The story of Francesco Noli and Verto AI

When I was 15, my father died right in front of me. He was an entrepreneur. I still remember the exact feeling of that moment: feeling naked, alone, and at the same time feeling an enormous weight of responsibility on my shoulders. From that point on, I would have to figure things out on my own.

The years that followed were tough. In high school I did poorly, almost only failing grades, the bare minimum to avoid being held back. I couldn't wait to get out. I still didn't know what I wanted to do.

At university everything changed. I discovered product design and felt that what I was studying had a purpose: it wasn't abstract stuff, it was something people would actually be able to touch. I felt useful, fulfilled, on the right path.

I worked harder than most. I lost friends to focus on the work — today I regret it a bit, I would have made it without sacrificing so much. But that's how it went. Page turns.

I was hired by a luxury marine company. They trusted me with serious projects: I founded and designed Aedra Watersport, an internal sub-brand built entirely by me — brand identity, product range, website, communication. The flagship product is GLIDER, an electric carbon-fiber jetboard reaching 30 km/h with lithium iron phosphate batteries developed for underwater use. I coordinated suppliers in China, Slovenia, across Europe and partly in the US to take it from prototype to production.

I also have two patents filed: one for a motorized surfboard and one for SUP equipment — the Essential Kit, an ultra-compact Stand Up Paddle kit designed to solve what no brand on the market had addressed: transport, assembly, repositioning of the gear.

From freelance advertiser I moved to building a real agency. Performa Digital Agency was born in Modena with two partners, Davide and Mirko: performance marketing for Italian SMBs, e-commerce and offline businesses.

In six years of advertising I've helped over 120 clients scale. I discovered Facebook Ads in 2018 on my own e-commerce and never stopped since. I know how to sell products — it's not just a skill, it's my daily work.

Together with Barbara — my partner since we were 18 — we opened an e-commerce in 2018. It was my school of marketing, sales, communication, automation. Today Barbara is one of the best automation specialists in Italy. Without her, none of this would exist.

Since March 2023 I'm also faculty at IED Istituto Europeo di Design in Milan — closing the loop with where it all started.

Aedra brought me to the XXVII edition of the Compasso d'Oro ADI, selected in the Personal Mobility category. We were about fifteen names: Pagani, Ferrari, Lamborghini, Maserati, and my brand — the only one outside the Motor Valley big leagues.

We didn't win (Pagani did), but being in there was a confirmation: I can build things that compete with the best.

In 2023 a family apartment came available. I lived in central Modena in a rented flat, a small gem. I asked myself: what if I asked the owners to sublet it? It would be an experiment to make some side income.

That experiment turned into Modena Moments — my short-term rental company in Modena. I managed everything alone, no employees, automating every possible process: bookings, cleaning, pricing, calendars. The only thing I couldn't automate was guest support.

Modena Moments is also a local experiences website — private tours, balsamic vinegar tastings, cheese, prosciutto. We've built a network with many local businesses. I live the world of Italian short-term rentals from the inside, every day.

By 2024 I'd automated everything except guest chats. It was the last frontier. I'd refused for years to take on more apartments because I would have gone crazy managing customer support manually.

I started developing the solution with external developers, but it wasn't moving forward. Too many cross-commitments, too slow. So I picked up the computer and started building it myself. Vibe coding with AI 24/7, senior external consulting only for architecture and security.

Today Verto is no longer an experiment. It's my main job. Dozens of Italian property managers use it every day to handle guest support for their short-term rentals — from 5 to 200+ units managed. The roadmap I write with them, not for them.

You're reading this page because you want to understand who's behind it. Behind it is me. And if you pay for Verto, I'm the one who replies to you too.