In 2021, the value of private equity, venture capital and private debt transactions in Italy amounted to 16.9 billion euros, said AIFI, the Italian association of private capital investors (see here a previous post by BeBeez). Venture capital funds closed 53 deals the digitalization sector and 22 in the eco-transition field. However, in 1Q22, the transaction value has gone up +23% but volumes decreased by 19% yoy.
Vedrai, a provider of AI tools for strategy assessments, raised 40 million euros from Milan-listed wealth manager Azimut who also created a special purpose vehicle for allowing its clients to invest in the company (See here a previous post by BeBeez). The company will invest the raised proceeds in its organic growth and expanding abroad. In 2021, Vedrai attracted 5 million on the ground of an enterprise value of 50 million from Pietro Giuliani, Andrea Bocelli, Giorgio Chiellini, Piero Angela, Sandro Veronesi, and other Italian investors. Michele Grazioli and Valerio Zanaglio founded Vedrai in 2020.
Swiss fintech Alpian, a firm that received the incubation support from REYL Intesa Sanpaolo, received a banking licence from FINMA the Swiss financial authority (see here a previous post by BeBeez). The company also launched a 19 million CHF (18.6 million euros) capital increase that Fideuram – Intesa Sanpaolo PB subscribed.
Soul-K (fka Soul Kitchen), a B2B foodtech scaleup, attracted 6.3 million euros from current shareholders Innogest sgr and TAN Food and new investors Levante Capital, AZ Eltif ALIcrowd, and CDP Venture Capital who converted in equity a one million loan that provided in 2021 (See here a previous post by BeBeez). Soul-K is still carrying on a crowdfunding campaign on Mamacrowd on the ground of a pre-money value of 18 million. The company already raised 0.75 million ahead of a hard cap of one million. Soul-K will invest the raised proceeds in expanding its operations abroad and increasing its production capability. Edoardo Agamennone, Francesco Lorenzini and Francesco Rossi founded Levante Capital in 2020.
Insoore, an Italian insurtech platorm that Whoosnap developed, launchef a capital increase of 5.5 million euros that lead investor Mercurio Holding, a company of Proximity Capital, subscribed with Lumen Ventures, Azimut Libera Impresa, Gellify, and other business angels (See here a previous post by BeBeez) Cdp Venture Capital converted in equity a financing facility of 0.3 million euros that issued at the end of 2020 through the AccelerOra programme. Enrico Scianaro is the ceo of Whoosnap who, at the end of 2020, received 0.6 million from Cdp Venture Capital and Mercurio Holding for the development of Insoore. Federico Santini is Whoosnap’s executive chairman, while Gerardo Gorga and Vito Arconzo act as coo and cto.
Aryel, a platform for increased reality marketing campaigns, raised 700k euros (see here a previous post by BeBeez). The company attracted the resources of Prana Ventures, KF-Invest, Marco Bianchi, Jacopo Pasquini, Francesco Pezcoller, Alessandro Braga, Emanuele Cuccio, and Giorgio Sacconi. Aryel will invest such proceeds in achieving revenues of one million ahead of a further 2 million round by the end of 2022. Mattia Salvi (ceo), Luca Petri and Leonardo Persico founded Aryel in 2020.
IIO, a provider of Voice-as-a-Service (VaaS) solutions, raised pre-seed resources of 300k euros from the The Foolers Club, FoolFarm’s community for vertical investments in Artificial Intelligence and Blockchain (See here a previous post by BeBeez). Pasquale Bombino and Marco Orifici are the ceo and coo of IIO. Andrea Cinelli founded FoolFarm in 2020 and already incubated Fire and Voiceme, who raised 0.569 million in January. Earlier in March, FoolFarm created FoolCapital with the aim of raising 25 million for financing the creation of startups.
