PeopleofSuperintelligence

Researcher

Massimiliano Versace

Also known as Max Versace

Massimiliano Versace is an AI researcher and entrepreneur whose brain-inspired neural networks moved from a Boston University lab into Mars-rover prototypes, drones and factory inspection systems. Born in Monfalcone, Italy, he came to the United States on a Fulbright scholarship in 2001 and earned a PhD in cognitive and neural systems at Boston University in 2007. In 2006 he co-founded Neurala with Heather Ames and Anatoly Gorshechnikov; at the university he directed the Neuromorphics Lab, and his 2010 IEEE Spectrum article on the DARPA-funded MoNETA brain model drew NASA's interest. As Neurala's CEO, he raised a $14 million Series A in 2017 and opened Neurala Europe in Trieste in 2021, and the AI he built with colleagues for NASA entered the Space Technology Hall of Fame in 2026. Since 2025, he is Vice President and Global Head of Emergent AI at Analog Devices.

Born
1972
Badges

Years link to their sources.

Timeline

  1. 2001–2007

    A Fulbright and two PhDs

    Born in Monfalcone, Italy, he earns a psychology degree at the University of Trieste and moves to the United States on a Fulbright scholarship in 2001. He holds two PhDs, in experimental psychology from Trieste and in cognitive and neural systems from Boston University, where his 2007 thesis on spikes, synchrony and attentive learning in laminar thalamocortical circuits is advised by Stephen Grossberg.

  2. 2005–2006

    Co-founding Neurala

    The idea for Neurala comes in 2005, when he and his Boston University colleagues Anatoly Gorshechnikov and Heather Ames ask what would happen if each pixel a graphics processor handles were treated as a neuron. He co-founds the company in 2006 to develop deep learning technology.

  3. 2009–2012

    MoNETA and the Neuromorphics Lab

    In early 2009, his team starts work on DARPA's SyNAPSE project for low-power, brain-inspired computers. In November 2010, he and Ben Chandler describe MoNETA (Modular Neural Exploring Traveling Agent) in IEEE Spectrum, brain-model software from Boston University's department of cognitive and neural systems built to run on a memristor-based chip from HP Labs. As a research assistant professor, he directs the university's Neuromorphics Lab, launched in summer 2010 within the NSF-funded CELEST center.

  4. 2010–2011

    A Mars rover brain for NASA

    NASA contacts him in 2010 after reading his IEEE Spectrum article, asking whether his team can build a software controller for rovers that explore Mars on their own. Working with the Neuromorphics Lab, Neurala completes a Small Business Technology Transfer Phase I study with NASA's Langley Research Center in 2011 and wins a larger Phase II contract.

  5. January 2017

    A $14 million Series A

    As CEO, he leads Neurala to a $14 million Series A round led by Pelion Ventures in January 2017. Its Neurala Brain software brings deep learning to drones, robots, cars and toys, and lets devices keep learning after deployment without a network connection.

  6. June 2021

    Neurala Europe in Trieste

    In June 2021, he brings Neurala back to his home region of Friuli Venezia Giulia with Neurala Europe, a Trieste-based division for AI in industrial processes. The regional finance company Friulia invests €1 million as part of a $12 million funding round.

  7. 2024–2026

    Space Technology Hall of Fame

    By November 2024, Neurala's vision inspection software, which grows out of its NASA-funded rover code, monitors product quality on factory assembly lines, with Versace as cofounder and CEO. In 2026, the AI technology he develops with colleagues at Boston University and Neurala is inducted into the Space Technology Hall of Fame.

  8. Since 2025

    Emergent AI at Analog Devices

    He joins Analog Devices in 2025 as Vice President of Emergent AI, leading a team that builds tactile intelligence for robots and ultra-low-power compute for embodied AI. In December 2025, he predicts that decentralized AI will reach new-generation humanoid robots by the end of 2026. He is Vice President and Global Head of Emergent AI at Analog Devices.

Career

  1. Since 2025Analog DevicesVice President and Global Head of Emergent AI
  2. From 2010Boston UniversityResearch Assistant Professor
  3. From 2006NeuralaCo-founder, CEO

Education

  1. 2007Boston UniversityPhD
  2. University of TriestePsychology degree

From the biography.

  1. 11% of AI doctorate holders from 2010 to 2016 founded or led a company or lab by 10 years after graduationIncludes Massimiliano Versace. We estimate how often AI doctorate holders founded or led a company or lab by 10 years after graduation, how waiting times compare between founders and top jobs, and which universities trained the most.
  2. The Massachusetts Institute of Technology trained or employed 44 of the 187 AI major-prize winners, more than any other universityIncludes Boston University. The Massachusetts Institute of Technology trained or employed 44 of the 187 AI major-prize winners, more than any other university. We compare doctorate and 5+ year employment links, career timing and current workplaces for 187 major-prize and 1,111 best-paper winners.
  3. More people shaping AI studied at Massachusetts Institute of Technology than at any other institutionIncludes Boston University. We estimate where the people shaping AI studied and where their careers led. Massachusetts Institute of Technology leads with 467 former students, including 291 recorded doctorates.
  4. The company share of AI researchers’ top papers was 31% in 2020–2024 and 8% in 1970–1974Includes Boston University. We estimate where the people shaping AI worked when their most-cited papers appeared: the company share was 31% in 2020–2024 and 8% in 1970–1974, and Google led all organizations in 2020–2024.

Colleagues

People with dated positions at the same organization in the same years.

Sources and credits

Photo: We have no published photo of Massimiliano Versace yet. Send us a free-licensed photo.

  1. Ecco chi è Max Versace, il “cervello” di ritorno che insedia in Fvg la divisione europea di Neurala ilnordest.it. Checked 20 October 2026.
  2. Massimiliano Versace - Wikipedia en.wikipedia.org. Checked 20 October 2026.
  3. Max Versace | AI Executive, Scientist & Founder maxversace.com. Checked 20 October 2026.
  4. Planet-Navigating AI “Brain” Helps Drones and Cars Avoid Collisions spinoff.nasa.gov. Checked 20 October 2026.
  5. MoNETA: A Mind Made from Memristors spectrum.ieee.org. Checked 20 October 2026.
  6. Pushing the Boundaries of Artificial Intelligence bu.edu. Checked 20 October 2026.
  7. Deep Learning AI for NASA Powers Earth Robots spectrum.ieee.org. Checked 20 October 2026.
  8. Neurala closes $14M Series A to bring machine learning to the edge techcrunch.com. Checked 20 October 2026.
  9. Versace Family Member Wants To Succeed In Artificial Intelligence, Not Fashion fortune.com. Checked 20 October 2026.
  10. From Mars Rovers to Factory Assembly Lines nasa.gov. Checked 20 October 2026.
  11. New year, new AI: excited to share my 2026 chapter at Analog Devices maxversace.com. Checked 20 October 2026.
  12. Looking Ahead to 2026: AI Predictions industrialethernet.net. Checked 20 October 2026.