About
Paula has over 10 years of experience driving innovation across diverse sectors, with a strong focus on ESG. She has a proven track record in developing and managing accelerator programs for large corporations and Fortune 500 companies, creating cutting-edge tech solutions, and collaborating with founders from unicorns and IPOs. Previously, Paula contributed to VC teams at Plug and Play and Techstars, specializing in Fintech, Blockchain, Web3, Smart Cities, and Sustainability — she is always ready to deliver high-impact solutions and accelerate strategic growth.
Education
Work
Università della Svizzera Italiana
|Research Grant Holder
Lugano, Ticino, Switzerland
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Research Grant
Summary
Sustainable Digital Finance Innovation Booster grant holder focusing on developing sustainable digital financial assets linking to ESG compliance and data. The Sustainable Digital Finance Innobooster is managed by the University of Zurich and financed by Innosuisse, the Swiss Innovation Agency.
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Summary
Non-profit alliance, accelerator, and research unit focused on promoting nature-based solutions and closing the nature-finance gap. Led the development and implementation of the Nature Tech Accelerator Program for anchor corporate members and directed the research team producing sector reports.
Simbiotica Finance
|Co-founder
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Summary
A blockchain startup that provided on-chain impact ratings for cryptocurrencies. Secured over USD 160k in grants and VC funding from leading impact investors and blockchain partners.
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Summary
Supported entrepreneurs developing blockchain technologies and tokenization protocols within the renowned Techstars Accelerator, one of the most prestigious startup programs worldwide. Contributed to the execution of its initial Web3-focused accelerator, advancing towards a decentralized future.
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Summary
Ventures Analyst at Plug and Play Ventures within the Smart Cities team, where I led five accelerator programs focused on IoT, Real Estate, and Construction. I was responsible for innovation consulting for Fortune 500 clients and sourced and executed new investments through Plug and Play’s evergreen fund.
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Summary
Responsible for planning and executing large-scale international projects in the retail industry, including task assignment, budget management, profit monitoring, and the coordination of all production phases. Managed a €6 million international campaign as the primary account manager.
Languages
English
Fluent
Italian
Fluent
French
Proficient
German
Conversational
Portuguese
Native
Spanish
Fluent
Awards
Innobooster Sustainable Digital Finance
Awarded By
University of Zurich and Swiss Innovation Agency
The Innovation Booster “Sustainable Digital Finance” aims to accelerate radical innovations that foster sustainability in the financial industry by harnessing technology. The project Clara, won a 20,000 CHF grant to develop the infrastructure for Sustainable Digital Financial Assets with embedded environmental compliance and data, connecting the Swiss market with Brazilian ecological projects.
Selected Project for LIFT Data 2025 - Challenge: Forest and Biodiversity Preservation
Awarded By
Central Bank of Brazil and FENASBAC
Virtual innovation laboratory to transform data into solutions for Brazilian National Financial System challenges. The Clara API transforms financial assets into certified digital instruments, increasing transparency, efficiency, and credibility in the carbon and sustainable finance markets. It collects, validates, and automates verified environmental data, enabling the issuance of impact digital securities, reducing due diligence and regulatory costs.
G20 Techsprint Honorary Mention Technologies for the Planet
Awarded By
G20 Brazilian Presidency, Central Bank of Brazil, BIS Innovation Hub, IDB
Innovative Approaches to Enhancing ESG Data Reporting and Compliance. Clara ESG leverages blockchain technology to offer tokenized green financial assets integrated with impact ratings, indicators, and compliance with ESG sustainability reporting standards.
3rd Place at Tech4Democracy
Awarded By
US Department of State, Stanford, and IE University
The Tech4Democracy initiative, promoted by the Center for the Governance of Change at IE University and the US Department of State, and Stanford. The Latin American edition of Tech4democracy featured a global competition specializing in web3-based startups that reinforce democracy.
3rd Place at Web3 Hackathon: Tokenization of the National Treasury
Awarded By
Bazilian National Treasury (STN), Serpro, ENAP
Challenge 4: Development of technologies for use cases of automation of monitoring, control, and online pricing of public securities (eg oracles). Project: Framework for Sustainable Sovereign Digital Bonds
2nd Place at Web3 Hackathon: Tokenization of the National Treasury
Awarded By
Bazilian National Treasury (STN), Serpro, ENAP
Challenge 5: Theses, standards and opportunities related to interoperability with the STN Registration and Control System, between web2, web3, and DREX solutions. Project: Framework for Sustainable Sovereign Digital Bonds
Publications
Published by
Nature Tech Collective, Conservation International
Summary
Sector map with 600+ nature tech solutions for Biodiversity that provides a guide for understanding this rapidly evolving sector of nature tech for biodiversity, using a structured classification framework.
Published by
Nature Tech Collective, Terra Genesis
Summary
Cattle Tech : Technologies and Datasets for a Sustainable Beef Industry was funded by a large financial institution in the United States to accelerate sustainability in the global beef industry and to provide producers with a suite of options for increasing production efficiency.
Published by
Nature Tech Collective, Nature4Climate, KPMG, Climate Collective, and Serena VC
Summary
This report provides an overview of where and how nature tech is providing solutions for business, and how it is contributing to more transparency around nature impacts and the actions taken to address them.
