Elena's Story

🌊 Roots, Resilience & Purpose

I come from a family of diplomats and entrepreneurs deeply connected to the aviation sector. However, due to my father's severe health issues, I had to pave my own way from the very beginning. I grew up in a very simple, grounded environment, far from the diplomatic circles where my father spent his youth.

Yet, history, tech, and art have a unique way of weaving themselves through generations. I am the great-great-granddaughter of the celebrated dancer Rita Sacchetto, who relocated to Munich from a family of Venetian painters, and I share a distant, marriage-acquired kinship with the legendary actress and inventor Hedy Lamarr. Her daughter, Denise Loder-DeLuca—a wonderful Italian-American artist herself—was incredibly kind in reconnecting our family ties. This blend of high-profile heritage and practical independence meant that during my teenage years, I was already building my own path, which included a brief experience babysitting for Philippe Starck's daughters (though I am not sure they remember me now!).

Driven by these experiences, I choose to invest my time, strategic experience, and artwork back into the ecosystem rather than focusing on financial returns alone. My pro bono work focuses on advancing innovation in Italy, nurturing youth-led research organizations like the Europinion Institute for Research (EIR), and championing gender diversity through networks such as Women&Tech and Women in Immersive Technologies (WiiT). Above all, I hold a deep personal interest in exploring how technology and AI can actively improve human health and healthcare promotion, ensuring that digital transformation serves the well-being of society. 💓

📸 Roberta de Min

Journey & Milestones (2016 -2026)

🇩🇪 2016 (Age 20) — Erasmus in Germany & University of Padova
Completed an Erasmus academic exchange in Germany during my undergraduate studies, an experience that solidified my focus on international policy and European industrial competitiveness. This path led me to graduate with honors (110 e Lode) in Political Science from the University of Padova, where I authored a thesis analyzing John F. Kennedy's pivotal role during the Berlin Crisis (1961–1963), focusing heavily on USA-Russia relations and their impact on Europe. Throughout my entire university years, I financed my education and living expenses mostly through academic scholarships.
👩🏼‍🎓 2017 (Age 21) — The Move to Berlin
Moved to Berlin to pursue a Master of International Affairs focusing on International Finance and Trade at the Hertie School, continuing to support my path through graduate scholarships.
💻 2018 (Age 22) — First Tech Foundations
Driven by a personal fascination with technology, I taught myself how to build and launch my very first blog, Res Publica, while gaining practical experience at the Italian Office of the Council of Europe.
🇨🇭 2019–2020 (Age 24) — Geneva Exchange & The Russia Sanctions Model
Awarded a competitive scholarship for an academic exchange at the Graduate Institute in Geneva (IHEID)—home to the prestigious Geneva Sanctions Network. This environment directly shaped my research under the supervision of Amb. Wolfgang Ischinger (Chairman Emeritus of the Munich Security Conference), leading to the development and publication of a novel predictive model assessing the effectiveness of international sanctions, applied to the Council of Europe–Russia crisis.
🏛️ 2021 (Age 25) — Front-End Development & Diplomacy
While undergoing advanced diplomatic training at Luiss Guido Carli in Rome, I spent the Covid-19 lockdown mastering the basics of front-end development through online courses and self-directed practice. This dual path anchored my core dedication to empowering young women in tech.
🇪🇺 2022 (Age 26) — European Commission & The Future Blog
Gained hands-on institutional experience in Brussels, working at the European Commission. Right after, I utilized my technical skills to code and launch my second platform, The Future Blog.
🚀 2023 (Age 28) — XR4Human & Fellowship
Served as Work Package Leader for the €2.5M+ Horizon-funded project XR4Human. Awarded the prestigious €25K Charlemagne Prize Fellowship to conduct strategic research on consortia in aerospace and emerging tech.
📘 2024–2025 (Age 29-30) — The Nash Function & "Italian Dream"
My research—supported by Amb. Ischinger and enriched by insights from ESA (European Space Agency)—culminated in a mathematician-validated collaboration function based on Nash equilibria. In November 2025, I published my first book, “Italian Dream. L’arte di guardare al futuro”, with Oscar Mondadori. As an artist, I designed the conceptual high-tech artwork for the cover fusing AI-generated historical data onto Canova's Venus Italica.
🎨 2026 (Age 30–31) — International Advisory, AI Expansion & Art Exhibitions
Consolidated my international consulting practice indicated on the website as Bascone Tech Policy Consulting, bridging diplomatic and tech affairs for enterprise clients across Europe and the U.S. Following the rollout of the AURA AI tool, this year marks the scaling up of my broader AI architecture and my debut with my first art exhibitions, bringing my technological conceptual art into physical galleries.