Ciao, I'm Asta.

I fell in love with tech somewhere between coding an app at Oxford to help survivors of sexual violence, interning at a startup in South Korea, and working in venture capital. I've spent nearly a decade testing different ways to leverage tech and innovation for good, from funding future of work and climate startups to building infrastructure for founders.

I didn't become the doctor my immigrant parents hoped for (sorry mum and dad), but I ended up in healthcare anyway. What drives me is figuring out how we accelerate both innovation and adoption, because breakthroughs don't matter if they never reach patients.

I work in open innovation at a pharma company. I'm writing 1854, a newsletter on the business of healthcare innovation. I'm also co-founder of Pleion, a generalist syndicate; and of Obuntu Foundation, a non-profit supporting emerging fund managers across Africa, that has backed 38 managers who've collectively raised $85.9M.

My writing is the best way to see what I've been thinking about recently. A few pieces I'm proud of: Healthcare Innovation: Why Are We Still Waiting? (coming soon), The Democratisation of Power (2023), Women's Health Research is Underfunded and Under-researched (2022), Success = Hard Work or Luck? (2021).

Prior to pharma, I worked at On Deck, where I learned what founders actually need beyond capital, infrastructure and community matter just as much. Before that, I was at CapitalT, a Northern European seed fund, where I learned how capital flows to early-stage innovation and what separates fundable companies from just interesting ideas. I also spent time at Founders Intelligence doing innovation consulting, helping corporates not get left behind by tech. I've co-founded two startups that didn't work out: Alumi, an edtech marketplace connecting aspiring university students to mentors, and Campeat, a South Korean restaurant marketplace helping diners find discounts. Lessons learned!

I studied International Public Management at Sciences Po, focusing on tech and innovation policy, and read History and Politics at Oxford (go Brasenose).

Outside of work, I compose genre-blending music, jazz meets indie meets classical meets K-R&B, don't ask how it works, it just does. I'm obsessed with theatre, particularly Ancient Greek tragedy, and I'm a documentary aficionado, always have a recommendation ready.

I was born in Italy, the proud daughter of immigrants, shout out to third culture kids. I speak Italian, English, French, and Dioula, and I'm based in London.