The year 2025 has seen continued momentum in the launch of venture capital funds and investment initiatives targeting Italy. These new initiatives reflect a growing interest in supporting Italian startups across diverse sectors, from deeptech to AI, but also foodtech and education.
Below is a list (in alphabetical order) of some of the new venture capital funds and investment initiatives announced in 2025, dedicated to fostering innovation and entrepreneurship in Italy.
Algebris Climatech
First venture capital fund from Algebris Investments, targeting climatetech innovations like sustainable energy and carbon reduction startups, to bridge climate goals and scalable tech
Angelini Ventures and European Investment Bank
European Investment Bank (EIB) and Angelini Ventures signed an agreement to co-invest in 7-10 European startups developing biotech, medtech, and digital health solutions, emphasizing innovative therapies and diagnostics
Claris Biotech II
Claris Ventures SGR’s second VC fund, dedicated to early-stage biotech investments from Italy’s research networks, building on its first fund’s portfolio of gene therapies and diagnostics
C.NEXT Ivrea
Within the C.NEXT Ivrea innovation hub at Olivetti’s historic ICO Officine site, a new early-stage incubation program backed by local SMEs, focusing on tech hardware, AI, and manufacturing startups with access to prototyping facilities
ComoNext
New acceleration program in partnership with AIFI (Italian VC Association), enhancing startup readiness via structured training, mentorship, and investor matchmaking, targeting digital and industrial scale-ups
Digital Puglia
Vertis SGR’s seventh VC fund (parallel to VV6), investing in Southern Italy’s digital economy, including software, fintech, and space downstream applications like satellite data analytics
Foodtech incubator
Verona Agrifood Innovation Hub (VAIH) launched this incubator to commercialize university research, spin-offs, and early-stage ideas into agrifood ventures, addressing research-to-market gaps
Futura Growth
Futura SGR’s debut growth capital fund, for fintech, insurtech, pharma, food, education, and mobility sectors, providing capital to post-revenue companies scaling in Europe
Keen Venture Partners
European fund for defense and security tech startups/scale-ups in NATO countries, focusing on dual-use innovations like cybersecurity for space assets and autonomous systems
Luiss Alumni for Crowd (La4c)
Clubdeal Digital’s platform for Luiss University alumni to invest digitally in pre-seed/seed Luiss-linked startups, incubated by university programs or backed by alumni angels
Maia Ventures
VC fund backing early-stage food and agritech startups, with a vehicle emphasizing sustainable farming tech, precision agriculture, and supply chain innovations
Nova Ventures
From the merger of Open Seed and Seed Money, Italy’s largest early-stage hub with ~1,000 active members, 20+ portfolio companies, and expert governance, targeting deeptech ventures
Novaterra
Milan/London-based evergreen holding investing in global industrial champions with tech/scientific moats, focusing on hardware, space tech, and cybersecurity scale-ups without fixed fund life
Research Gateway
Veolia’s accelerator linking Italian university/research teams to its environmental services ecosystem, prioritizing green energy, climatetech, and waste-to-value innovations with corporate pilots
Scientifica Fund 1 (SF1)
Rome-based deeptech fund from Scientifica Venture Capital, targeting future computing, advanced materials, environmental tech, and industry innovations with proprietary lab access
Sella Direct Ventures
Banca Sella’s new VC arm coordinating proprietary investments in startups and specialized funds, dual strategy blending direct investments and LP commitments
Step Fund
VC fund partnering with Alternative Capital Partners SGR, targeting consumer tech, edtech, and health startups at seed/Series A
ZNEXT
Zanichelli Editore’s venture builder for edtech and digital learning startups, leveraging publishing expertise to launch and scale AI-driven education platforms
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