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Director, gBETA | Gener8tor
Age: 27
Hometown: Naples, Italy
Education: master’s in international business, University of South Carolina; master’s in management, ESCP Business School (Paris); master’s in management UC3M-ESCP Europe, Universidad Carlos III de Madrid; bachelor’s in business administration and management, Bocconi University, Milan
Family: “I have my Neapolitan family back in Italy—parents and relatives who keep me tied to my roots—and my Indiana-politan family that I’ve built—my chosen family of friends from all over the world who’ve made Indiana home.”
First job: sales at an international Christmas Trade Show in Milan, Italy
Givebacks: “I love to give back to the venture community by coaching and offering feedback to mission-driven individuals building innovative solutions.”
Something surprising: Since moving to Indianapolis, Dantonio has attended more than 200 dance classes across salsa, bachata and swing and over 250 hot yoga classes and has taken more than 30 cold plunges.
In 10 years … : “I want to support startups globally at scale, leading a team that can impact founders across continents. The entrepreneurship ecosystem is becoming more connected, and I’d love to be part of building those bridges between markets and cultures.”
Coffee order: mushroom coffee with vanilla-flavored almond milk
As director of gBETA for the investment accelerator Gener8tor, Davide Dantonio directs two flagship accelerator programs each year for early-stage startups, sponsored by the Indiana Economic Development Corp. The gBETA 5G program (September-November) focuses on software as a service, AI and Web 3.0 companies, while gBETA Industry 4.0 (March-June) supports companies innovating in manufacturing, hardtech, circular economy and enterprise intelligence. As the sole director, Dantonio handles everything from selecting cohorts to coaching founders through weekly strategy sessions and facilitating more than 60 introductions to mentors, ecosystem partners and investors. He also led Gener8tor’s international expansion by launching its first gBETA Skyward program in Italy, in partnership with two other Italian entrepreneurship support organizations, supporting eight Italian founders as they navigate venture capital and market entry strategies in the American ecosystem.•
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