About Valentina Primo

Valentina Primo is a globally recognized entrepreneur, journalist, author, and thought leader on social impact and innovation. She is the Founder and CEO of Startups Without Borders, an international organization supporting refugee, migrant, and local entrepreneurs across the Middle East,  Africa, and Europe.

Under her leadership, Startups Without Borders has built a thriving ecosystem of 20,000+ entrepreneurs, mentors, and investors, and an innovative model by partnering with 500+ institutions to bridge the private and public sectors.

She leads the Startups Without Borders Summit, recognized among the Top 60 Startup Events Worldwide, and hosts the Startups Without Borders Podcast, a part of its media platforms reaching a 3.7 million audience.

Valentina is a leading voice in redefining the narrative around refugees and migrants. She participates in policy dialogues across Italy, Egypt, Jordan, and the Mediterranean, serves on the board of Roma Startup, has advised SXSW Pitch, and frequently delivers keynotes in 15+ countries.

Her years living and working as a journalist in the Middle East profoundly shaped her belief that talent has no passport. What began as a journey driven by curiosity became an immersion into one of the world’s most misunderstood regions, where she witnessed refugee and migrant entrepreneurs building extraordinary ventures in the face of unimaginable odds. 

That experience now lives at the heart of her upcoming book, Dear Destiny, a deeply personal search for purpose that traces her own migrant journey from Córdoba (Argentina) to Italy and later Egypt, interwoven with the voices of refugees and migrants who inspired her. 

Valentina is a 2025–2026 Obama Scholar and recipient of the Women in Excellence Award. She holds a Bachelor’s in Social Communications and Journalism from Universidad Nacional de Córdoba (Argentina) and a Master’s in Peace Studies: International Cooperation, Human Rights, and EU Policies from Università degli Studi Roma Tre (Italy).

She now lives between Rome, Cairo, and New York.