Forbes Under 30

Alessandro is a young entrepreneur pushed by his passion for the ocean in all his career choices.
He obtained a Master in naval architecture and marine engineering in the UK while racing internationally on sailboats.
In his early career, Alessandro worked in the ship finance sector in Switzerland, and there he realized the huge impact humans are having on the marine environment.
He set sail on a 40-day trip to reconnect with the ocean by only using sails to move on a cabinless catamaran and only eating the fish he could catch. There came the idea of replacing all the fish that is caught to produce fishmeal used in the aquaculture industry.
Alessandro decided to move back to Rome, his hometown, and establish Ittinsect with a team of young, talented marine biologists and biotechnologists.

Andrea is currently part of Ittinsect team, a start-up in which he holds the role of CTO.
Since childhood he has shown a strong interest in science and nature but, above all, in aquatic environments and its creatures.
This passion led him to deepen his knowledge in this sector through a training course that ended with the obtaining of a Master’s degree in Marine Biology.
The desire to safeguard the ocean and its resources and the will to modify, improving, the relationship that humankind has with them, led him to develop a particular interest in aquaculture and animal nutrition.
Andrea therefore worked at university level, on the first studies focused on the inclusion of insect meal in aquafeeds and then moved to the private sector obtaining knowledge in aquaponics and ornamental fish rearing and reproduction.

Alessia Ramondo holds a PhD in Food Science with a deep passion for research and innovation. After earning her master's degree in Food Science and Technology, she decided to further enhance her knowledge and experience in academic research. Her doctoral project involved extracting proteins from agro-industrial by-products and functionalizing them into bio-nanoparticles with emulsifying activity. Her contribution became tangible through the development of an innovative technology based on targeted interactions between proteins and polysaccharides in a low-impact, economically sustainable aqueous environment. Her dedication to research and ability to transform complex challenges into innovative solutions have led her to collaborate with various industrial entities to valorize plant-based by-products. Believing that innovation should be in harmony with nature, her passion for environmental sustainability is the guiding thread of her journey. Today, as the R&D manager at Ittinsect, Alessia continues to seek new solutions to reduce the environmental impact of intensive production through sustainable innovation.

Her world extends beyond the laboratory. She finds inspiration and joy in photography and live music, loving to capture special moments with her camera and immerse herself in the vibrant energy of live concerts. Her passion for nature also extends to her leisure time, often spent in green and open spaces or cultivating her green thumb with succulents and tropical plants in her garden.

Pierluigi obtains a master's degree in Quantitative Finance and Risk Management at Luigi Bocconi University. He already has a one-way ticket in his pocket. In fact, the next day he moved to London where he begins his professional growth and made the city what he still calls home today. He lived there for 15 years working in finance as a derivatives broker. The lockdown is an opportunity to slow down the pace and pick up the books again. He studies sustainability and is passionate about circularity for the production of alternative proteins from insects. The office begins to feel tight for him, he finds the courage and decides to resign to return to Italy and start his insects breeding. He attends specialized courses, visits production centers and research institutes. His network and his experience prove to be of crucial importance for the strategic development of Ittinsect business. If he's not visiting fish farmers to talk about insects, you can find him at the departure gate with his backpack on his shoulders and his camera in his hands.

Riccardo was born in Carpi, nature has fascinated him since he was young, growing up, he realized to be interested in everything which is outside the human-sized world, like cellules, molecules and microrganisms, but also the space, planets and stars. For this reason, deciding between phisics and biotechnology was hard. In the end, Riccardo attended his Bachelor's in biotechnology at the University of Modena and Reggio Emilia, after that, he moved to Padova for two reasons: to get the Master's in Industrial Biotechnology and, given that he has ever been interested in companies and enterprise reality, he took part to the Innovation Experience promoted by Job Campus, which is an extra academic course for developing companies' projects.

Riccardo, during the years of study, has gained knowledge in recombinant protein expression througth microalgae and in valorizing agri-food byproducts via enzymatic hydrolysis.

Riccardo loves sports and recharges him energy going trekking, camping, hiking in a random way with completely disorganised group of friends, but sometimes he also travels alone.

Ilaria Reale was born and raised in central Italy, amidst breathtaking mountain landscapes with the Adriatic Sea as a backdrop, developing a deep sensitivity to nature and respect for all ecosystems. After earning a bachelor’s degree in Art and Cultural Heritage Management, Ilaria realized that our planet is the most precious "art object" in need of care. This realization fueled her desire to make a positive impact on the planet and the people, aligning perfectly with her values and sensitivity towards nature.

To deepen her expertise, Ilaria pursued a master’s degree in Management with a focus on sustainability and circular economy, studying in the Italian Alps and Swedish Lapland. In these environments, Ilaria gained in-depth experience in circular and green economy, corporate social responsibility (CSR), and innovation for climate change. Her holistic approach, shaped by her studies in both humanities and business, has equipped her to tackle complex challenges with curiosity and a positive attitude.

Recently, Ilaria joined Ittinsect's team as a Sustainability and Business Specialist, bringing her strong academic background and hands-on experience in climate-tech startups. Ilaria’s expertise lies in market analysis, fundraising, and sustainability reporting, where she adopts a data-driven approach to develop effective business strategies. Her empathy drives her to advocate for practices that are environmentally and socially equitable, recognizing the interconnectedness between environmental and social issues. This interest is exemplified in her master’s thesis, where Ilaria showed by statistical analysis how companies with women in leadership have more sustainable business practices.

Ilaria is currently dedicated to implementing sustainable business development at Ittinsect and progressing towards the UN’s 2030 SDGs. She is enthusiastic to be part of the team, where collective efforts are fundamental to the mission of making the aquaculture market free of harmful impacts on ocean ecosystems.

After graduating in Design, Visual Communication, and Multimedia, Carolina worked as a Junior Art Director in a digital agency and as a Visual Designer at an electronics company before shifting her focus to marketing. Driven by a passion for nature and the valorization of the territory, she decided to channel her experience and energy into companies that prioritize environmental protection. She is currently the Marketing Manager at Noinet Società Cooperativa and a Marketing Specialist at Ittinsect. If you can't find her in front of the PC, she's probably in the mountains climbing somewhere.

Process engineer with demonstrated experience of process development and sucessful commercializing of innovative processes and products for leading food tech companies in Israel. Biotechnology and Food engineer (Technion) B.Sc. , passionate about making accessible and nourishing food and bridging traditional pratices with innovation.

After graduating in Biological Sciences from the University of Pavia, Giorgio decided to move to Valencia, Spain, where he obtained a Master of Science in Marine Biotechnology. This experience led him to expand his horizons and meet many people from all over the world. His enthusiasm for sales and economics led him to work as a Trader in the naval sector, a sales consultant for a biotech Lab company, and a fintech app as an Account Executive. Throughout these experiences Giorgio gained valuable knowledge in sales that he's excited to bring back to the Biotech sector, specifically with Aquaculture at Ittinsect. He is passionate about the Ocean world and sustainability. He is also an excellent chef, who enjoys combining the cuisine of the North and South of the Bel Paese.