Eveline Smeets is an Economist in the Disruptive Technologies and Venture Capital team at the International Finance Corporation (World Bank Group), where she leads analytical work on the impact of disruptive technologies such as AI/ML, enterprise SaaS, and digital platforms. She previously covered investments in digital infrastructure such as data centers and broadband providers. Her current research focuses on startup scalability, technology adoption, and how innovations in digital applications and AI affect firm productivity, health and education, and labor markets, working closely with technology companies in IFC’s global portfolio.
Prior to joining the World Bank Group, Eveline worked with the United Nations Industrial Development Organization (UNIDO) in Austria and Oman, where she advised on industrial policies and conducted research on manufacturing, employment, and structural economic transformation. She also supported capital market development reforms in Croatia and Türkiye and co-founded a social innovation initiative in Peru supporting farmers and micro-entrepreneurs.
Eveline’s research has been published in World Development and featured in The Economist. She holds an MSc in Economic History from the London School of Economics (LSE) and a BSc in Economics from Maastricht University.