Michelle Messina

Michelle E. Messina is CEO of the international training and consulting firm, Explora International LLC, focused on accelerating entrepreneurs and their companies, while developing sustainable ecosystems worldwide.

As a serial entrepreneur and consultant, Messina speaks on the topics of entrepreneurship, startup best practices, sustainable ecosystems, business acceleration, market readiness, Silicon Valley best practices, and regional development. She has deep experience with corporate and government startup acceleration and entrepreneurship programs aimed at helping companies find repeatable business models, while leveraging the best practices of Silicon Valley. Over the past few years, Messina has expanded her reach, working in over 65 countries, including developing, post-war, and transitional economies. Her work has significantly impacted thousands of companies worldwide since 2004, fostering collaborative and inclusive environments that encourage teams to help other entrepreneurs succeed.

Messina actively mentors startups at GSVlabs, Alchemist Accelerator, The Last Mile @ San Quentin Prison, Telefonica’s Wayra academies, and Innovation Center Denmark. She is also a member of the Startup Chile Global Advisory Board and serves as a NASDAQ Author-in-Residence. Her book "Decoding Silicon Valley: The Insider’s Guide" is designed to provide deep insights into Silicon Valley, including interviews with key figures like Ann Winblad of Hummer Winblad, Dave McClure of 500 Startups, Joe Kennedy of Pandora, and Phil Libin of Evernote. Through these interviews and her extensive global consulting experience, Messina shares a unique vantage point for evaluating startups and corporate strategies, emphasizing the importance of breaking traditional rules and experimenting until finding success. Her recent keynote programs such as "Pandemic Pivots and the 2021 Outlook" and "Decoding Silicon Valley: Attitudes, Beliefs, and Culture of Innovation" have showcased her ability to address timely global issues and deliver strategic insights in an engaging manner.