BIO

Eleonora Bafunno is an Italian interdisciplinary artist and entrepreneur whose professional career spans art, design, technology, and innovation. She grew up in a family of creatives: her father was an inventor and piano tuner, while her mother was an opera singer. From a young age, she trained in various artistic disciplines, attending the Conservatory of Music and a prestigious dance school in Verona, before specializing in interior design at the Palladio Design Institute.

After completing her studies, she began working in the high-end design and furniture sector, collaborating with leading Italian design brands. In 2015, she launched her first business venture in Lugano, Switzerland, where she has lived and worked since 2016. Her expertise extends beyond interior design to include industrial design, digital design, and creative consulting, with an approach that blends aesthetics, technology, and “out-of-the-box” thinking.

An important aspect of her career is the Bafunno Music Tech project, a startup created to bring innovation to the world of musical instruments. This project was incubated by the USI Startup Centre in Lugano, supported by the Agire Foundation in Lugano, and recognized through a coaching program by Innosuisse, the Swiss innovation agency.

Thanks to this innovative work, Eleonora has received several accolades and awards: she was a finalist and winner of awards such as the Swiss Federalism & GCBL Milton Friedman International Startup and Innovative SME Award in Zurich in 2021, and she received an honorable mention with a fourth-place finish at the “Le eccellenze italiane in mostra” event in Zurich in 2022.

Her creative vision goes beyond traditional design. Eleonora promotes a concept of luxury that is innovative, sustainable, and inclusive, seeking to highlight the uniqueness and personal style of each client. She is known for her eclectic style and her ability to blend various artistic and design languages.

In the business sphere, she also managed and led BAFUNNO GROUP SA in 2023, a company based in Lugano that operates in interior design, industrial design, and innovative technology in the music tech sector. Eleonora is a Certified Board Member at SUPSI in Lugano and holds certification from the SAQ (Swiss Association for Quality); she serves on the board of directors of Bafunno Group SA alongside her father.