Passionate about innovation and collaborative culture, Barbara works at the intersection of corporate innovation, technology and sustainability. In October 2020, Barbara joined Dole to lead its corporate venturing arm.
Dole Ventures will collaborate with start-ups to support profitable growth and enable the realizatdion of the Dole Promise, announced by the company in July 2020.
To achieve these ambitious goals, Dole Ventures wants to play a role in the complex innovation ecosystem, by breaking down traditional barriers and tapping into talent, science, and technology.
For the last 15 years, Barbara has developed an exhaustive understanding of disruptive technologies, digital environments, and their commercial applications. A respected driver of innovation, Barbara has a track record of building successful collaboration between start-ups and corporate, engaging with tech communities, accelerators, and VCs, as well as building meaningful ecosystem relationships to accelerate growth. Prior to her role at Dole, Barbara built and led for 5 years Unilever Foundry, Unilever’s platform for start-ups engagement, which she then transformed into a cross-functional technology discovery platform, while designing and managing internal and external innovation networks.
A mentor for start-ups, Barbara speaks regularly on corporate innovation and the importance of inspiring entrepreneurial spirit within companies.
About Dole Promise
We have given ourselves five years to deliver on our ambitious goals. These include providing sustainable nutrition for a billion people, the elimination of processed sugar from our products, zero fruit loss from our farms, zero emissions and zero fossil-based packaging.