Giacomo Vella earned his degree in Economics and Finance in 2016. He then joined the Department of Management Engineering at Politecnico di Milano, where he first served as a Research Fellow (2016-2020) and subsequently as a PhD student (2020-2023), obtaining his PhD in April 2023.

Since October 2025, he has held the position of Junior Assistant Professor (RTDA) within the department.

Giacomo Vella's research focuses on the application of blockchain technology within organizations. His work in this area has explored several key themes:

1. The role of blockchain in enabling organizations to decentralize their operations and decision-making, thereby creating more distributed and collaborative systems. Decentralization involves shifting power and authority away from a central entity, which in turn opens up new avenues for innovation and collaboration.
2. The creation of decentralized platforms, with a specific focus on how the role of the platform leader changes when there is no single owner. Instead, the platform is built and managed by a diverse group of actors who may also be its users.
3. The function of different stakeholders involved in a decentralized platform, with particular attention to their relevance and level of readiness for adopting blockchain technology.
4. The governance of decentralized applications, examining who holds decision-making power, how it is distributed among stakeholders, and how key decisions are made and implemented within their governance frameworks.

1. Nicolai B., Tallarico S., Pellegrini L., Gastaldi L., Vella G., Lazzini S. (2023) Blockchain for Electronic Medical Record: Assessing Stakeholders’ Readiness for Successful Blockchain Adoption in Healthcare, Measuring Business Excellence, Vol. 27, No. 1, pp. 157–171, ISSN: 1368-3047, DOI: 10.1108/MBE-12-2021-0155​
2. Vella G., Gastaldi L. (2024) Creating a blockchain platform: An empirical analysis in the Italian banking sector, Creativity and Innovation Management, Vol. 34, Issue 2, pp. 393-413, ISSN: 0963-1690, DOI: 10.1111/caim.12645​
3. Vella G., Gastaldi L., Appio F. (2025) Non-algorithmic Governance Mechanisms of Blockchain-based Decentralized Applications: Evidence from Multiple Cases, Technovation, Volume 148, ISSN 0166-4972, https://doi.org/10.1016/j.technovation.2025.103332

1. The paper “How Blockchain Revolutionizes Platform Dynamics: A Multiple Case Study of Decentralized Finance Apps,” co-authored with Davide Ghezzi and Luca Gastaldi and presented at the 5th Symplatform Conference, received the Best Paper Award.
2. The paper “The Impact of Tokens on Ecosystems: A Multiple Case Study,” co-authored with Ettore Zauli and Luca Gastaldi and presented at the 5th Symplatform Conference, was honored with the Best Practical Relevance Award.