Valeria holds a BSc and MSc in Applied Mathematics and a PhD in Bioinformatics. She began her career as a lab researcher before transitioning into leadership roles, managing AI teams in biotech startups across Europe and the U.S. She later co-founded Smartomica, an AI-driven platform supporting oncologists in diagnosing complex cancer cases. Drawing on her biotech expertise, she founded Fermata to address the global challenge of crop loss due to plant disease. Fermata develops sustainable, AI-powered solutions for early detection of plant health issues in greenhouses and open fields. Under her leadership, Fermata has been recognized among the top startups in AgTech and AI.