Laura Grassi is Associate Professor at the Politecnico di Milano, where she specializes in Banking and Fintech, and the Director of the Fintech & Insurtech Observatory. She also serves as the Director of the Executive MBA Evening Program at the Graduate School of Management and acts as the Scientific Director of multiple digital finance master’s programs, collaborating with several financial institutions. Recently, she has joined the European Banking Authority’s (EBA) Banking Stakeholder Group (BSG).

Laura’s research and professional interests lie at the intersection of digital innovation and financial services, focusing on areas such as Fintech, Banking, and Corporate Governance. She plays an active role in fostering the growth of Fintech and Insurtech startups and leads several applied research initiatives. She currently coordinates RISE-IN, a Horizon Europe project aimed at promoting sustainable investments for climate adaptation and urban resilience, and is part o PIISA, a Horizon Europe project on insurability and adaptation to climate change. Throughout her career, Laura has been dedicated to advancing digital transformation in finance, both through her academic leadership and impactful research.

She strongly encourages her students to participate in international competitions, such as the CFA Institute Research Challenge, where they have reached the world finals on numerous occasions (among the five top universities worldwide out of 1,100 participants).

Holding a PhD, MSc, and BSc in Management Engineering, all with honors from the Politecnico di Milano, Laura has published extensively on cutting-edge topics like open finance, decentralized finance (DeFi), and the role of technology in transforming the financial sector.