A breath of fresh air Gaetano Lapenta won AMBA & BGA’s Entrepreneur of the Year award this year for a start-up that seeks to improve indoor air quality and enhance wellbeing. He tells Tim Banerjee Dhoul how his executive MBA helped him “learn how to communicate in the entrepreneurial world” and enabled him to move past previous setbacks
Could you introduce yourself and tell us a little bit about your career? “My path is not linear and I’m very grateful for that. At first, I worked in the luxury wine business in the US, then I returned to Italy to work in the field of governance and regulation, mainly concerning energy and the environment. “After some years, I started my journey in the corporate world as a head of innovation and builder of spin-off ventures. In my last role before setting up my own start-up, I launched a spin-off for a major player in the skyscraper façade industry and led its innovation department on a global scale. Then, one day, during my executive MBA, I had an idea that turned out to have a good product-market fit and I am now a full-time, start-up entrepreneur.” Congratulations on receiving the Entrepreneur of the Year award. How did it feel to win? “The other nominees and their companies were so impressive that I almost felt like an outsider. When my name was read out, I couldn’t believe it. Winning was recognition for all the mistakes and hard times you must contend with as an entrepreneur. It was also one of those nights you remember for the rest of your life.” What motivated you to do an executive MBA (EMBA) and why did you choose to do it at Polimi Graduate School of Management? “Despite the growth in my career, I felt like I had unfulfilled potential. I also knew that I was missing some
28 Business Impact • ISSUE 4 • 2024
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