Afonso Cozzi has extensive experience in buasiness schools’ management, executive education, entrepreneurship and new business management, entrepreneur mentoring and, venture capital and private equity management. He holds a Bachelor’s degree in mechanical engineering and a Master’s degree in Business Administration focusing on entrepreneurship from PUC-Minas. He has also attended specialization programs at INSEAD (France), Kellogg School of Management and MIT, in the USA. At Fundação Dom Cabral, Prof. Cozzi was a statutary director, director of the PGA – Advanced Management Program in partnership with INSEAD, Exective MBA manager and manager of many development projects for medium and large organizations. He was also the founder of the Center for Entrepreneurship at FDC. Currently, Prof. Cozzi is an adjunct professor and researcher at the Center for Innovation and Entrepreneurship.  He is a former president and current member of the board at Confrapar Participações e Pesquisa S/A – investment fund management firm for technology companies; member of the board of trustees and the fiscal board at Sociedade Mineira de Cultura, (PUC-Minas managerial body); and director at SEBRAE Nacional. He is also a member of the board of technology startups and of firms of academic exchange with American universities. Author and co-author of articles and researches in the area of entrepreneurship and innovation.