María Nieto

María Nieto Fajardo has more than 15 years of experience in innovation, entrepreneurship, and public–private financing of technology projects. She began her career at the European Commission Joint Research Centre, where she worked in the financial management and oversight of European programs, calls for proposals, and evaluation processes. After this stage, she became an entrepreneur, specializing in the structuring and management of projects funded by European programs and in the development of the public sector vertical within technology companies. She has also been a member of the investment committee of a private vehicle, where she participated in the analysis, structuring, and monitoring of investments in innovative companies, as well as in the direct management of portfolio companies through interim management roles during key growth phases. She has recently joined the public administration to take on the technical coordination and implementation of strategic programs supporting digital entrepreneurship and open innovation, fostering collaboration between startups, corporations, investors, and public institutions.