Sylvia Romanelli works as Innovation Advisor for the state of São Paulo, Brazil, working for InvestSP (Investment and Competitiveness Promotion Agency). She currently leads projects in the front of attracting investments in RD&I and supporting the internationalization of startups by implementing innovation policies. She supports the Department for Economic Development of the State of São Paulo in mapping opportunities for international collaboration in Science, Technology and Innovation.
Passionate about Innovation Diplomacy, she has worked for the Swissnex network connecting the dots between the Brazilian and Swiss innovation ecosystems by leading bilateral cooperation in the field of scientific entrepreneurship. In social entrepreneurship, she led the operations of the Brazilian startup Beliive, a marketplace for exchanging experiences with users in more than 100 countries. She also contributed to projects at the United Nations Development Program and the UN Refugee Agency. She voluntarily organizes the chapter of House of Genius in São Paulo, a global initiative combining open innovation and collaboration.