Our Story

A-Zero exists because the world’s toughest challenges won’t be solved by playing it safe. The problems we face are urgent, and ownership is on all of us — so we choose to act.

The spark came from our mentor, dr. Nick Szirbik, who kept asking the hard questions: if not you, then who? If not now, then when? Instead of waiting for perfect answers, the three of us created A-Zero as a space to take responsibility. A place where we test ideas, accept the risk of failure, and treat every step as progress. Sitting still was never an option — because every problem ignored only grows harder to solve.

We see the world as a living system, full of weak points, hidden connections, and chances to do better. That perspective drives us to confront issues head-on, even when the way forward is uncertain. Our work is about acting with urgency, working with people and organizations who share that drive, and turning experiments into impact. At A-Zero, change doesn’t start with waiting — it starts from zero.


Jessica, Joshua, and Nadalina met while studying at the University of Groningen, united by a shared ambition to connect technology with society and business. Each went on to earn multiple degrees in engineering and management, before taking different career paths and developing their own expertise. Today, they bring those complementary skills back together at A-Zero — building on a solid foundation to tackle complex challenges as one team.

Jessica Zotelli

“Keeps the big picture in one hand and the to-do list in the other.”


Key Skills

Project Management & Coordination

Stakeholder Management & Co-creation

Process Improvement & Assurance

Fields of Expertise

Artificial Intelligence & Digital Innovation

Academic-industry collaborations

Joshua Romano

“Pairs odd partners like a matchmaking app for impact.”


Key Skills

Networking & Partnerships
Data Analytics & Dashboarding
Process optimization

Fields of Expertise

Energy Transition & Sustainability
Green Chemistry & Innovation

Nadalina Merkelijn

“Sees the dots no one else notices and wires them into action fast.”


Key Skills

Organizational Change Management

Team Dynamics
Governance & Strategy

Fields of Expertise

Digitization & Operational Excellence
Crisis Management