Nicola Del Sarto | Business and Finance| Best Researcher Award

Dr. Nicola Del Sarto | Business and Finance | Best Researcher Award 

Assistant Professor, University of Florence, Italy

Dr. Nicola Del Sarto is an Assistant Professor at the University of Florence, specializing in economics of financial intermediaries and corporate finance. Previously, they held postdoctoral research positions at Scuola Superiore Sant’Anna – Pisa, contributing to projects on innovation strategies and data-driven economic growth (Horizon 2020, SoBigData++). With a PhD in Management of Innovation, Sustainability, and Healthcare (with Honor) from Scuola Superiore Sant’Anna, their research explores venture capital, university spin-offs, and digital startup funding. Their high-impact publications in Small Business Economics, Global Business Review, and Finance Research Letters highlight key insights into entrepreneurial finance, equity crowdfunding, and innovation ecosystems.

Professional Profile 

scopus

Education 🎓

Dr. Nicola Del Sarto earned a PhD in Management of Innovation, Sustainability, and Healthcare from Scuola Superiore Sant’Anna – Pisa (2018, with Honor), focusing on business accelerators and open innovation. They also completed a 2nd Level Master’s in Innovation Management (2014) from the same institution. Their academic journey includes a Laurea Magistrale cum laude in Economics (LM-77) from the University of Pisa (2012-2014), with a thesis comparing Italian and U.S. pension funds, and a Laurea Triennale in Economics (2008-2012), analyzing economic crises of 1991-92 and 2007-08. These qualifications solidify their expertise in financial economics, entrepreneurship, and innovation strategies.

Experience 💼

Since September 2022, Dr. Nicola Del Sarto has been an Assistant Professor at the University of Florence, focusing on financial intermediaries and corporate finance. They previously worked as a Postdoctoral Research Fellow at Scuola Superiore Sant’Anna – Pisa (2018-2022), contributing to projects like SoBigData++ (Horizon 2020), open innovation strategies, and digital startup ecosystems. Under the supervision of Andrea Piccaluga and Alberto Di Minin, they studied the role of innovation intermediaries and venture capital in startup funding. Their research spans bank loan access for spin-offs, equity crowdfunding, and corporate finance, positioning them as a key scholar in entrepreneurial finance and innovation management.

Awards & Honors 🏆

PhD with Honor (2018) – Scuola Superiore Sant’Anna – Pisa Cum Laude Distinction (2014) – Laurea Magistrale in Economics, University of Pisa Horizon 2020 Research Grant Recipient – SoBigData++ Project (European Commission) Best Paper Award Nominee – International Conference on Entrepreneurship & Innovation Research Excellence Award – Recognized for contributions to venture capital and startup finance

Conclusion

The candidate possesses strong academic credentials, impactful research in financial innovation, and a growing publication record. Their work on venture capital, crowdfunding, and startup financing makes them a strong contender for the Best Researcher Award. Strengthening international collaborations and broader policy impact could further solidify their position as a leading researcher in the field. 🚀

Publications Top Noted

📌 The influence of venture capital and university ownership on spin-off’s bank loan access: a synergistic effect – Small Business Economics (2025)

📌 Unlocking Digital Start-up Funding: How Innovation Intermediaries make It Happen. An Empirical Evidence from Italy – Global Business Review (2025)

📌 Equity Crowdfunding for sustainable oriented ventures: Lead Investor Impact on Campaign Success and Post-Campaign Performance – Finance Research Letters (2025)

Wenting Zhao | Art and Artificial Intelligence

🌟Dr. Wenting Zhao, Congratulations on Winning the Best Researcher Award! 👏🌟🏆

  • Dr. Wenting Zhao, Jilin University, China: Leading Research in Art and Artificial Intelligence

🌟 Heartiest Congratulations, Dr. Wenting Zhao! 🌟n behalf of the entire community, we extend our warmest congratulations on receiving the Best Researcher Award! 🎉by ScienceFather This well-deserved recognition is a testament to your outstanding contributions to the field of Art and Artificial Intelligence. 🏆 Your dedication, innovative research, and commitment to excellence have truly set you apart.

🔍 Your impactful work in attention-based fine-grained image recognition, handshape intelligent recognition, and co-driven intelligent assessment have not only expanded our understanding but also paved the way for advancements in these critical areas.

📚 The numerous accolades you’ve earned, including being a Reviewer for ‘Knowledge-Based Systems‘ and your role as an Examiner for Chinese zither Art grade examinations, reflect your significant influence on the academic landscape.

🌐 Your contributions have not only enriched the academic community but also made a lasting impact on the preservation and evolution of traditional Chinese music. As an Excellent Instructor and Chief Editor, you’ve played a pivotal role in shaping the future of Zheng examinations and competitions.

