For 14-years, I was focused on research in the fields of molecular biology, Biotech and microbiology. I conducted my Ph.D. and two postdocs in leading European centres, CNB-CSIC (Spain), John Innes Institute (UK), and the ETH (Zurich).

Thanks to my long research experience and having been the former scientific director of the Spanish-based Biotech company (Biodan Science), I started collaborations with innovative and disruptive European SMEs.

My expertise in obtaining public funds with European grants (Marie Curie Fellowships and EMBO grant) and national funds (CDTI) have allowed me to raise €18.7 M for more than 18 European SMEs. To advanced my financial and investing skills I prepared myself as a CFA level 1 candidate in 2019. Recently, in November 2021, I finished my Executive Course on Venture Capital at the IE School of Business.

During these years, I have been awarded by …

• Fundación Pino and Merck for the “Women & Leadership program” held by Aliter, International School of Business (2012),
• the European Patent Office (EPO) for the “Workshop in Intellectual property Rights for Marie Sklodowska-Curie Fellows” held in Munich at EPO headquarters (2014), and
• IE School of Business for the “Winning Strategies for International Growth” (2021).

Thanks to my professional journey, the close interaction with the European technology companies, and after living in Mexico for three years, in 2021, I launched Zirka InnoTech to establish a bridge between Europe and LATAM for innovation expansion and technology transfer.