively participated in and led numerous high-level panels alongside leading academics, policymakers, and senior business leaders. She has authored and co-authored numerous publications, including highly cited academic articles and influential research reports. Her op-eds are regularly featured in leading international media outlets. She also lectures occasionally on science, technology, and innovation policy and trends at leading global universities. Giulia holds both a Bachelor’s and a Master’s degree in Applied Mathematics from the Polytechnic University of Turin, Italy, and a PhD in Applied Mathematics and the Economics of Complex Systems, jointly awarded by the École des Hautes Études en Sciences Sociales (EHESS) in Paris, France, and the IMT School for Advanced Studies in Lucca, Italy.