👏 Your journey is an inspiration, and this award is a well-deserved recognition of your dedication, passion, and unwavering commitment to excellence. We are proud to celebrate this milestone with you and look forward to witnessing the continued brilliance of your research. Here’s to more achievements, breakthroughs, and a future filled with continued success! 🌈 Cheers to a remarkable researcher and a true trailblazer! 🥂🎊

Professional Profiles:
Bio Summary:

Dr. Zhao Wenting is a highly accomplished researcher in the field of Art and Artificial Intelligence, born on September 10, 1989, in Jilin, China. She holds a Ph.D. in Communication and Information Systems from Jilin University, under the guidance of Professor Wang Shigang. Driven by a passion for traditional Chinese music and technology, her research uniquely combines these domains, showcasing expertise in fine-grained image recognition, handshape intelligent recognition, and the integration of knowledge and data for intelligent assessment.

Research Focus:

Dr. Zhao’s primary research focus lies at the intersection of art and artificial intelligence. Her work delves into attention-based fine-grained image recognition, intelligent assessment of handshapes in Chinese zither performances, and the co-driven approach for assessing Chinese zither fingerings. Her innovative contributions extend to the creation of CZ-Base, a database for hand gesture recognition in Chinese Zither Intelligence Education, and the development of novel intelligent assessments based on audio-visual data.

Professional Journey:

Dr. Zhao has demonstrated a commitment to academic and professional excellence throughout her career. She earned her Ph.D. from Jilin University and has since become a noteworthy figure in the field. Her journey includes roles such as a Reviewer for the prestigious ‘Knowledge-Based Systems’ journal, an Examiner for Chinese zither Art grade examinations, and a Judge for comprehensive quality evaluations of National Young Art Talents. As an Excellent Instructor for Zheng grade examinations and competitions, she has significantly contributed to the development and preservation of traditional Chinese music.

Honors & Awards:
  • Reviewer of ‘Knowledge-Based Systems’ journal (SCI Q1, IF: 8.8)
  • Examiner of Chinese zither for the Art grade examination of China Jilin National Orchestra Society
  • Judge of comprehensive quality evaluation for the National Young Art Talents
  • Excellent instructor of Zheng grade examinations and competitions
  • Chief editor of Zheng textbook in Jilin Intangible Cultural Heritage Inheritance Base
Publications & Contributions:

Dr. Zhao has made substantial contributions to academic literature, with multiple publications in high-impact journals and conferences. Notable works include studies on attention-based image recognition, handshape intelligent recognition, and the development of CZ-Base. Her research has been recognized for its significance in the field, evident from her publications in SCI Q1 journals and oral presentations at esteemed conferences.

Author Metrics:

  • Citations: 75 by 70 documents
  • h-index: 4

Documents:

  • Total Documents: 15

Top Publications:

  1. “Knowledge and data co-driven intelligent assessment of Chinese zither fingerings”
    • Displays, 2023, 78, 102442
    • Citations: 1
  2. “A Novel Intelligent Assessment Based on Audio-Visual Data for Chinese Zither Fingerings”
    • Lecture Notes in Computer Science, 2023, 14358 LNCS, pp. 200–211
    • Citations: 0
  3. “Self-designed hierarchical network based hand shape intelligent recognition and evaluation for Chinese zither performing”
    • Displays, 2023, 76, 102291
    • Citations: 1
  4. “CZ-Base: A Database for Hand Gesture Recognition in Chinese Zither Intelligence Education”
    • Communications in Computer and Information Science, 2021, 1390, pp. 282–292
    • Citations: 3

Other Notable Works:

  • “Facial expression recognition based on separability assessment of discrete Shearlet transform” (Journal of Jilin University, 2019)
  • “WGAN-Based Robust Occluded Facial Expression Recognition” (IEEE Access, 2019)
  • “Static image facial expression recognition based on separability assessment of discrete separable shearlet transform” (Journal of Electronic Imaging, 2019)
  • “Facial expression recognition based on discrete separable shearlet transform and feature selection” (Algorithms, 2019)
  • “Elemental image generation combining discrete viewpoint pickup with adaptive window interception” (Journal of Jilin University, 2016)
  • “Action recognition based on online random forest voting” (Optics and Precision Engineering, 2016)
Research Timeline:
  • 2015-2019: Pursued Ph.D. in Communication and Information Systems at Jilin University.
  • 2020: Became a Reviewer for ‘Knowledge-Based Systems’ journal.
  • 2021: Published “CZ-Base: A Database for Hand Gesture Recognition in Chinese Zither Intelligence Education” at a conference.
  • 2022: Earned the role of an Examiner for Chinese zither Art grade examinations.
  • 2023: Presented oral papers at the International Conference on Image and Graphics.
  • 2023: Published multiple articles in Displays journal on handshape intelligent recognition and assessment of Chinese zither fingerings.