++ Evaluation of R&I public policies & impact assessment

Ashley is President and COO of TEN, a Canada-based consultancy specialised in innovation support mechanisms and intermediaries impact assessment, evidence-based best practices, and communicate their value to funders, clients, and stakeholders.

She has substantial experience working with large datasets and solid knowledge in socio-economic impact analysis, gained through her studies and from impact evaluations conducted at TEN.

Ashley brings experience working as a Business Analyst in both the Oil and Gas industry in Calgary, as well as the non-profit sector in Ottawa. She holds a Bachelor’s in Economics and Society from the University of Calgary, and a Master’s of Business Administration from the Telfer School of Management, University of Ottawa.

Ashley collaborated with EcoSystemiX in 2021 & 2022 for assessing the International and European funding and collaboration activities of Business Finland, the finish national innovation funding agency.

Nadia is an International Consultant with 25+ years of expertise in Innovation and Entrepreneurship Ecosystems development and talent development, with field experience in emerging and developing economies.

Her areas of specialization include territorial & spatial planning, and sustainable tourism, smart & green cities, including cultural and natural heritage conservation and revitalisation, as well as cultural and creative industries ecosystems as drivers of regional innovation and change. She conducted projects aiming at integral refurbishment and urban renewal through green architecture, new sustainable construction materials, energy efficiency and climate-control technologies;

She has an extended experience on business & Innovation intermediary Organizations as catalyzers of territorial dynamics, such as Digital Innovation Hubs, Business Innovation Centers,  Clusters and Poles of Excellence.  

She is a specialist of twin transition policies & programmes within the context of development aid, and has a long field experience in Africa (Sub-Sahara and Maghreb), the Middle East and Western Balkans. She also works with Luvent Consuting, a boutique consultancy firm based in Berlin and specialised with Development Aid across the globe.

Giordano Dichter is founder of the H&D Partners, a Brussels-based consulting firm through which he continuously delivers support to a wide multitude of actors in private sector development. He has developed the ESVC methodology and toolset. 

He is specialized in supporting actors worldwide in creating and delivering entrepreneurship support services to startups and SMEs. Giordano has provided peer-reviews, assessments and technical assistance to dozens of incubators and business support providers worldwide (e.g. all over Europe, Taiwan, China, Indonesia, Russia, Armenia, Brazil, Canada, Tunisia, Morocco, Palestine, Jordan, Syria, Senegal, South Africa) for major clients such as CIHEAM Bari, GIZ, UNDP, UNOPS, ILO, GOPA, EBN and more. He provides workshops on entrepreneurial ecosystem development, on business models for sustainable incubators and accelerators, and on entrepreneurship programs’ design.

From 2009 to 2018 Giordano headed the EU|BIC Services team at the European Business and Innovation Center Network where he designed and managed the EUBIC trademark and assessed a multitude of innovation and entrepreneurship centre, ensuring the alignment with the EU|BIC Criteria. He was responsible for the EBN training program and publications which he produced as a service for the EBN members and at the request of third organisations (such as the European Court of Auditors and the European Commission). 

Previously he has worked for the United Nations (UNOPS and ILO) where he supported local economic development actions mainly in the Balkans, and he has worked for the Regional Business and Innovation Centre of the Lazio Region in Italy.

Expert in business innovation with long time experience in accompanying and consolidating innovative companies in Spain and Europe. I have participated in numerous European projects. Financed with European funds from the Interreg programs and Horizon Europe. Working also in Central America, Costa Rica, with a program financed by the MICITT (Science, Technology and TElecommunications Ministry) 2019-2021 to mentor technology based startups in that country. European expert in the European brand EU|BIC for accreditation of organizations that meet the requirements to be a European Business and Innovation Center.

Has provide advice and consultancy to more than 500 startups, all innovative companies, for their consolidation in the early stages. Some of which are a reference in the Spanish and international market such as AERTEC, Arelance, ICCS, etc. Currently working at BIC Euronova Malaga European Business & Innovation Centre. Innovative Business Incubator as its CEO with a focus on helping new innovative businesses in Málaga, Spain and Europe, to consolidate and expand.

Alvaro holds a Phd in Economics from the University of Malaga, Bachelor in Economics from the University of Deusto and is a certified chartered accountant. In addition, he is President of ANCES (National Association of Spanish BICs) since April 2009 and is former President of EBN (European BICs Network) elected in 2012 to 2016. He is also President of Club Euronova association since 2021, Club of innovative companies.

Previously he worked at the Commercial Office of Spain in Japan, Lloyds Bank, Caja Postal group and has exercised the auditing profession with his own company. Álvaro Simón teaches Business Creation, as part time professor, at the University of Malaga, in the department of Economics and Business Administration (Faculty of Economics).