Maddalena Crosti’s passion is helping creators realize their vision, particularly around XR. As program lead at Digital Catapult, she specializes in running immersive and creative programs. Most recently she led the CreativeXR program, which is the UK’s largest immersive content accelerator. Through the program, she oversaw the funding and supported the development process of 40 proofs of concept and 11 completed productions of XR content. Under her leadership the program grew, acquiring partners Epic Games and StoryFutures Academy. In addition, Crosti has supported demonstrators at the Audience of the Future, four large scale immersive productions that have been awarded £4m in funding by the UK Research and Innovation Council.

Crosti has also led a taskforce looking into diversity within funding programs, and worked with experts to produce recommendations on how to make future funding calls and business support programs more inclusive.

Previously, Crosti worked for 10 years in New York in independent film and was part of the team that launched Vice Media’s new TV channel, Vice, on TV.