19/10/2026
Meet the speakers of Coffee Connect - Mind the Cup!
Alberto Polojac - Coffeeologist
Alberto Polojac is the owner of Imperator Srl, a green coffee importing company, and the director of Bloom Coffee School, the company’s education department. Specializing in sensory analysis and coffee quality throughout the supply chain, he oversees purchasing and quality control and is an authorized SCA trainer across all modules, with particular expertise in green coffee, coffee tasting, brewing methods and roasting.
Certified Q Grader by the Coffee Quality Institute (CQI) since 2012 he has obtained the Q Processing Professional qualification in 2019. In 2018, he co-authored “Caffè verde in un libro” with Andrej Godina, published by Medicea Edizioni,.
Andrej Godina caffesperto - Coffee Expert
Andrej Godina holds a PhD in Science, Technology and Economics in the Coffee Industry from the University of Trieste. He is an expert in sensory analysis and an authorized trainer for the Specialty Coffee Association (SCA). Consultant and science communicator, he is also the curator of the Guide to Italy’s Cafés and Roasteries.
Andrea Cremone - Trainer & Consultant
Andrea Cremone began his journey in the coffee world by working at his family’s café in Genoa, where he developed a strong focus on quality. He started attending several SCA Coffee Diploma System courses and, after earning the coffee diplomas, became an authorized SCAE trainer in 2015.
Since then, he has focused on training and consulting, delivering coffee courses, working with individuals and companies and overseeing the roasting process at his family’s café. He subsequently obtained the Q Grader qualification, certifying his skills in coffee tasting and quality assessment.
Federico Vitiello - Growth Marketer
Federico Vitiello helps businesses and trainers use AI strategically and practically, turning training into real-world prototypes and solutions. He has worked with companies such as Generali, Crédit Agricole Italia, Unipol, Branca and Confindustria and teaches at Sole 24 Ore Business School and the University of Udine.
Davide Spinelli - Trainer & Consultant
Davide Spinelli, born in Cagliari, began working in the hospitality industry around fifteen years ago as a bartender. After working as a sommelier and olive oil taster, he took a more professional approach to coffee in 2008 by attending specialized training courses.
While gradually shifting his focus from bartending to coffee, he became an authorized SCA trainer in 2013. In 2014, he won the Italian AeroPress Championship and has been a finalist several times in the Italian SCA Championships, competing in Brewing and Coffee and Good Spirits categories.
Mauro Illiano - Coffee Expert
Mauro Illiano is a coffee expert, lawyer and journalist. He is the creator and current curator of the first Guide to Italy’s Cafés and Roasteries. Trainer and sensory analysis expert, he developed Coffeat, a method and tasting sheet designed to explore coffee and food pairings. He works as a consultant for leading national and international companies, author of seven books and regularly contributes to newspapers, magazines and television programmes.
Miro Kovač - Digital Entrepeneur
Miro Kovač is a technology entrepreneur, innovator, and founder of UK-based Coffee Cloud Technologies. With a background in electronics and hands-on experience in the coffee industry, he has spent years developing technologies that help businesses monitor and improve coffee quality.
His work combines IoT, data analytics, and artificial intelligence, leading to the development of Coffee Cloud, Specialty.AI and AI Coffee Analyzer — solutions designed to make coffee quality control more accessible, measurable, and consistent.
