Gabriele Rachello, CTO at InnoWave, shares how the Portuguese tech consultancy is leading AI innovation with projects transforming the telecom, energy, and banking sectors.
InnoWave is a Portuguese technology consultancy founded in 2008, with 4 international offices and more than 450 employees. The company operates primarily in sectors such as telecommunications, energy, and banking, and is making a strong push in artificial intelligence (AI), aiming to grow its revenue by 77% by 2028.
It recently launched AstroLab, a platform for testing and validating AI solutions, and runs its own academy to train talent in Cloud, Data, and AI.
We spoke with Gabriele Rachello, Chief Technology Officer, about what it’s like to work at a company that puts artificial intelligence at the heart of its strategy — and about InnoWave’s next steps in its innovation journey.
1. Gabriele, how long have you been at InnoWave, and how has your role evolved since then?
I’m InnoWave’s Chief Technology Officer, and since joining the company, my journey has been a true innovation adventure. I joined at a time when AI was still a promise — today, it’s our main driver of transformation.
My role evolved from leading technical teams to becoming a catalyst for change, driving AI adoption across the organization and with our clients. What’s most rewarding is seeing how the technology we develop is changing lives and creating real opportunities for everyone.
2. Describe a typical day at InnoWave. What’s the office environment like?
At InnoWave, there really are no “typical” days. Every day is an opportunity to innovate. The environment is vibrant, collaborative, and multicultural, with more than 450 InnoWavers across 4 international offices. We have an open-door culture where ideas flow freely and curiosity is encouraged. Whether onsite or working in hybrid mode, the team spirit is contagious: there’s always someone testing a new AI model, sharing an insight, or challenging the status quo. And of course, we celebrate every achievement — big or small — with the same energy.
3. Everyone talks about AI, but not everyone is building things that actually work. Do you remember a project where AI solved a problem that other approaches couldn’t?
Absolutely. One of the most impactful projects was implementing an AI agent for a major telecom operator. The challenge was to reduce support costs while improving the customer experience. With AI, we automated 60% of support requests, reduced resolution time by 40%, and increased customer satisfaction by 30%.
This impact would have been impossible with traditional approaches. Only AI allowed us to scale, personalize, and learn from every interaction, making the service truly intelligent and efficient.
4. Have you ever had to tell a client that the AI solution they wanted wasn’t a good idea? How did you handle that conversation?
Yes — transparency is one of InnoWave’s core values. There have been situations where clients wanted to apply AI in scenarios with insufficient data or unclear ROI. In these moments, I always explain the risks and suggest more viable alternatives, often starting with a pilot to validate value before scaling. Our goal is to be a trusted partner, not just a technology vendor.
5. You work across telecom, banking, and more. Was there any AI application that surprised you by having a much bigger impact than expected?
Yes — one case that truly surprised me was using AI to optimize asset management in solar farms. We built an intelligent monitoring solution that centralizes equipment data, detects anomalies in real time, and recommends interventions before efficiency drops. The result: a 20% increase in energy production and a 25% reduction in operational costs.
What impressed me most was not only the technical performance boost — but how it transformed the way teams work, making them more proactive and less tied to repetitive tasks. It was a real leap in productivity and sustainability.
6. What AI technologies and tools do you use daily? Are there any you consider essential?
We work with a robust ecosystem: from open-source frameworks like TensorFlow and PyTorch to cloud platforms using generative AI from partners such as Microsoft Azure, AWS, and Google Cloud. We also use intelligent automation tools, natural language processing, and generative models. But the essential piece is our ability to integrate these technologies in an agile, secure way, supported by a strong data foundation — always with a focus on real business impact.
7. What’s the toughest technical problem you’ve had to solve — the one that really made you hit your head against the wall?
One of the biggest challenges was dealing with the noise and complexity of application and infrastructure monitoring in large telecom operations. We were receiving thousands of alerts every day — many irrelevant — making it hard to quickly identify critical incidents.
The solution came through developing our AI ThinkPanel. This platform uses artificial intelligence to automatically filter alerts, detect recurring patterns, and highlight only the incidents that truly matter.
With AI ThinkPanel, we dramatically reduced false alerts and sped up response times. Instead of spending hours trying to separate signal from noise, we now have a clear, actionable view of what really needs attention.
8. InnoWave has an academy to train employees in AI. If you could add one course to Portuguese university programs, what would it be?
I’d add a course on “Ethics and the Social Impact of AI.” Beyond the technical side, it’s essential to train professionals to be aware of the impact their solutions have on society. We want future talent to think not only about how to build AI, but how to use it to create a better world.
9. Is there any project or area you’re working on now that makes you think, “in two years, this will be huge”?
Yes. We’re heavily investing in generative AI platforms for process automation and the creation of intelligent digital products through AI agents. I believe that over the next two years, these solutions will transform how companies innovate and launch products on the market. The future is driven by a passion for innovation.
At InnoWave, we believe innovation means changing lives. We are a company where technology serves people, and where every challenge is an opportunity to create positive impact.
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