By mobilising a global multi-stakeholder platform, rooted in European values and open to the world, we turn knowledge into innovation, scale startups into global ventures, and build the next generation of digital talent to shape a fair, competitive, and human-centric digital future.
We operate in domains where digital technology and innovation drive societal progress, addressing major global challenges and delivering tangible benefits for people, businesses, and the planet.
Our focus is on areas that reflect Europe’s leadership potential, advancing tech sovereignty, enhancing competitiveness, and supporting a more sustainable and resilient future.
Technologies such as AI, cybersecurity, advanced computing, and robotics are not confined to a single sector; they are powerful enablers of societal transformation, defence and dual-use innovation, and sustainability. Their impact depends on how we develop, apply, and scale them across strategic domain.
28DIGITAL was founded upon the initiative of the European Institute of Innovation and Technology (EIT), a body of the European Union. 28DIGITAL received €1.1B funding and strategic guidance from the EIT over 15 years as an EIT Knowledge and Innovation Community (KIC). Following the successful signature of a Memorandum of Cooperation, the EIT and 28DIGITAL collaborate to further boost innovation in digital transformation across Europe and beyond.
Federico Menna
Chief Executive OfficerFederico Menna
Chief Executive Officer
Federico Menna has been the CEO of 28DIGITAL since March 2023.
Passionate about innovation and digital technologies, Federico began his career at Vodafone Group, where he spent over seven years developing mobile networks during the transition from 3G to 4G. He joined EIT Digital in 2015 and quickly advanced through senior roles, serving as Head of Staff and Operations, COO/CFO, and interim CEO in 2022, before his appointment as CEO.
Federico holds a Master of Science in Telecommunications Engineering from the University of Trento, where he is also an active mentor to students and aspiring entrepreneurs. He is a member of the Forbes Technology Council and participates in several expert working groups of the European Commission.
As CEO, he is driving 28DIGITAL through a strategic transformation, positioning it as Europe’s leading platform for digital entrepreneurship, talent, and innovation. His leadership focuses on strengthening Europe’s digital sovereignty, fostering collaboration between startups and corporates, and creating new opportunities for scaleups, researchers, and students across the continent.
Diva Tommei
Chief of Innovation and Investments/Chief Marketing Officer
Diva Tommei
Chief of Innovation and Investments/Chief Marketing Officer
Diva studied Genomic Biotechnology at La Sapienza University in Rome and holds a PhD in Bioinformatics from the University of Cambridge. She attended the Singularity University Graduate Studies Program (GSP) at NASA Ames to study the impact of exponentially growing technologies on our societies. She joined EIT Digital in 2020 as Node Director for Italy and now serves as Chief Innovation and Investment Officer and Chief Marketing Officer, where she leads the organisation’s venture strategy and the creation of new investment vehicles. In 2021, she briefly served as Investment Director at Enea Tech, Italy’s national deep tech investment fund.
A former founder of a domotics startup, Diva brings both entrepreneurial and investor experience to her role, combining startup insight with institutional and private capital strategy. She also has board-level experience and is a frequent public speaker, delivering keynotes and panels on investment, innovation, and Europe’s role in shaping the future of technology.
Diva was nominated as one of the "Top 50 European Women in Tech" by Forbes and has delivered three TEDx talks. She is a 2020 European Young Leader and has served as a mentor for the Young Women’s Network, as well as a member and curator of the Global Shapers community of the World Economic Forum. She is also a Social Innovation Fellow of Meridian. She received the Young Global Innovator Award from MIT Technology Review in 2017 and the Pleiade International Award in Innovation & New Technologies from the Italian House of Representatives in 2019. She has been repeatedly featured in the Unstoppable Women list and, in September 2024, was named one of the Inspiring Fifty Italy, recognizing the country’s most influential women in tech.
Jesus Contreras
Chief Operations and Financial Officer
Jesus Contreras
Chief Operations and Financial Officer
Dr. Jesus Contreras has experience in innovation related activities within the ICT sector since 1998. He received his PhD from the Universidad Politécnica de Madrid in Artificial Intelligence in 2004 and an MBA in 2006.
His career includes positions as research engineer in Software A.G., acting as Director for R&D in Intelligent Software Components (iSOCO), Head of Business Development at Denodo, and Chief Operating Officer at Taiger, all companies dealing with edge technologies creating new products or services. During his career, he was also part time teacher at several universities: Universidad Carlos III de Madrid, Universidad Rey Juan Carlos and evaluator of funded projects for the European Commission and Spanish government.