Published by
Nature Tech Collective
Summary
Taxonomy framework for the Nature Tech sector. In order to transition to a nature-positive economy, it is vital that we understand the challenges we face today. This involves not only acknowledging the complexities of environmental degradation, biodiversity loss, and nature-related risks but also identifying the current barriers to implementing effective solutions and taking meaningful action.
Published by
Nature Tech Collective
Summary
Nature fintech leverages the power of financial services and products along with digital technologies and resources to drive more investments towards conservation, restoration, and sustainable use of natural resources. It creates economic incentives and viable business models that benefit the environment and address critical issues like deforestation, biodiversity loss, water management, and sustainable agriculture. Moreover, it provides the actual infrastructure to foster the flow of funding, information, and goodwill between all relevant stakeholders up and down the value chain. The following Nature Fintech Sector Map serves as a snapshot of the state of nature fintech, a nascent and rapidly evolving subsector of nature tech. This sector map is part of a comprehensive suite of research products that make up the Nature Tech Collective’s inaugural Nature Fintech Series deep-dive.
Blockchain urban applications: regenerative finance, decentralized governance, and infrastructure deployment, Urban Al
Summary
Blockchain technology is helping citizens to have participative ownership, access to finance, and decision- making in urban governance and planning. But what are the existing initiatives and how are they touching systematic problems? In this article, Paula Palermo, со- founder of Impacta Finance and co-host of Impacta Podcast, analyzes the blockchain urban applications and how this technology could transform our cities.
Cidades Inteligentes e Descentralizadas: 4 exemplos de como a blockchain está moldando as cidades do futuro, Criptofácil
Summary
As cidades do mundo ocupam apenas 3% do território terrestre do planeta, mas elas respondem por 60-80% do consumo de energia, metade da população mundial e 80% do PIB global. Em 2050, espera-se que a população vivendo em cidades chegue a 68%, o que significa que mais 2,5 bilhões de pessoas residirão em áreas urbanas.
Blockchains, layers 0, 1 e 2 e ecossistemas: como a inovação ocorre nas criptomoedas, Criptofácil
Summary
O whitepaper do Bitcoin marcou o nascimento da blockchain, tecnologia que Satoshi Nakamoto sugeriu para resolver o problema do duplo-dispêndio. Entretanto, como é evidente pelas próprias referências bibliográficas do paper, os protocolos de dinheiro digital já estavam em desenvolvimento pelo menos uma década antes da publicação oficial do whitepaper.
Finanças digitais descentralizadas e regenerativas: como a web3 está tentando criar um mundo mais verde, Criptofácil
Summary
O carbono pode se tornar a moeda do futuro? É possível pensarmos em uma sociedade em que as unidades de carbono emitidas estejam integradas ao cotidiano de compra e ação dos usuários? Em um sistema onde consumo e produções zero ou negativas em carbono possam ser revertidas diretamente em dinheiro para àqueles com ações sustentáveis?
Investindo na web3: conheça a tese das 10 startups mais promissoras de cripto e blockchain selecionadas pela Techstars, Criptofácil
Summary
A cidade de Dublin recebeu essa semana o primeiro primeiro acelerador blockchain agnóstico da Techstars. O programa com foco em empresas em estágios iniciais selecionou entre várias concorrentes, as 10 startups mais promissoras focadas em tecnologia blockchain e protocolos de tokenização para o futuro descentralizado.
Série Blockchain para Impacto Positivo: um encontro de trilhões de dólares, Criptofácil
Summary
A série blockchain para impacto positivo, em parceria com a Celo Foundation e o Criptofácil vai abordar os maiores desafios e as soluções mais inovadoras do impacto na web3, desdobrando sua série de podcast em oito artigos (com esse) publicados semanalmente aqui no Criptofácil.
Post Covid-19 São Paulo: Potential matches between Technology and Social Innovation for an alternative future., Post Quarentine Urbanism
Summary
To talk about the future of planning in a post-Covid-19 scenario we have to look at what we have: technology, structure, and deep social problems. This article doesn't want to precociously foresee future trends. It aims to be an honest list of our network of possibilities already in march.
Cidades de areia: arquitetura, capital e trabalho entre dinâmicas globais e locais o Catar e a Copa do Mundo, Escola da Cidade Faculdade de Arquitetura e Urbanismo
Summary
A proposta deste artigo é analisar, a partir de um recorte local, o entrelaçamento de dois fenômenos de escala global articulados ao desenvolvimento urbano e material do Catar, potencializados pela proposta de realização da Copa do Mundo de 2022.
Catar 2022: O custo humano do espetáculo, Archdaily
Summary
O ano é 2010. O Catar como o primeiro país árabe a sediar o Mundial da FIFA em 2022 já inicia intensamente os preparativos para receber dali a 12 anos o tão esperado e custoso evento. São postos em marcha extensos esforços de construção e reconstrução não só de equipamentos diretamente ligados às demandas feitas pela FIFA, mas também e de forma mais ampla, sistemas infraestruturais urbanos das principais cidades do país.