I’ve been a programmer for the last 14 years. Unfortunately or by pure luck, I still have the healthy enthusiasm of a kid. I started late, I was already 24. After a few work experiences and after being a neet (not engaged in education, employment or training), there’s hope for everyone, I enrolled in college to improve my situation. In 2006 I got my degree in Cognitive Sciences and IT at Trento University and in 2009 I got my Master in Computer Sciences at Bolzano University: I have a passion for computational neuro sciences.

While studying, I found out that I have talent and passion for logic, statistics and programming and I’m still looking for new methods and technologies.

I would have been happy to continue my career as a researcher, but because of my fascination with startups I tried to become an entrepreneur. I founded a few small companies with some travelling companions, but none of them succeeded. Without any regrets I can say I had so much fun and learned a lot, and also made a lot of mistakes.

A few years ago, disenchanted by the startups’ world but intrigued by the way in which successful companies transformed their software infrastructures, I started getting interested in the distributed systems world, in Big Data and Machine Learning. In the last few years I was part of an International team devoted to apply Big Data and Machine Learning technologies to open data, aiming to enable new services for companies and public offices.

I applied for the Team after reading Diego’s letter, struck by the idea of giving something back to my country. This motivation brought me back immediately to a teaching moment I remember receiving from a great programmer, Pieter Hintjens, who unfortunately left us after a long illness. In his last writings he highlighted the importance of dedicating our knowledge and skills to others. For what it’s worth, I decided to dedicate my capabilities to my country and to others.

I met Diego during my interview process, after having been selected in a short list of candidates. I was immediately infected by his enthusiasm and optimism. I was impressed by the selection process based on tests and interviews, identical to the ones used by major technological companies.

I’m a lucky man. I found a wonderful woman; without her I would not be here now, but probably still fighting in Middle Earth searching for myself. I have a 4 year old son who adores me and another child just one year old who was so eager to arrive in this world that he was born in my hands in a gas station. I will have the job of my dreams. Call it luck!