Lea Myyryläinen
Regional Director North
Lea Myyryläinen
Regional Node Director North
Lea Myyryläinen received a master’s degree in electrical engineering from the Helsinki University of Technology (today Aalto University), Finland. Throughout her 20 years of experience, Lea has been working in international environment and with various information technology products and solutions.
After a primary experience founding a start-up, Lea started her professional career in Jaakko Pöyry Consulting (an engineering consulting firm) as Automation Design Engineer and Consultant, before moving to Product Management roles with GE Healthcare Finland for healthcare technological solutions technologies.
She also held various leading positions at Nokia in the area of broadband and mobile applications, new technology sourcing, and business development. Lea was holding the position of Chief Marketing Officer and Vice President of Sales at Gillie AI (a start-up providing artificial intelligence analytics for health care) since 2018.
Lea is bringing her expertise in digital innovation combined with a solid experience and leadership in business development and product management for technologies solutions.
Salvatore Moccia
Education and Skills Director
Salvatore Moccia
Education and Skills Director
Salvatore has over 35 years of experience in the higher education sector, working with private and public stakeholders all over the world, being an expert in building leadership, skills and capability to support organizational growth and performance.
Since 2022, he was the Head of Skills and Education including the Master and Doctoral School at EIT-Digital. He also works the project coordinator of several projects in the field of Robotics, Artificial Intelligence and Cybersecurity. Previously, he held several experiences as Manager and Consultant in different fields, including strategic development of higher education and skills, operational development of international organizations, strategic communications and digital innovation and transformation. He also was an entrepreneur in the Digital-Tech, being the co-founder of several digital magazines dedicated to different technologies. He is the author of several books and articles on digital technologies.
Former Director of the Executive Master in Digital Transformation & Innovation at the University UNIR - La Rioja, he also teaches Strategic Management, and holds visiting positions in Germany, Switzerland, and Thailand. Salvatore holds a Ph.D. from the University of Navarra, Pamplona, Spain, and an MBA from St. John’s University, New York, US.
Tuan Trinh
Regional Director East
Tuan Trinh
Regional Node Director East
Tuan Trinh has 15+ years experience as tech leader and innovator with a strong background in R&D.
He has a broad background in ICT, both in industry and in academia. He received his MSc degree in Compute Science and his PhD in the same field at the Budapest University of Technology (BME) and Economics, Hungary. He worked as an associated professor in Computer Science at Corvinus University of Budapest, and as a visiting professor at University of Bern, Switzerland. Tuan Trinh has been invited as a visiting scientist at Ericsson Research Budapest (Hungary), British Telecom (UK), Eurecom Institute (France), University of Luxembourg (Luxembourg), ILNAS Luxembourg, among others. He also acted as an evaluator of funded projects for the European Commission and Hungarian government.
One of the main highlights of his carrier was to take a leading part in the foundation of two innovation centres focusing on Education-Research-Business integration at universities, namely the Network Economics Group at BME focusing on innovation on distruptive technologies in the frontier between economics and network technology and the Fintech Centre at Corvinus University of Budapest, an innovation centre focusing on Financial Technology.
Tuan Trinh is a recipient of the Pollák-Virág prize from the Hungarian Scientific Association for Infocommunications.
Elena Contioso-Fleming
Regional Director South
Elena Contioso-Fleming
Regional Node Director South
Elena Contioso-Fleming is the Regional Director South at 28DIGITAL, where she fosters innovation, supports entrepreneurs, and connects key players in the digital ecosystem. Since joining EIT Digital in 2018, she has contributed to the organization’s expansion and engagement in Southern Europe.
With a strong background in technology transfer, research, and innovation, Elena has spent over 15 years bridging the gap between academia, startups, and industry. Before joining EIT Digital, she was General Manager at FIUS, the Research Foundation of the University of Seville, where she oversaw operations and strategic execution. She also played a key role at the International Campus of Excellence Andalucía TECH, managing large-scale innovation initiatives.
Passionate about impact-driven innovation, she is dedicated to helping bold thinkers turn their ideas into reality.
Elena holds an MSc in Telecommunications Engineering from the University of Seville and furthered her expertise in strategic management through studies at EOI Business School.
Management in the media
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